The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-07-17

! mon, and none OF her acquaintance
| could tell her anything of his where
/ abouts.
She pondered over the letter until
the striking of the clock warned her
, that she must get to work, so laying
/ the letter aside, she reluctantly rails
| ed the cover of her desk and slipped
sheet of paper into the machine.
| Rapidly she answered the more prom
| Using of the other letters, then she
| stopped and again took up the case
that was so like her own. She was
still looking at it when one Of the
copy boys stopped at her desk.
Mr.. Welt says he'd like to have
your copy If it is ready, Miss Patton"
he announced. He wants to get
the department stuff in early to leave
the machines free for the murder
trial."
In just moment" she promised
with guilty glance at the clock and
then with an abrupt little gesture OF
determination she faced the machine
again and wrote rapidly.
She turned the copy in and hurried
uptown to a club meeting to which
she had been assigned. but through
the day the letter and her answer
haunted her thoughts and she could
not put them from her mind.
It spoiled her sleep, too, for she
could only toss uncomfortably through
half the night and rose with heavy
spirits and leaden head in the morn
ing. In the hope of gaining some re-
lief she started to walk down the ave-
nue. to the office.
She had scarcely turned the corner
nearest her apartment than she came
to a dead halt, for coming toward
her was the man whose image had
been revived so strongly by the letter.
For an instant she thought that 1t
was all a part of the walking night
mare in which she had spent the last
"a hours, but the next moment Ned
Darlington was shaking her hands
with a grip that was anything but
ghostly.
I've been here a whole week." he
cried, jubilantly, shut there were
some things to be done before look
ed you up. / was coming to call this
morning. l did not suppose that you
left for the Office before 10 at least
Il was not feeling well and I
thought that a walk might do me
good" she explained. and Ned turned |
and suited his pace to hers.
Then by all means let us walk"
he agreed gayly. Its been a long |
time since we used to walk together,
Agnes. suppose that you don't mind
walking with a man with a hat like |
this?'
Agnes gave a glance at the light.
soft Stetson THAT spoke OF the west.
you look like cowboy; but you're
not cowboy to be ashamed Of" she
said, with admiration. you seemed
to have stretched out and up. Ned.
Only your face is not changed"
Prosperity" he explained. after
we had our last talk came to the
conclusion that you were going to be
a better newspaper woman than ev-
or could be painter. SO l scraped my
dollars together and went west. hap
pened to stumble against a very real
mine. and I'm worth pot of money
now. Are you still sticking to your
Old job and telling the lovelorn what
they want to know?"
That is only a part of the work
now" she explained. II can't seem
% get rid Of It."
And you are still telling them what
you would do yourself?" he asked, re.
lerring to the platform on which Ag-
nes had taken her stand when the
work was first given to her and which
he had declared would never do.
Il am still giving real advice" she
said, with an attempt at her old gay
ETY..
Then we'll go in here and get tho
ring" he announced abruptly, as they
came to halt before famous jew
slry store.
What ring?" she asked, in confu-
sion.
For answer, Darlington drew from
lis pocket folded paper and pointed
% the home page displayed on the
outside.
Il guess you wrote that" he said.
quietly. Il was afraid that you might
guess that had the question sent IN !
and chuck 1t into the waste basket
The girl stenographer at the hotel
wrote it for me-"
Agnes glanced at the answer that
had stirred her so strongly. In
sentences she had advised
he writer that, II the man could sup
port her. It was better that she should