, 1904-10-05

Amy comes tomorrow, for OF course
she will not come this evening? l sup
pose | must chance 1t. | am growing
reckless. And Charlotte means to
marry the count, Didn't her mother
hint as much last night?"
AS for the secretary. she had some
thing to think about. And in the warp
and weft of her thought was a thread
of satisfaction that Il young man nad
seen the folly Of being an idler n
was about 10 become a useful member
of society. 1t is always a satisfaction
TO know that our theories receive sup
port. And, apropos of that young man,
what sort of spirit did he think she
possessed when she would put up with
such treatment as lie had witnessed
Mrs. Van Stylert infict upon her
And suppose he was flirting with Miss
Templeton! She tossed her head.
She had promised the lady with
whom she boarded to go to the opera
that night, the lady having a two
tickets presented to her by a friend
who was hastily called from the city
and could not use them.
The thought of Harroway's possible
Irritation with Miss Templeton made
her feel that she should like to look
her best that evening. Her hair was
her first care, and she arranged it SO
as to set off it's abundance and color.
"A though it would be in good taste
to wear it this way when | am attend
ing to %business!' she said loftily.
Next she donned a white gown full
of fieeciness and ripping with ribbons.
She looked in the glass and was not dis.
satisfied with the reflection.
1t was then 8 o'clock. and she sat
down and waited for the lady whd
was to escort her to the opera. In
stead the lady had to go and tumble
down the back stairs and received such
contusions and abrasions as made ii
impossible for her to stir from the
house that night. OF course the secre-
tary could not go alone. sc she started
to take off her inery. All at once the
enormity of Mrs. Van Stylert's treat
ment of her struck her more cruelty
than ever. Should she keep on accept
ing that lady's favors? Not if | had a
soZen mothers" she said, and she had
been to school with every one of them!'
She would inform Mrs. Van Stylert
tomorrow that she must decline to act
as her secretary any longer.
Tomorrow. 1t was not yet 8 O'clock.
Mrs. Van Stylert had commanded her
to come to her at 8. Why not go to-
night and tell her not to expect her
mex day and, just as she was, let
that arrogant schoolmate of her mother
see her possibilities as Il we'll dressed
woman:
1t was all very foolish, very girlish,
but she did pot care to be considered a
dowdy any more thar she would accept
gratuitous contumely.
A maidservant was coerced, and, COW
cred with a long cloak, the secretary
went forth on an errand prompted by
righteous indignation.
At about the same time Mrs. Van
Stylert was issuing from her maids
ministrations also in opera array. She
seldom courted music until late in the
evening, when, as she said, she reached
Wagner's agony and soon had it over.
She looked up as her secretary entered
the rosy room, whose shaded candles
cast a most becoming light. Perhaps
she had never been so scared in all her
life before. She had not expected
Amy, and the brilliancy of the girls
eyes and the bloom on her face told her
that q battle was imminent.
The secretary eased the clasp of her
cloak-there was a pulse in her throat
that hurt her. For when she stood in
the presence of her mothers old friend
who had been of such signal service to
her and noted that Mrs. Van Stylert's
face now showed kindness and even
admiration her courage seemed to ebb
from her.
Mrs. Van Stylert was the first to
speak.
81 am so sorry, Amy, child" she said
ito bring you out at night. | wasn't
in earnest"
Not in earnest! At that the secre-
tary's courage flowed back again. Was
she to be made sport of all around?
Il came" she said, ito tell Won TO
look out for another secretary. / am
no longer in your employ"
Mrs. Van Stylert regarded her in
silence, knowing not what to say. adj
miring the girls well arranged hair
her face that was beautiful in IFS ex-
element, but, more than all. her spirit
and yigor.
Now, Harroway had felt uncomfor+
able all the early part of the evening.
BY the time he had dined at the clnh