Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22

tContiSfc0 from sixth Page)
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in Bridge stNekt The 6me of selkirk
was seen by these strangers from the
railway carriagf ere they alighted; the
plate glass facatie of Selkirk arrested
their attentiop-As they drove from the
station; the covered carts of Selkirk
fiashfl his name before their eyes,
exploration of the Town was to find the
nearest e@ay to SeYkirk. They had been
In Med ford for months, perhaps; were
the chained slaves of Selkirk. before
hgg s Sewn unde Tas n srs f
Office. the Aiaint Iittle shop that called
Itself Model et Robes.
Who vas to blame for this lack of
successf No one, probably-uniess one
might accuse Destiny or the Spirit of
the Age. But Miss Walsh said it was
all Miss Barter's fault, and Miss Barter
said Miss Walsh had swindled her.
With insufficient business to occupy
their minds. and without customers to
soften their manners and silence their
tongues, the p~rtners were continually
quarreling An acrimonious wrangle
filled their enforced leisure day after
day. Mr.. Dowlings clerks could hear
them, and sometimes stamped upon the
floor TO beg for peace Then Miss
Walsh used to come out into the pass
age and call up to the clerns most acrl-
moniousiy: IF you shake the plaster off
our ceiling I'll make you pay for it. 1
shall write to Mr.. Rogers this minute and
tell him it's you and not US he must look
to. There's cracks you've made already
that are big enough to put your fingers
in," etc. And then the angry senior
partner would return to the shop and
pick up the thread of the squabble
with Miss Jessie. Give you back your
money and let you go?" Oh. that s good
one, that is. You never wanted for
cheek, Jessie. Give me back my money
that you've lost for me by your laz!ness
and your carelessness and your under
hand ways. Let me see my money again
and we'll begin TO talk about yours. l
earned my money, l did-scraped and
saved IL by honest earning. l didn't go
out and cadge II. I" There was in
fact much uneasiness and annoyance be-
meath Mr.. bowling.
And Miss Jessie in her troubles trou-
bled other people. Too often she brought
the discomfort and worry out of the stop
and took them upstairs to the first floor.
Passing the open door of the clerks
room she approached the closed door
of Mr.. Dowling's sanctum and tapped
, with her pencil-tappings. At the sound OF
these light pencil-tappings Mr.. Bowling,
seated in his big chair before his pigeon
hole desk. used to start guilty. He
knew what the pencil signal meant: his
little neighbor craved admittance. and he
was on tap on his desk, once If she might
come in and three times ii he was occu-
pied and did not wish to see her. He
dreaded such visits; ne dlSllked the notion
OF secret understanding implieu by
pencil signals; he never wished to see
Miss Barter. But. whether he tapped
once or twice Miss Barter now always
came in. -
Only me. Well. you are mean to pre-
tend you were busy. l knew you were
alone"
And then Miss Barter began troubling
the architect.
oh, that odious woman has said the
cruelest things to me today. Il believe
she goes about backbiting and slanderins
me all over the town. It's her tongue
that is running tha business and putting
every one on. And If you'll believe me
the way she goes on with Mr.. Lloyd-yoJ
know who l mean-White & Burrelr:
traveller. Well. II I was 30 take a lea
out of her book and go blackening any
one's character. could tell tales of Katie
Walsh that would surprise you"
Nj Bowling. listening to this sort o.
thing. deeply regretted that he had no
himself taken the empty shop wher
French the halter became bankrupt; OF
that a cheesemonger. a fried fish seller
q btrd-and-dog fancier had not taken i
instead of fashionable dressmaker.
MI. Bowling. do be nice to me thi
afternoon. i am that down-and j hoped
10 catch you in the best and kndes
temper" and then perhaps Miss Barte
would sit upon the arm of Mr.. Dowling''