The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-09

| In Hill street, dressed with as much diff
dence for his visit to the small street In
| Westminster as tho he were going to court.
He had lived alone since the death Of mis-
mother ten years previously, and he went
very little into society, devoting his morn
| ings to business and the remainder Of
his days to various interests that excluded
the fashionable world. One of the richest
men In London, he had gone thru life I'M
touched by the crowd of matchmaking
mothers who moved about him. Once for
| a short time he had thought himself in
love with girl with pretty face, but
he had been speedily disillusioned. and
since that day he had gone by the name
OF the "Inyincible"--the man who never
glanced second time at any woman.
When Sir Anthony was attired In the old
suit that had seen him salmon fishing In
Norway and otter hunting on the banks
of the Dart, he sent for his housekeeper
/ Mrs. Stainby who had nursed him as a
child, and who was the only woman in
his confidence and had short converse 4
ton with her, which ended in the good
woman leaving the library in a condition
bordering on mental confusion. She saw
Ioring. the valet. in the hall. and their
eyes met.
"The master is going to live over. the
bank for Bit" she said, casually.
80 I understand" said Loring, with a
! sniff. Il wonder what's up now? Last
time as he was took with a fad the ~
Of the plate. He's too believin is MASTER
"Loring,' said Mrs. Stainby, with some
4 heat, IF he asked me to walk thru fire
and water to help him I'd do it cheer
full"
I IT believe you,'' said the valet, "and I'm
not sure as wouldn't. But when it comes
to pretendin' that this house belongs to a
Mr.. Anthony, and not mentionin' the name
of Garstine to anyone while the pictures
Is bein' numbered, 1t seems to me as If
l1,N, Ill 80 !
and I'm glad that my part is livin' over
the bank"
Men are always glad to be In an easy
job" said Mrs. Stainby, as she departed
to her own regions with a snort.
Sir Anthony Garstine knocked with
some trepidation at the door Of the house
in Spittlegate road and was ushered into
} the parlor. He had chosen an hour when
he imagined that a clerk in business
house would be free, but Mrs. Liversedge,
glancing at him with keen eyes, recog-
nized in him something that made her
drop deep curtsey, and instead Of ac-
companying him to the parlor, she slipped
into the kitchen to make the tea.
, Esther was sitting by the fire with a
book on her knee. but started up to greet
Garstine with a bright flush Of pleasure.
, He thought her looking more lovely even
than on the day they had
/ spent together. She had on a
gray gown, with a bunch of . vio-
: let's tucked into her blouse, and a little
r old-fashioned hchu crossed over her
shoulders. She looked like one of the
1 ladies in the gallery at Garstine court,
9 who had been his ancestresses, and as he
= shook hands with her, he felt that she
] might have stepped down from the frame
t Of Romney or Sir Joshua. He held her
@ hand in his for a moment, and then took
r the chair she pointed out his eyes wan
9 dering about the room with keen inter-
v est.
isn't it quaint?" she said, with dan
" cling eyes. IT would not have my OLD
q nurse think that we were amused by II
, for the world"
q q The shell boxes, the plush frames, and
the cork bookcase at once assumed high
:, worth in Sir Anthony's eyes, and the
:, glazing colored prints Of race horses anc
- domestic scenes appeared suddenly to b.
J. things Of beauty. The tea was deliciou.
and the muffin cooked to perfection, ant
before the kettle was singing on the little
fire they were chatting as If they were ole
~ friends.
T. "It is very nice to have some one t,
N look after one," Garstine said. with ;
faint sigh, as he watched the slim figur
e. fitting about the room
TT ut must be terrible, have ofte1
thought to be helpless man alone il
le lodgings" she answered, with a littl
m laugh, land cannot hope that your land
e. lady can be as considerate my oil
X, nurse" .'..s
ed He was silent, for the reality Of hi
'n life in Hill street was SO different to tn
eo existence that she was picturing, but be
ne fore he could betray his confusion sh
'k had lightly passed into a talk Of book
IS and their authors, and he found tina
- their tastes were all in common. Late
va in the afternoon he preached the subjec
., Of the work in prospect and said that h
~. was going to make the final arrangement
IA with his friend on, the following day, an
he ventured to hope that she would allo
N him to come and tell her the result of HI
he interview two days later. Esther stoo
up straight and tall as she gave him he
r. hand. ....
i'm THANK you-oh, thank you,' she sal
It, ITO do such work will be delightful.
at will make me very happy" ~
He looked into her eyes and read
IT. them the new light Of hope that he hs
nd brought there, and thanked heaven in h
l humility for the chance that had con
TO into his way Of righting such a sorrow.
as They had been two hours together an
it had passed like two minutes, and Whe
Oh Sir Anthony found himself outside in tt
" street he held a crushed violet in h
nv hand that was as sweet as hedgero
in spring, and when Esther heard tt
-. | door shut on her visitor she turned baC
W to the fireplace with a happy smile upc
be her lips.
ho Life is happy, after ALL" she sal
he land I was beginning to think that it WI
ire too sad for words
he John" said Mrs. Liversedge, as 81
ire poured out her husbands fourth cup
We tea, lyons gentleman, yon new frier
Of Miss Essie's, and I shouldn't be su
rs- prised, John, If there was a wedding fro
le- this house, and more in it than NEE
cry the eye
Mind the young spark don't break h
she heart" said john oracularly. There's
fell deal Of suchike work in the world"
tie eff folks minded their own business
ELF returned Mrs. Liversedge, tartly, there
cd, be less trouble'-which argument prov
mo to be unanswerabe.
life TIT
~ In the picture gallery Of the big hou
~. ~ in Hill street Esther Melhuish sat, wi
30 her pencil and notebook on her kne
- gazing in rapt silence at the portrait
,as fair woman in a white gown standi
~ on marble terrace. The sun thru t
40 oriel window at the end Of the gale
~ fell upon her upturned face and h
,a aureole of ruddy hair, and Garstine, cor
ne ing in upon her, stood for an instant
,an silence, too absorbed by the scene
~ speak or move, till she turned and ST
ter him.