Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-08-21


Don't talk that way. Tom," urged
Margaret. soothingly. You are not
q failure. and you're not worthless nor
incompetent, either. You are just the
best boy that ever lived"
Tom Carlton stretched his great
length on the grass by Margaret's
side and for few minutes cont ented
himself with fervent, admiring glances
into her dark blue eyes.
Its nice to have some ono who be-
lieves in YOU" he said at last, but
I'm afraid your confidence is mis-
placed. I've been discharged from the
Office"
That was through no fault of
yours" she declared confidently. You
always try to do your duty
The chief wasn't in q very good
humor, so he began to squint over my
work and found two mistakes. each OF
the same amount, on opposite sides
of the book. II balanced all right, but
ic was dead wrong, all the same. Well,
the chief ripped off yard or two of
choice but rather inelegant English
and wound up by declaring that there
would have made such mistakes,
egregious blunders he called them"
Everybody makes mistakes az
hrmed Margaret spiritedly. You
should have told him that"
Il didn't" Tom returned dejectedly.
II got fired"
Poor boy" whispered Margaret,
tenderly stroking his curly brown
hair. Don't worry about it; you will
get another and perhaps better
place"
Margaret, I'll never be a clerk II
live to be a hundred" declared Carl
ton with conviction. Il have tried my
best and made more mistakes than
any man in the Office. You'd better
cut loose from me. Margaret. before
ruin your chances in life"
I'll do nothing of the kind. Tom"
asserted the girl emphatfcally I'm
not afraid to trust rly future to you
You have brains and will make
name for yourself yet. That invention
OF yours would bring you fortune IL
you could only get it started"
That's is, Margaret, but can't get
1t started without money. and money
nave not, nor any prospects of
any
Are you sure your Aunt Sarah did
not leave you some?" inquired Mar
garet earnestly She promised to,
you know"
Il believe she intended tc ieave mo
some money" returned Carlton bit
terly, but ! can't prove that she did
Aunt Sarah was under some deep OBJ
legations to my father in her early
life, and always said she intended to
do something liberal for me, but old
Arnold, her husband, kept a tight
string on the family purse during his
life and a. his death left his money
In trust for his wife during her life
time and then to his four children
Aunt Sarah told me over and over
again that she was saving every cent
OF the income for me, but when she
died my Cousins knew nothing of such
a plan, nor was any will found. Con
sequently. / get nothing"
For fifteen minutes neither smoke
Carlton was gloomily rejecting upon
the possibilities of providing a home
and caring for the girl to whom he
had been engaged for the past three
years. Margaret. meanwhile. was de-
batting within herself the advisability
or giving up her trip to Europe as
companion to Mrs Harper.
Tom, I'm going to stay at home. I
Will not so to Europe with Mrs. Har.
FER"
You're good girl, lassie." declared
Carlton, rising on his elbow and slip
ping his arm around her waist. but I
want you to go. You would lose your
position and it would be a case of two
OF a kind then. | have a plan that
may make our fortunes and want
you to CO."
What is your plan?"
Il can't tell you, Margaret. want
TO find out whether my aunt really
did intend to leave me any money and
l am going to try a ruse on my be.
loved cousins"
The Following week Margaret sailed
for Geneva in company with Mrs
Harper. Carlton was at the wharf IN
see them off and watched tho bte
steamer until 1t was out OF sight.
For several days after Margarers
departure Carlton remained at home
and every evening soft-voiced. soft.
treading man, dressed in black. called
TO see him.
1t soon became rumored in the
neighborhood that Mr. Carlton was
quite III. and this news was sent To
MS cousins, who called to see him
HIS condition seemed to grow worse
however, and one morning the neigh.
oors noticed a black crepe on the door
Of the little cottage.
In the parlor was plain coffin IN
which Carlton lay His face was naIe
and dark circles were beneath HE
eyes as II he had suffered greatly