Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17
CHAPTER VI.
The Writer of the I,Atter

Strong was not without tremor. The
clerks solicitude overeame his difiidence
II trust YOU are WELL STRIP he yentured
to inquire.
Quite WELL" The eyes that looked into
| Tapln's were cold; the voice hard, dis
| couraging further interrogation.
| The quaint, ingratiating smile faded from
Tins face; In his heart, perhaps, he sigh
ed. What had come over his Employer
| Formerly he had volunteered an occasional
query of a personal nature = about the
clerks domestic affairs, or his sister, Tillie,
| to whom Tim was bound by ties of I'M
| alterable devotion! But for some time both
| Tillie and himself had ceased to exist, as
| human beings. In the mind of the financier.
Tim had become a machine: T1llie-alasl-
| had been obterated
| Has Mr.. Dalton come down yetT'
| Yes sir-and gone"
Richard Strong's glance was so strange
and searching the clerk shifted uneasily.
| He was down very early" explained
Tim. He didn't somehow seem quite him
SELF and after fidgeting around for few
moments called me to his desk. I've got
to go to Washington again. on some per-
sonal business" he said. ITS unexpected,
but necessary. VIII you tell Mr.. Strong?"
How long did he say he would be
| gone?'
For day or two"
| Very well. That's all"
Tim went out wondering. Could the young
mans departure for the capital city have
| anything to do with Mr. Strongs altered
demeanor? The street was rife with ru-
| mors; the day had dawned more feyerish
than yesterday; the dreaded whisper OF Inn
pending failures and tottering financial In
| situations tended still further to increase
| the lack of confidence that the public for
some time had experienced. In railroad
| stocks further weakness became observa-
Die, In gold the unnatural buoyancy in
creased
Depend upon IT," the clerk told himself.
Mr.. Strong is worrying about some OF his
securities" And Tim returned to his work.
"a if,fr.i
For three days Richard Strong practically
| confined himself to his office. With such
energy as he could command he applied
| himself to the pressing affairs OF the mo-
ment. knowing that the public weal-his
| public-demanded of him then, as perhaps
never before. the exercise Of unceasng vigil
| lance His nights he passed at the Aston
house in a room on the second story of that
| comfortable hostelry. He had heard moth
! ing from his WIFE he had sent her no
| word
But amid these public cares he couId not
entirely shut himself from matters of pri-
vate moment Passing through the hall one
! day he encountered lady at the door Of
| Charles office; dark lady glittering with
| jewels and redolent of flowers as A Nav
| day queen. She smiled sweetly and smoke
| with a French accent
DO you know If Mr. Dalton is IMP
1t was seldom woman's footstep passed
| the threshold of these Offices and Mr.
Strong Surveyed this unusual caller not
without surprise. Perhaps his regard was
| she instinctivey felt the repellant force in
| his glance, for her smile became a shade
| less agreeable But she was a woman not
| easily daunted in her purpose and her voice
h9a more determined ring as she repeat
| ed her question.
He is not"
me Iadys face expressed disappointment.
moment she looked thoughtful as If CON
fronted by an unexpected contingency. and
then "-@
When, please, will he be IMP" she asked.
The lady tapped her foot
How annoying!" she said and added
with a sudden sharp flash of her black
eyes: Il am mis- wife"
Mr.. Strong wheeled about.
His what?"
"His"-tilting her head-'wife"
The gentleman made no answer: only
looked down With cleaning eyes the lady
watched him, as if enjoying the situation
| Would he question her statement? Appar-
emily not.
How long have you been married.
madam he said at length.
zoldene shrugged her shoulders. II am
no longer-the bride. The honeymoon
with sight is all over-Iong ago!'
The fact, not the sentiment with which
Il was embellished. interested her listener.
Critically he studied her.
You are actress7"
IAN artistic, monsieur corrected the
lady. They call me-Zoldener'
And are playing in town.
"Oh. mon Dieu!' cried the caller, Have
you not heard? Zoldene-the talk of the
town!-:non Dieu-"
Upon the other these expostuIations did
not, perhaps produce the expected effect.
but II he expressed no pleasure in meeting
a lady so illustrious and popular, his man
ner at least was shorn of a certain cold
expectancy which at first had marked it.
Opening the door of Charles office, he
ushered her ina courtesy that she
kEowledged with a smile once more wholly
amicable, ingratiating Not without inter
est she gazed about, touching her finger to
the dust on the desk and cycling askance
sundry ponderous-lookins Iaw-books.
1T is not-a very pretty place" she said.
Mr.. Strong reverted to that other topic
of interest.
ut is not generally known, madam, that
Mr.. Dalton is married" he observed.
No answered the lady; after he left
the college, he expected the fortune, but
it was gone. l am not mercenaire-mon
Dieu, nor'-with a sigh-"but one cannot
live on the air. So l return TO Paris
when were you married?'
A smile rippled the lady's face. when
you call 'em?-were in love with Zoldene-
He come every night; he send flowers; he
try to cut the others out He say he love
me; laugh. Mon Dieu! Zoldene belong to
the art, not to the man. The last night
there was a little supper; we were-what
you call it?-tres jolly. Again he say he
We order more champagne; and some one
then, he dare to go to the minister.
MOL nor say 1, and then he tell me how he
love me. And then"
and he-he love me So"
"And you went to the minister's and were
-marred?'
Zoldene's head nodded For better or
worse, monsieur
Mr.. Strong offered no comments. He had
no reason to doubt the story. In fact, at
that moment his mind was not bent upon
questioning the lady's veracity. different
train of thought moved him.
Mr.. Dalton, as l told you, is not here,
he said, but If you would like TO write
leave
"A note-just the thing!' cried the lady, a
malicious light in her eyes. 1T will give
him so much pleasure! And she began to
draw off her glove. Where is the paper?'
seating herself. "Ah, here! And the penf
Mon Dieu! the pen, it sputters. What shall
I say?" The little hand traced a few lines
the head tipped one way to survey ii and
then the other An envelope was directed
with equal celebrity and the lady arose
"There!' she exclaimed. IF monsieur
would give that. to him. Monsieur has been
very kind. Monsieur"
The words died Zoldene's lips. She re-
garded Richard Strong with a start she