Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-02

The next morning at breakfast Mr.. OIL
strom seemed to find the paper more than
usually interesting. He was in the habit
Of standing it up in front of his plate and
reading between bites. Occasionally he
would clear his throat and read an item
aloud, but his selections were seldom Of
any interest to his family. They were usu-
ally political or financial news, or con-
nected with some Of the enterprises in
which he had been engaged during his
active life.
Il see they had meeting Of the directors
OF the Tyler Trust company yesterday, and
elected George Hartley president" Then
he read: " Mr.. Hartley's views of the
proper management of trust companies
were listened to with profound attention,
and the soundness of his financial prin-
ciples called forth strong commentator
from all those that heard him." After a
pause he observed: Smart fellow, that
Hartley"
Isn't he the president OF the Hardware
Trust or something of that kind, papa?"
Helen asked.
That's he. Tricky dog, but smart. His
views Of finance can be expressed in one
sentence, Get the other fellows money
Mr.. Ohlstrom read other items but Helen
was not listening. She was thinking about
that conversation over the telephone. Mr..
Hartley must have been in the city yes
terday; was perhaps in his office at the
very moment that she called him up.
Tricky dog" What did that mean? Why
had he denied himself to her? She had not
given any name. Who was the pleasant
voiced man who had answered the tele-
phone?
That morning, about u o'clock, Mcbride
rose from the dignity of his desk I'm the
private office, with the intention of going
into the sanctum to ask Mr.. Hartley a
question. Happening to glance through the
half-open door which led to the outer Of
flee. he saw a remarkably handsome girl
standing at the desk. At the same instant
the boy put his head in and handed Nc
Bride a card.
"A lady to see Mr.. Hartley, sir"
Before Mcbride had time to read the
name, the girl followed the card into the
room.
II am Miss Ohlstrom," she said briefly,
and smiled at the handsome young fellow
that stood bushing before her. Mcbride
instantly recognized the voice that he had
heard over the telephone the day before.
He was so taken aback, not only by her
sudden appearance. but by the vision OF
loneliness that she revealed with her rosy
cheeks and flashing eyes, that he was alb
solutely speechless.
What can l do for you?" he managed
to stammer, motioning her to a chair; an
invitation which she pretended not to see.
II should like to see Mr.. Hartley for a
moment
At this announcement Mcbride fairly
staggered Was he to continue his role
and to say that he was MT Hartley, after
having told her over the telephone the day
before that Mr.. Hartley was not in town ?
or should he call Mr.. Hartley from the
inner room? The sudden recollection Of the
scene at his end Of the wire the day be-
fore vetoed his second thought Instead OF
answering Immediately, he stepped behind
her and softly closed the door leading to
the outer office. A rapid glance at the
door Of the sanctum assured him that the
outer sound door was wide open, so that
Mr.. Hartley could hear all that passed, II
he chose to listen. Mcbride found himself
wishing that his employer and his inner
office were both At the bottom OF the
sea.
All this passed while he closed the door
Pulling himself together he laid the papers
llA MS manu- APoAA AAAN ANoh anu eolA AAANhlf
with his most graceful bow: Il am Mr.
Hartley" As he spoke he motioned once
more To the chair at the side Of the desk
The look Of unconceaIed astonishment
on the girls face made him blush II,
smiled as assuringly as he could, and ad
ded: lis there anything l can do for you?'
That was the second time he had saiC
It. The tone as well the words strucl
her at once. 1t was the same voice tina
had spoken TO her over the telephone IN,
day before. Tricky dog were the words
that kept running through her head. "Wha
a handsome fellow" she could not hell
adding TO herself
II was Mr.. George Hartley / wished 4
see" she said, as she suddenly recollecte,
that Mr.. Hartley must be a much olde
man. At the same time she sank into tn
indicated chair.
Il am Mr. George Hartley"
She did not know exactly what TO say
when Il occurred to her that this Nigh
be Mr.. George Hartley. junior II Their
were such a person. HIS manner was Ger