New-York tribune., 1906-08-12

self a quantity of brown paper, with gum and
pincerS. sat on the floor by the pile, and. with
an effort To breathe no faster than usual set
himself to work Ii was not 50 slight task
as It looked: however, being handy, lack of
all trades he had got some half dozen un-
fastened and again fastened before SIX o clock
His gum failing, he called upon Mrs Grover,
received no answer. called again vaInly. Won
dering at this, he stepped outside the front
door to invoke the services OF the htman
when a little way down the stairs he caught
a sound of voices in low talk. He wore slip
perS, and for this reason, perhaps approached
near the speakers before he was seen. They
were Mrs. Grover and young man The latter
the moment he was aware of DaVld's presence,
was gone like a thief so David did not see
his face. but he had an impression that It was
Neil. van Hupfeldt's valet
Who was the mani" he asked Mrs. Grover.
I'm sure | don't know his name, sir, was
her answer.
who came here to speak with the girl l lett IN
Your charge"
oh. YOU believe? What on earth does he
want OF YOU:
He kept asking me questions | told him
to go about his business
What did he want TO know!
Whether l was satisfied with my place
and whether | didn't think that woman
like me could better herself, considering the
wages I'm getting
" That all he wanted TO know,
That's about all-things like that
David. looking hard at her, said e am
sure he was quite right. You deserve tive
times the wages am giving you; SO II ! pay
YOU a month 5 wages in advance now
10 No. it, no use, Mrs Grover. You were
horn for greater things than this. Yet wher-
ever YOU 90 next do be lova 10 the man from
whom YOU earn Your bread against all the
world Here's Your money.
OnlV after she well gone dlu ne reiIeil-
ber that she had forgotten TO leave the front
As il was now nearly time to dress for the
dinner. he lett his work on the pictures lor
/ the dav In the half-dozen or 50 which ne mad
taken 10 pieces he had found nothing ana was
disillusloned, cross-tempered, dsturDed ny
many things.
| He sat down and wrote to Miss Violet Nor
| daunt am sorry to say that | have failed
to receive the documents OF which mad the
ever. to believe that your hance, Nj van
Hupfeldt has bought them, and from ms
| hand You viii perhaps receive them.
| But his conscience felt tins letter to be hard'
irOnical. and not sincere, tor H. as ne uspeCled
| van Hupfeldts name was on the certlhcates
| as the husband Of dead Gwendohne, Violet
| was little likely to receive them from van
Hupfeldts hand SO he tore up the note and
wrote another which equally reflected his IL
humor Nor did this 90 through the post III
1 !.
snxiouslv awaiting = word Of news from hl1n
he sh;rkcd for the present the task OF announc
ing his failure to her, and rushed out 70 the
dinner. 49,.
He came home late. and as he stepped iron
the lift TO the landing somethlng-a hight o.
= fancv-caused HIM 10 start 1t seemed t'
him that through the opaque glass OF his doo
he had seen a light He went IN with some dlS
o11jet OF the nerves All was dark all still
within He turned on three or four OF tn
lights IN rapid succession, and ms eyes pierce
here and there without discerning anytmn
unusual. I'LL.
The flat was lonely to him that night
He sat a little while in his overcoat by, tn
dining-room fireplace, glanced II the hea
Of pictures. at the face OF Gwendolne. An
now again he started. Something IN the aspee
\ OF the heap struck him as new, as not peThal
| the same as when he had gone out.
II But here again he seemed 10 himself IN
prey OF his own fancies He rose and stretche
himself and vawncd, and took III with M
10 his bedroom one ot the pots 81 yloietS'
Now he lay down in the dark, and all W.
quiet Only, the question occurred to mn
,ncidentallv " Am ! really alone IN tins nat
A. a matter Of fact j. not some one with me;
He had seemed 10 hear definite click and
II was not in the fiat, then, he thought n
ears must be losing their old trick oi eNactnes
= aud WIT nGUt .naklT