Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-01-02


one Of those sleepers was startled into
consciousness.
The office bell was rung.
Then the chief sat upright. dropped
the half-smoked cigarette from his
fingers, and seized the papers tied up
with red tape which lay on the desk
before him. He would be discovered,
whoever it was that was coming to dis
turb him, In the act Of wrestling with
legal intricacies. The two old clerks
Jumped in their chairs, and each man
seized a pen and dipped it in the ink,
then, with squared shoulders, and
heads bent over their work, and pens
that flew with the swiftness of the
ready writer, they presented the proper
appearance Of industry and pressure
though know not what they wrote.
The ot1ice--it is well known rule
must not be discovered doing nothing
THE boy at the door, startled out or
sleep, lifted his head and threw open
the pages of big folio before him,
containing ! know not what old ac-
counts and entries Of bygone business
The impression of zeal and Of an over
whelming amount of work having been
started, he opened the door.
The bell had been rung by two young
ladies' neither of whom was known to
the boy. One of them gave him her
card-"Miss Capel"
James jumped-there is no other way
to describe the RECOMMENDATION he re-
ceived the card. He had put away his
solemn promise and sacred pledge in so
remote corner of his brain that he
had almost forgotten the promise and
the name of Katharine Capel.
"What the devil he murmured,
"does she want?"
But when his visitors came in he
turned pale. and looked first at the card
and then at Lily and then at Katharine,
aud then at the card again, and then
at Katharine.
"Miss Capcl?" he said, bowling to
Lily. and again looking at Katharine
with a kind of bcwlderment.
mo; TINS IS MISS Capel.
Isis your name Capel?' he asked.
Why SHOULD not her name be Capel?
"YOu do not know me, Mr. Rolfe,'
said Katharine 81 am-that is, was
engaged to your cousin, Tom Addi-
SON"
"You were engaged to my cousin
you?" He kept staring at her face.
"You?" Then he tried to pull himself
together. "Wcre you? Excuse my sur
prise, Miss Capel; had heard of you,
but l did not at first catch the name.
YeS-ccrtainly- Miss Capcl-oh, yes.
lie always spoke of you by your Chris
tan name"
"My name Is Katharine Regina"
"Katharinc Regina--Eegnn:' he re-
peatcl the second name, and still con-
tinued to gaze into her face, not rudcly,
but rs one who recognizes an old ac-
Qauintance.
ut is a family name
Mr.. Rolfc sat down without asking
the ladies to take chairs; this they pro-
cecded to DO.
But he seemed unable to take his eyes
off Katharlnc's face, and he kept wink
ing hard with both eyes at once.
"Katharine Regina" he repeated.
at is a most curious name-and Capel.
Oh, yes, l remember" lie said. with
an effort. "Of course remember you
now. 1t was q most disastrous en-
Sagement for you. Miss Capa. Tom
told me all about it, Of course"
II have come to you, Mr. Eolfe." said
Katharine, because you were Toms
cousin and he told mo how you helped
him in the matter of his uncle's will,
and that you would help me too If l
were in trouble"
James bowed with dignity. He had
indeed helped his cousin in the most
unsolflsh manner.
II am in great trouble now"
"Anything that can do, Miss Capel
~ he began.
Having now recovered somewhat
from his first surprise James observed
first that both girls presented the APP
pearancc of great poverty: it was
iesib.o in their hats, in their jackets,
in their gloves, and in their boots.
"Only let me hear the circum-
stances" said James, after making
these observations. Perhaps the recol-
lection of tho sacred rledge and solemn
promise was beginning to produce
some effect upon him.
Il am so unfortunately situated"
Katharine explained, chat l do not
know any of my relations. / want you
to advise me how l am to find them;
am In very great straits, Mr.. Rolfe,
and I think if I could find them they
might help me-"
Eyes; that ought not to be difficult"
"My father died suddenly few
months before-before lost Tom. He
never told me anything about my rela-
tons at all"
ooh! That was unusual. But you
would find something to help you
among his paper, should say"
"He left no papers at ALL"
"That is more unusual still" James
kept looking at her in the same inquir-
ing way. MAY 1 ask what was his
profession?'
'He had none. Formerly he was in
the army. He lived upon a pension,
or an annuity, of three hundred pounds
year, which he drew regularly once
quarter He left no papers behind
him. and received no lettera. On the