The Washington times., 1909-03-28
CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT WILBUR OVERHEARD,

YILBUR LESLIE sat at ms
M desk, a picture of'profound
v v melancholy.
Certain surprising and
startling incidents which had occurred
at the office that morning made him the
most unhappy young man in the world.
Laura Hamilton had arrived an hoGr
late This dereIiction was surprising
the girl was usually a model OF pune
tuality- But this fact would not have
worried Wilbur nor plunged MIN into
grief and despair if il had not been for
what followed.
Wilbur soon observed that the girl dId
not seem to be her usual self. Her
mind seemed to be far away from her
work. There WAS a dreamy, preoccUpied
expression on her face as she sat at her
| typewriter.
Several times when he spoke to her
she did not even hear him Her work.
usually so perfect was fun of mistakes.
| He was obliged TO request her 10 re
write several letters because # was
| really impossible to send them out I'm
| the condition in which she had first
typed them.
Something has happened Wilbur
told himself uneasily- There is some
thing on her mind. 1 wonder what ii
| can beg
He also noticed that the girl seemed
anxious 10 avoid him as much as posi-
BILE. Not once that morning did her
eyes meet his glance. Several times,
when ne looked at her and tried 10 at
tract her gaze, she become painfully
lcOnfused and embarrassed. Once he
was positive that he detected traces OF
tears in her eyes.
Then Arthur harrington arrived al
the office. In his hand he carried q
big bunch Of roses, which he handed tc
the girl.
AS Miss Hamilton took the flowers
Wilbur, who was inteutly watching
every move of the couple, saw that Ar
thur harrington took her little hand in
his and squeezed il tenderly.
| And, 10 the young mans surprise and
horror, instead of Tesenting this act oi
familiarity. as Wilbur fully e. acteC
her TO do, the girl allowed her hand q
remain within the hand Of the junior
partner, and gazed up into his eyes witt
an expression that was Unmistakably
adoring
Several tines during the morning this
hand-squeezing act was repeated And
once. when Wilbur had gone into tht
private office to discuss a business mat
ter with the senior partner, he had
stepped out just in time 10 catch Ar
thur harrington in the act Of kissing
Miss Hamilton on the lips
At this discovery the young man.
heart seemed to stop beating. A clam
my, chilly sensation ran along his spine
His head seemed 10 be bursting. III
gave vent 10 a groan OF anguish anC
despair.
And after that he sat at his desk Ike
a man in a trance, doing supconsciousll
the work before him, utterly unawar'
Of the fact that he held a pen in hi
hand and was tracing figures upon TN,
books OF harrington & Sons.
What does it mean?' ne asked him
self mournfully. "Cau il be possible
that the girl has succum5ed unreserv
edly to the attentions Of Arthur Bar
rington? II must be so; for when h
kissed her she did not make any re
/ sistance Her face was upturned 20
ward his In a pose Of thorough sur
render. He has won her-confoun'
p him! This is the end OF all my dreams
Suddenly the door Of the outer offc
opened and a man noiseIessly entere'
the room.
I At sight Of this man, WhOur LrSll
awOke from his trance and gazed a
the newcomer with a look Of recogni
tion and surprise.
Arthur Darlington was standing be
side Miss Hami.tOns desk whispering
10 her as she worked at her typewriter
At sight Of the man who had en-
tered. the junior partners face turne'
pale and he hurried toward him.
!, I, ,fg-r,~
. to the man. why have you com
. here? DO you want 70 spoil every
thing2''
The man whispered something IN re
ply and Arthur harrington huTrledI