The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-06
A f" Business
Appointment"
BY ". lomax

ING lain AT MS n i've town ana car
ried his shabby ba to the cloahroom.
His movements were all marked
with sort OF grim and desperate de-
termination. He was like man
VINO had made up his mind after pro-
longei meditation to a given course
of action.
He marched with quick step and
lowered head through tie familiar
streets which he had not seen for Ave
years. not daring to glance around
him lest some one whom he had
known in the old days should receg-
ntze and accost him.
BIT the nearer he got to the house
the more vehemently he was assailsl
with doubts.
How could he tell the story of rs
sham to his fathers honored frien !
How could he ask for pauper r@l.
In the house where he had once bt a
the favorite guest?
Bot there was one CLEAN OF cone,-
ing thoughts. At all events he woalit
be spared meeting with Alice even
II he succeeded In obtaining access
20 her father She was certain to be
married to Lave been married long
ago. and have left the old home
Sucl beauty and gracious simplicity
and CHAIRMAN heiress, too---must
have had score of eligible suitors
to choose from.
So. struggling onward with bent
head. like a man battling his way in
the teeth Of a storm. he eventually
Reached the house.
lis vi Seymour at home? Could
| see him for a moment? My name
is Flank Maitland. Im-Tm very
sorry to trouble you"
Mr.. Seymour is dead. He died
three months ago. SIR
"Dead!"
But the housekeeper was speaking
to somebody In the dim-lit hail and
Frank heard her reply to her unseen
Ques;.orer
'Yes. miss-Mr. Frank Maitland,
miss"
Frank! Is that really you,
FraGk?"
"Ye- -es."
One OF those white hands was
In his own with feeling of awe that
she should be willing to shake hands
with him.
won't you come in, Frank?"
Then he fond himself In the libra
ry seated before blazing fire. with
All. sitting opposite him.
They were together ana alone at
ter tive years.
A long silence had fallen between
han He had blurted out:
I've been in prison convicted en-
. charge of forging check. and SEN
encej t five years penal servitude.
md am now out on ticket-of-leave."
He had not dared to look at her.
md she had not spoken.
You didn't know my shameful
tory Alice?" he ventured at last.
Oh. yes. did; father and both
Inev 1t. and often talked 1t over to-
,ether. We couldn't forget old
rien is as easily as all that" an
we d Alice reproachfully.
but your father could have had
10 doubts about my being guilty OF
he crime for which | was condemned,
liee?"
Yes, he had, Frank?" f.
But | pleaded guilty."
Yes, | know; but father said that
'as just the sort OF thing you might
g expected &c do. He said No,
rank, | don't think | can tell you
hat ia Their said exactly. lie
Alice. do, please" he Interrupted.
We'll. perhaps might. What
e said was--" She paused, fall
cred, and began again: What he
aid was that to take the guilt upon
odrself to screen a woman was just
ne sort of quixotic thing that chiy-
lrous young fool like Frank Matt
md might have been expected to
D."
He had been hoping against hope
lat Re might be spared the necessity
broaching the real object OF his
sit. But there 1t was-she had
him and he was forced to
'spond
You see. Alice" be said with des-
crate courage, nobody cares to
ave ticket-of-leave man about the
ace. Yet had a forlorn. kind OF
)pe that your father would be diff
rent from other people, and might
Nv lent me a helping hand to make
fresh start somewhere. But now
Il wonder IL | could help you In
way?" she pondered aloud.
but you don't want secretary.
lice"
Most certainly not" she replied
i.h a sharp decision.
Then | don't understand.
Men never understand. Frank;
1t 1t does happen that have an APP
ointment In my gift which l am
Hing to place at your disposal"
"Alice!" he exclaimed. How
cky,"
What Is It, Alice?"
III .s5and to Alice Seymour, who
Is never ceased to love you, who
IS thought of you every day for the
st hve weary years. who has lived
the hope that this moment might