The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13

 1 habit of visiting low friends-disrepu- table old seamen and shopkeepers said MT. Carker-and that her father, al- ready sufficiently ill-disposed toward her, probably would send her away if he knew It., as he already had contem- plated doing several times.
 Under the pretense of loyalty to MT. Dombey, he declared that he could &C., quit his conscience only by reposing the responsibility for keeping the secret in Mrs. Dombey. He long remembered the look she gave him; but she accepted the confidence 4 When he had gone the humiliated wom- an hid her face in her hands and cried: "Oh. Florencel Florencep' That night she crept to Florence's room and laid her head down beside the beautiful, innocent face of the sleeping girl. In her sense of self-degradation she felt that this was her only and last hold; and that if this, the one pure sentiment that filled her heart were torn from it she would sink and be lost.
 MT. Dombey looked darkling on the friendship between the two. When all his stubborn, insolent pride failed to bend the pride of his wife, he ordered Carker to signify to her that he demanded a com plete change in her behavior and also to inform her that her attitude toward Flor ence was too markedly different from her attitude toward him to be satisfactory and would lead to the removal of the girl from the house.
 To save Florence Mrs. Dombey swal- lowed the indignity; but from that mo- ment she hated her husband, and every day her hatred and loathing grew Mr. Carker, ever with that wide smile, watched her. He knew that she hated him, too But he led her on by his craft, aided by her pride and resentment, to endure him and to speak to him as one privileged, of her defiant disregard of her husband. He saw her in his mind exactly as she was He watched her on the dangerous way that she was going. On that way he fol- lowed her steadily. Not footprint did l, she mark on it but he set his own there, straight.
 When MT. Dombey spoke to him now, 
 smiled as obsequiously as ever; but be- hind his back he shot glances of black rage at the pompous gentleman and thought with leering exultation how pres ently he would revenge himself for all the sights and affronts
 At this time he applied himself to busi- ness with even more extraordinary dili- off torbt him exploring the innermost recesses of the iron rooms where the books and the papers of the firm were kept. Shrewd ob- servers in the city noticed that he was calling in his own not inconsderable in yestments and that Jem Carker, long headed dog, was looking about him to see what he was worth.
 Thus came the second anniversary of the wedding of Edith and MT. Dombey. Carker was at dinner with the two MT. Dombey was more offensively arrogant than usual. Carker poured oil on the flames. At last Edith demanded that MT. Dombey agree to a separation. He re- fused, immeasurably shocked at the thought of such happening in the house of Dombey. MT Carker yentured to sug gest that 1t would be a wise proceeding, whereupon MT. Dombey said majestically: "Carker you mistake your position. You were employed"
 Being an inferior person, for the hu-
 initiation of Mrs. Dombey," said MT. Carlker quickly, with his widest smile. "oh, yes. It was expressly understood. I forgot And he bowed to her.
 She stood up with dreadful smile on her face. Dragging her gems from her hair and her bosom, she cast them to the floor and left the room.
 At dawn next morning Florence was awakened by a stir in the house. She looked out and heard her father ask If Mrs. Dombey had come home yet. The coachman was called and reported that he had driven Mrs. Dombey to her old home early. in the evening, where MT. Carker had met her. Florence sew her