Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-06-02

Seeheu III uduBeI VI loSlnB. one ufeSS-
ed herself in her most becoming
clothes and slipped out of the house
quietly, thus avoiding the questions
which otherwise would have tormented
her conscience. .F ...-,..s. r..
James Douglass Manning did not
look like a man on the verge of de-
spair as he sat in his office debating
letter after letter and smoking one
black cigar after another He was
bOthered-yes, he would confess to
that-and the shareholders had pes
tered him with their unreasonable de-
mands for an accounting. but he did
not doubt his ability to weather this
storm as he had weathered others in
his checkered career. He was busy, and
he looked up impatiently as his conf.
Dental clerk entered with a card. as#
Il can't see anybody. Jones'" he said
irritably. He was a big man, massive
of frame. massive of feature, with
power irradiatlng from every pore.
tits lady. sir. She begs you will
see her. She's not an investor She's
quite young"
Manning held out his hand for the
bit of pasteboard Miss Muriel Dim
ock," he read, then wrinkled his brow
thoughtfully. But he had good MEM
ory, and he could look back ten years
without effort. The DImock KID" he
murmured. He remembered how the
Dimocks had scoffed at him when he
needed help and how he had paid them
back when he was on top of the heap.
But the kid had known nothing
of all this, and he had been fond of
the little mouse-like child, with her
timid ways and her big, frightened
eyes. He paused a moment reflective
ly. "All right, Jones. Show her in"
Then he dismissed his secretary. -
Muriel appeared in the doorway, her
hands clasped tight beneath her muff,
her heart humping audibly to her
ears her eyes suffused and her pretty
mouth trembling. ..-...r.
"Jim," she faltered, then stopped,
shocked into silence by the reality,
Here was no covering, broken man
needful Of woman's tender ministra-
tons. Manning's whole personality
radiated confidence in himself.
he came forward wonderingly.
Could this pretty. dainty girl be the
kid whose scrawny appearance had
always called forth pity on his part:
"Muriel, child, how you have grownm
was all he could manage to get out
She smiled family. ITS ten years
since you've seen me, Mr.. Manning"
She could not call him Jim now. t.
He pulled forward chair. and she
sat down III at ease. What should she
say to him, how explain her errand of
mercy?
There had been no frantic crowd In
the outer rooms. and she had taken
that as a sign that even those whom
he was accused Of defrauding had de-
serted him, but when she was ushered
into his presenc" and found him q
bigger, mightier Jim even than she re.
membered her little pretensions melted
into thin air.
Manning, however. had tact. He
saw that she was embarrassed. and.
though he had no conception of the
cause. he did his best to put her at h'r
ease. So well did he succeed that III a
few minutes she was chatting frankly
with him as she had never done with
any one else In her life.
81 can't explain why came. You
wouldn't understand, but ! wanted you
to know that we remembered you"
She used the plural, but he understood,
and skillfully he drew from her the
whole story. BE did not smile when
he heard how she had pictured him
ruined and respondent. but something
stirred In his mans breast, and a wave
Of tenderness swept over him as he
realized the sympathy she would have
given had he needed 1t.
blessed little kidr he murmure6
gazing into her shining eyes. 80 you
thought they'd done for me and you
came to weep over the ruin, the only
one too. never knew what a wo-
mans sympathy meant I've had few
dealings with your sex. My mother
died when l was born. and had no
sisters. Folks call me hard man.
Perhaps l am, but you've done more
for me today than YOU know. You've
shown me what I've been missing all
these years. and | can't thank you.
child; | can't thank you" His voice
broke abruptly. and h closed his eyes
a moment. H was Il man swift to
act when he had once determined upon
q course. Mur!Cl had unbared her Il q
to him unwlttl:. il her tim.d ex-
PLANTATION. He Knew her family, and
he felt that the .rl's best nature was
starving for lack of appreciation Her
need was as great as his. and he sud
denly saw way to repay his debt,
When he looked up she was standing
beside him, Il curious warmth glowing
in the depths of her dark eyes.
I'm SO glad I've helped you, Jim.
but | must not take up too much of
your time" she began softly.
He shook his head. What you've
done amounts to nothing unless you
are willing to so on helping me all my
life, giving me sympathy when ! need
it and giving me love always" he said
firmly. Then he took both OF her
hands in his and drew her slowly-so
that If she wished she could still draw
back-to his breast.
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