Middletown transcript., 1904-01-02

board and lodging somewhere while you
Law it before Mr. Standard, and OF course
you do not pay charwoman much, SO
that, even if you employ me, the cost OF
nv work will take long time to pay of
the debt.
Mr.. Ricllards's eyes rested on the girl
before him with a very kindly express
sion. No one could doubt her earnest
ness, and lie felt that she would cheer
fully accept the position of the lowest
meniaI il he offered it TO her. There was
almost smile on his lips as he looked at
the slender figure and beautiful face, and
tried to imagine this girl on her hands
and knees scrubbing the passage.
A fine to-do there would be among the
clerks! They would stay after time to
see the charwoman, he thought.
You do not mean to ask wages, then?
he inquired.
OF course / do not.
But. nv dear-be had almost said
"cbild'' but checked himself-my dear
| young lady, how do you propose to Ii.e?
have learned to starve, Custance an
swered, facing him steadily, and can live
on very little.
The flush on her face was reflected ON
his. and, with sudden and most unotti-
cial movement, he held out his hand to
her.
Irespect your urindependencea andhonesty
most heartily, Miss Madison, he said
! and will certainly do my best for you
with Mr.. Standard. l shall see him to-
morrow-he is away from London just
now. In the meantime, ALLOW me to make
proposition to you. 1t is not very nice
for lady to be thrown on her own re-
sources in London, and, though do not
doubt your capability Of looking alter
yourself, if you will come home with me
| shall introduce you to my wife, and We
shall put you up for the night at least.
That will be better than taking room
without knowing anything OF your land
lady, he added quietly, with a compre-
hensive glance at the girls face.
should be only too grateful, Cnstance
assured him. have not a friend i'll LON
don and do not know where to 60. You
know the outline of my story, Mr.. Rich-
ards, but should like to tell you the de-
tails. do not know how to thank you,
she continued; you have been most kind
to me throughout. You have trusted me
when I had not the slightest reason to
expect you to do SO.
l have learned to. read faces and can
generally discern genuine distress from
frautl-it is a necessary adjunct OF my
position, you see, he explained, with
quiet smile. Possibly when have heard
YOUR story I will tell you mine, and then
you will probably find that there is a
bond Of sympathy between US. | live
little distance out Of London, Miss Madi-
son, and usually leave the office about
six. Will You be ready to accompany
me, then?
Yes. I want to get one or two things,
for have nothing but what | stand in,
said Custance frankly. Shall ] come
back here?
At quarter to six, if you will. Good
bye for the present.
She returned to the office at the time
appointed, and accompanied the secre-
tary on his homeward journey. She
wondered with some uneasiness if his
wife would he as ready to believe in her
and receive ler AZ he led heeh, and
she waited in the ntt.e dIaw lhg-r"om
Of the suburban villa with some trepida-
ton. Custance's experience of the
world had taught her that treatment like
John Richards's was almost exceptional,
and she half expected violent denun-
citation of herself and her story.
FRO BE CONTINUED