The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-08-17


Mel began to twist the. stem, and he
turned and turned.
That's what" he said at length
satisfied as to the cause Of the stop
page. -. ~
That's funny" said the yardmaster,
happening just when-when it did, =.
Hump" displeased.' -. -"
bad sign" muttered the yardnast.
"How?' disbelieving the omen,
Trouble or death or-something or
other" *f<5.t' :.
Don't you believe it." !,s ,:..
It was with queer feelings Mel hur-
ried on home. The yardmaster's prop
hecy stuck in his mind In spite Of his
better Judgment. ~ Nv :.*.s.
He did not see Floss that night. It
was too late. The next morning" he
note explaining why he did not call
the evening before, and sent his watch
to the watchmaker's for repair. He
could not help thinking it was singular
the watch should stop just when he
was praising 1t. -
But pshaw! that can't mean any
thing-can't regulate things any more
than 1t can regulate time itself. ALI
bash!" And thus he put it aside and
went on. -, >:."
Several days passed before he was
able to- see Floss. She put her own
construction on his delay. She i'm
agined he was stunning her for few
days, till the force Of Finney's story
should die down in her mind some
what. 1t never occurred once to her
that Mel knew not a breath of what
F1nney had told her. Because she
knew 1t, Of course Mel must know it,
she reasoned If she reasoned at all
about 1t. At one time she would de-
eide she would "go for him" for his
deception, and again in a better mood
she declared to herself it was all false
she did not believe single word Of
1t. and that F1nney told it with base
motives to gain for himself a better
chance.
When Mel appeared she received
him In one Of her happiest moods She
did not approve of Finney's underhand
action, and so as the betrothed of Mel,
she decided to tell him all. In the
course Of the evening she said not I'M
kindly:
!. I hear you have another girl"
"One can hear anything these days.
Do you believe it,"
Not If you deny it,
II do deny it in toto. It's made out
of whole cloth, whoever said it,
None at the other end of the line?"
tNone-1 want none. I'm not built
that way. I've pledged myself to you,
and I'm not one to play false and fair
in anything
I never believed it for minute. It
didn't come to me right"
WHO told you-how did YOU hear
it,"
"Finney."
$50! That explains-that let's the
cat out Of the wallet. He would like
to 1njure me to you.'
He said he was at the other end
of the line lately and heard it."
'Why should he tell your"
That's what asked him.
What did he say?"
A lot Of silly stuff-that it was for
my good"
He's snake in the grass. I know
MIN. Your good! All stufr-mere
stuff"
II suspected at the time he told it
for his good"
I'm glad you don't believe it,
How did the thing start, do you
suppose?"
TWO years ago I met a young lady
tnere lew times, but I've not seen her
since and have no wish to see her. It
was only passing matter, and we
both knew it. I suppose Finney heard
1t, added something to it, and told it
as If it was thing Of today. I've con-
fessed the whole truth to you. Floss.
and concealed nothing. It was so tr1f-
ling matter and so old I had forgot
ten all about it till now"
I'm not jealous, and + tell you be-
cause I think it my duty"
That's right. I'm glad you trust
me. You wouldn't be faithful to me If
! you hadn't told me-"
That's what thought"
We'll see about this" a touch of
| anger in his voice and manner.
Let me beg of you, Mel, not to do
| anything. You will only stir it UP and
make it public, and it will become a
scandal"
Trust me, Floss. I think can out
wind the laddte and shame him at his
own game
! Don't mention it to him at all. and
that will be the hardest blow you can
deal him. Silence will kill the fellow.
can't bear him, and I don't want our
names connected with his in any shape
or manner. Now, I'm right, Mel"
II know you are" =
Promise me you won't do anything
I with.it." ~ ..
"You ask 1t, and PROMISE" after
hesitating a full minute. ~
"Now you speak like Mel. I'm salts
/ fed" psi
Il will do anything to please you.
Floss"
i Shake on it, and she caught his
hand and pressed it trustjngly, con-
\ fidingly. -.
At this instant n1uff1ed footstep
| was heard on the veranda, and it
i (To be continued.) =.