The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-01
THE EVENING STORY
A Matter of Dictation.
(By Nellie Cravey Gillmore.)
CrOmlin entered his office with

"a 1AASNCCA Vi OlCtstLlOus
(By Nellie Cravey Gillmore.)
Cromlin entered his office with a
br1sker step than usual. His face was
flushed and an unaccustomed sparkle
made his gray eyes look black. There
was determination in every Inca
ment. and a joyous confidence that
spelled considerably more than mere
hope. He had made up his mind at
last, and he felt with supreme gratifi-
| cation that his period of self-restraint
| was going to net him compound in
| terest on his future happiness.
A pile of briefs was stacked up on
his desk. but Cromlin pushed them
aside and gave his attention to the
letters that had arrived in the morn
ing mail There were only few, and
! he dismissed them after hurried
perusal Of the most important ones.
Two or three times he took out his
| watch, waiting anxiously for the
| hands to get around to 9 o'clock. At
! last, just as the clock on the next
j corner struck the hour, the office door
opened and closed quietly, and Miss
He looked up and nodded a casual
good-morning.
The girl took off her hat and laid
it on the table. Then she went to her
| eral envelopes left over from the day
previous, to be addressed, and with
out word she pulled up her machine
| and began the task.
Cromlin. twirling his watch fob and
! alternately lingering the leaves of a
dog cared reference book on his desk,
| wheeled suddenly in his revolving
chair and studied the profile bent at
tentively oyer the typewriter
In fifteen minutes she had COM
pleted the addressing and sealing, and
| placed the mail in basket. Then
| she turned to her employer and waited
| for further directions
Now. for the first time. Cromlin
n "a irls foa r,
noticeably thinner and paler and that
her eyes were Swallowed by purple
rings.
morning, Miss Benson he said, land
I think after that you'd better go home
and rest
She threw him startled look and
the crimson suffused her cheeks.
his voice. despite his tenderness,
caused her an unaccountable heart
pang. Perhaps he meant to do away
with her services and was trying to
dismiss her as kindly as possible!
81 do not feel in the least tired,
Mr.. Cromlin. And I would rather
not go home until the regular time
Very well,'' Cromlin replied, "but
I don't want you to overwork your
self, that's ali. You don't look to
strong"
The hurt look in Vera Benson's
eyes gave place to sone of odd visit
fulness, but she made no response.
What a little idiot she was to let her
feelings get the better of her this
way. She controlled herself by an
effort. If he should ever suspect her
secret, she felt that she would die of
mortif1cation. In moment she was
her old, composed self. She opened
her tablet and reached for a pencil.
Then she looked up to see If he was
ready with his dictation.
But Cromlin sat regarding her in
mi rfan1 nk-4-
that was disconcerting. He was smil- !
ing, and his eyes were trimming over
with something entirely unintel1igible |
to the sober little stenographer. Per-
of his present attitude, or the acute
sense of her own sensitive one that |
made Miss Benson feel all at once
miserably alone and wretched. She
felt isolated and depressed as if in
some fateful fashion she was about
to hear bad news.
Cromlin interrupted her musing
with a blunt characteristic remark
Dreaming, Miss Benson?"
She colored again and covered her
confusion with smile.
IT am waiting to take your letters.
Mr.. Cromlin.''
"All right. Take this.
=" My Dear Miss'-no. that will not
do. Say, rather, My Darling Girl -
The stenographer looked up with in
dignant eyes,
rs it exactly proper and-and fair
for me to"
"All matters between us are strict
ly confidential, Miss Benson. II
thought that was understood
In a second she looked up with her
pencil poised, as an indication for
him to proceed.
ct have loved you ever since the
first day you came into my life. But
have been waiting to tell you this
until I could in some way be assured
q ,aI oNP
hope I am not mistaken, but If I am
tell me the truth at once. If am
not. I want you to marry me and sail
for Europe on June the first. De-
JOHN CROMLIN.'
Miss Benson took the letter with
shaking fingers. But her lips were
compressed and told nothing Of the
inward struggle, to John Cromlin.
mind running ahead to the next I
letter.
NOW take this" he said, as the /,
girl looked up and signifed that the
other was finished. I
Dear Miss Benson-As I am to 1
be absent from New York for the
next six months it will of course be 1
necessary to close this office during ,
that time, and 1 shall be compelled to
dispense with your service for the !
present. However, If you care to be {
governed by my counsel I know of
another place-a more agreeable one, $
L HOpN-NulcA Gail secure IOr you
without any trouble. Kindly let me ,
have your reply as soon as possible,
SO that it can be filed along with ,
other matter. Yours sincerely
JOHN CROMLIN'
Vera Benson went through with the
second letter with a feeling Of iron
determination 1t was just as she
had apprehended she was to be dis
charged from the office, and her en- 6
ployer, always kind and gentle was
breaking the news as carefully as he I
could. Tears sprang to her eyes, but 8