The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-08-03
IN PASSING.
By Miss Laura Emerson.

side the door. At first he paid no
| special attention-sounds of distress
were nothing to him. But as they
grew louder they resolved themselves
! into shrilly distinct words. Let me
see the master" were the words re-
peated many times in a much frighten-
ed feminine voice.
Van Dick heard the butler answer
that the master could not be disturb
ed. Then he rose with some annoy
ance and opened the study door. He
looked curiously at the group before
him. The centre of it was girl
whom Van Dick had noticed some
days before employed at housework
about the rooms upstairs. Ee had no.
ticed her because she was a particular
ly handsome girl. Now she stood
looking up with appealing, terror
driven eyes. The butler had her by
the arm. The cook, red faced and
excited, leaned from the hall doorway.
At the very moment Van Dicks wife
and his 10-year old daughter entered
the hall by the street door The noise
of the gathering had died as Its two
factions looked . each other
Mrs. Van Dick lost ring this
morning, SIR" the butler replied to
the masters question as to the cause
of the late tumult. He went on to
explain that the girl was the only
person who had been in Mrs. Van
Dicks room after che had left the
ring on the table, until the time she
discovered her loss.
The girl broke in half a dozen times
while the butler was talking to say
II never took it-I never took it." She
looked all the while appealingly at
Van Dick and her gaze arrested his
strangely. 1t was not only her eyes
which were large and very blue-at
which he looked. 1t was something
in their depths which surprised him.
There was an expression of veneration
there which in all the pairs of eyes
he had met in his life up to this time
he had never seen before. She dis.
tinctly was looking up to him--not
trying by her beauty to charm him,
but in a way allotting him very high
place-he, Van Dick, set on hight
startled him and stirred strange
feeling in his breast.
"I never took it," the girl pleaded
again.
shes a sly one, sir" murmured the
butler to Van Dick. she amt new to
this business by any means, and she's
got that ring as sure as can be-"
The girl in a hysteria OF despair
flung herself at Van Dicks feet. She
raised her face from the lowly posi-
ton and she begged Van Diek-still
with that new expression. she flung
herself upon his mercy and her at
titude said that she knew him to be
merciful.
Il don't think the girl is guilty of
theft" he said. You may co." he
added to the surrounding group. He
looked carefully into their faces and
saw what he was used to seeing. AN
the servants wore a carefully cloaked
expression OF disapprobation. His
wife swept by Van Dick, her usual in.
difference touched lightly with con-
tempt. She looked down at the kneel-
ing maid little scornfully as she
passed. The daughter of the house
was more innocent, did not look at
the maid, but at her father, and in
her face he read great surprise
surprise that he had shown mercy.
He raised the girl to her feet and
put money into her hands.
you must leave here at once" he
said very kindly. They stood looking
at each other rather awkwardly for
q moment. Van Dicks new curios-
ity got the better Of him.
"What made you bring your trouble
to me?" he asked.
Because" she answered nervously,
you are good. knew you were good
the first time saw you. II thought
you'd be easy with mel thought
you'd be easy with anyone-so /
came"
He voice shook. Her eyes wander
ed uneasily. He felt great pity for
her nervousness.
"Good-by, child" he said. He held
out mis- hand. AS she half reluctantly
put hers into it she shed the same
beauty of the uplifting look upon him.
It came into Van Dicks mind that he
ought to tell her that he was not good.
He stood hesitating. 1t almost seem
ed as IL words hung upon her lips also.
But in the end they parted silently.
Van Dick sat in his study all the
afternoon-allN the evening-aIl night
thinking of that look. Very early
in the morning when the stars we're
faint in the sky he went to his win
dow and looked up at them and at
something beyond them of which he
had never thought before.
Great Cod" promised Van Dick.
solemply. 1T Isn't too late-if you give
me another chance. I'll begin now to