The wageworker., 1910-04-22

Ing on the table caught her attention
transiently. Her father! He must
have cared very much, indeed about
his wayward girl, she mused. to be
coming-perhaps living in her own
rooms! A little sob caught in her
throat, and she sank into chair It
was out of the question to think of go
ing back now after what she had dis
covered.
| A second later the door at her back
was pushed softly open and some one
came in. Malinda bit her lips hard
for self-mastery. Then a voice that
sent the blood tingling to her temples
spoke her name.
Miss Lassiter!"
The girl was on her feet in an in
slant, pale, embarrassed, bewildered.
She essayed to speak, but the word,
smothered on her lips.
I'm awfully sorry" began Now.
bray, apologetically. "but I thought
you knew"
Malinda was regarding him dazedly.l
horrible fear knocking at her heart.
1t had been almost month since she
had heard from home; could it be,
possible that-that anything had hap;
pened? The tears rushed blindinglyl
to her eyes, and she staggered.
But Mowbray steadied her and
pushed her gently back into the chair.
You mustn't" cried the girl, chok-::
ing down sob; don't you see? I
can't stay here-nots another minutei
But my mother and father-what has
become of them?" There was tragic
appeal In her voice and eyes.
"They are perfectly safe and well:
can assure you of that much. Miss.
Malinda. AS soon as 1t is practicable
shall send you to them in my car.
From present Indications 1 presume
your fathers misfortune Is unknown
to you. 1t happens that he speculated!
heavily and lost; but not everything!
However. 1t became necessary for;
almost despaired-of lift from fortune:
made me Independent. and I bought
1t in"
When he finished talking Malinda,
was crying softly. the tears slipping
in shining little rivers down her
cheeks and dropping unheeded on her.
hands.
when 1 learned that the place was
for sale," proceeded Mowbray after q
pause, II resolved to have it at any
cost It seemed like-well. like being
nearer to you, somehow. II you do not
mind my saying it."
Malinda's tears ceased suddenly
TT 1t had to be anybody" she said I'M
a low tone. II would rather it were
you.''
Something in her voice, in her man
ner, and more than all in the deter
mined avoidance Of his eyes. made
Mowbray suddenly bold. He bent
swiftly and gathered her little cold
hands into his warm palms.
"Malinda," he began eagerly. ''let
me tell you everything. now won't
you? It isn't the time, nor the place.
perhaps, conventionally speaking, but
after what I've suffered the past year
I can't let you get away from me
again without hearing what have to
say. / think you must have known
always, dear, that loved you, didn't
you? And you know. too. that it was
because you were rich and I was poor,
that my lips were sealed. But I was
working night and day, working as no
man ever worked before-for mono
ever had SO sweet and dear and pre-
cious an notwithstanding to make
myself worthy to ask you to be my
wife,"
He paused, out of breath from sheer
emotion. the veins Of his neck throb-
bing. In a second he went on: I'm
all probability your father will recover
from this in little while. They
doubtless kept you in ignorance only
to spare your anxiety, for your sue
cess had grown to be a matter of
great pride to them and all of US.
But somehow I knew that one day
you would come back, and was right.
dear, in what did"
Malinda felt the quick quivering
and yielding Of her fingers in his. and
the next instant she had bent her
cheeks upon them. No word was
spoken. !
"Will you come back home, sweet
hearth" asked Mowbray after long
silence. "Our homer"
II have come, Billy" she said, with
a little tremulous incatch of her
breath, ito stay"
College Community House.
Tenney Hall, community house, has