The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-10
By ". B. MAXWELL, Author of srhe Guarded Fiame,~ The Ragged MessenEer,~
 @vivan," Etc.
couvri~ht so7 by W. B. Maxwell au rights reserved iRaamuMumuluH

 aaa1In nMalAil lMsmn nMmuUI1Hu l.. ho wouldn't mind. He may come in now and catch me for all l care" Yes. but care. I don't want to see i anything that Mir. Vincent keeps shut in his desk"
 And Lizzie would not look, although Mrs Price brought the hidden curios- ity across the room for her inspection. It was square of cardboard. on which MT. Vincent had pasted his I. o. U. Above and beneath this interesting relic he had written in large and clerkly hand; and Mrs. Price laugh ingly recited the inscription. John Vincents work---thats the writing, miss-This debt was dis charged and the documentary evidence recovered--I'm reading the writing. miss-by the savings of the earnings of the work of John Vincent. Day af- ter day, to the astonishment of him. seif and all mankind. John Vincent has worked and is now working. !. There" said Mrs. Price, restoring the vainglorfous placard to the desk. just like any child--who feels he's been good and says so.'
 He certainly was childlike in the naive delight that bubbled out of him, and found expression not only on card board but in his conversation. It seemed that he had truly felt the bur den of debt weighing upon him. and that with tho load thrown off he felt a Joyous freedom. Self-satisfaction. to- gether with the loss of flesh. now rem dered him even boyish of aspect as he prattled of the pleasures of independ- ence. and so forth. If he did not di- rectly speak of himself, one could guess that he was thinking of himself and his famous achievement. He exhibit ed the boyish egotism which one for gives because of its candor and inno- cence
 Miss Lizzie. You know I'm riding again. That's the only thing missed my rides. But now I get my rides before my work. ments on this gratifying fact. She was glad to learn that Mir. Vincent could now afford the luxury of horse riding. "Oh. mo-" said Jack. T couldn't af- ford 1t, if I had to pay. I went round to Banker, the riding and ask ed to help him exercise his horses. Good chap-Banker. He said yes-just out of kindness. The worst of it is. his horses don't want exercise-they want rest. But he has bought a young 'un-and he does want that well sch ooled-for Miss Irene Hope to ride. Miss Hope wrings all their backs. You know how she twists about a chafr-well, she does the same on horse."
 Lizzie smiled. and for once encour- aged Mir. Vincent to go on chattertng. She disliked Miss Hope so much that sine enjoyed hearing how badly Miss Hope rode.
 Banker is a real good sort--a grand | worker. He has been working all this | lime for his sister. When her husband | died. she was left with the business -I.E A1A A,,0 fhess might have gone to pot, and the | children starved, but for Banker. A l good chap like that ought to marry 1 and be happy over after. I'd like to | see Banker happy with nice. kind. | pretty wife-because he is such good | sort"
 MT. Jack had nothing further to say about squirming Irene. and Lizzie ceased to encourage him. After pay | ing his tribute to the virtue of Bank | CT, he passed on to his avn virtue and became too egotistical even for a | child.
 My waist almost frightens me-" and l he pulled in his jacket. "Wasps some- l times break in two at the waist. Do l you remember what fat podge. used | to be? Oh. I was-I weigh ed | at least three stone too much. Dieting | is the grand thing. Miss Lizzie. I am | very careful now about what l eat l and drink. Never to exceed. I mean. =. If you want to be in really fine condition, you cant be too careful about eating-and drinking"
 Lizzie very rarely in deed encouraged MT. Jack to talk in business hours She checked him by long pauses, mat tentive answers. and final silence. He knew that he must not talk to her and waste both his and her time.
 One morning he was wasting his time while she busily worked. He sat idly musing-nibbling the end of pencil which watched her working.
 His>idle scrutiny troubled her at last and she looked up and asked if he was in need of anything.
 "Oh. no. I was only thinking"
 Lizzie went on with her work.
 T was thinking of your pretty blue dresses You don't wear them now and I'm SO fond of blue. I told you how I admired them. and I was won dering if that was why you gave up wearing them-because you thought had bad taste"
 How absurd" said Lizzie after a pause. 'I have worn out my old dresses. and I haven't bought any new dresses this year."
 When you buy one, do get it like the very oldest one-the one you wore years ago when first came here;" and Jack got up, went to the window. and looked out.* Bigger, of course; that one wouldn't fit you. But that was the one I liked you best in.
 "Shal I tell you why, Miss Lizzie?" - Because in that dress you were kinder to me than you are now-more of a friend.* You know, your father is pleased with me-" and he smiled Mrs. Price is very pleased with me. Mary doesn't mind me That's tthree people in this house, l think. if I went away, l should leave in this house three real friends
 Then there was another pause.
 You would leave four" said Liz zie without looking up.
 Jack laughed, and shook his head.
 "No. You had to say that out of politeness. Nay. sir. I take you not to be my friend" Good gracl- ous. I've forgotten old Eaton. Eaton told me to be at his office by quarter to twelve. It's ten minutes past and, snatchinE his hat. Jack ran off-really like a greyhound
 Crunden. after supper on August evenings. would sometimes smoke his pipe in tho garden with Lizzie The days work lay behind him; he could rest for an hour now and try to forget the work. Here. at the bottom of the