The Press., 1911-03-29

was solved in the same manner
 Tn effect, Dorothy now had license to steal. She was always in debt to the cash drawer, and the amount was ever increasing. At the time of the summer vacation Stannard secured her present from the company which relieved a very tense situation, but by October the debt had risen above $2O0.
 Dorothy had lost her balance wheel. In December she bought her mother a fur trimmed coat out of the cash drawer, and Stannard knew of 1t and approved. Tn fact, he suggested it. Mrs. Trent had come to the office one cold day in a rather thin coat, and Stannard had said it was a shame. The debt to the drawer was now nearly $400.
 '1That will be all right at Christmas time," said Stannard.
 About a week before Christmas, Dorothy came to the office one morn ing and had no sooner crossed the threshold than she observed a change in the atmosphere. The clerks were talking in hushed voices.
 "Stannard has been called to head quarters" said one of them to her. "Gattling is in charge"
 Gattling was a man from another department, and Dorothy knew that he was not a friend of Stannard's.
 If Stannard had indeed fallen, her situation was desperate. She was a thief, and detection was inevitable. 1t was quite upon the cards that Cat ting would discharge her, in which case she would get no Christmas pres ent and would be absolutely incapable of making good her deficit.
 A note from Stannard informed her that there was "hitch;" that he had gone to headquarters to 'fstrafghten things out" that he would return presently, and that she must not worry. The note closed with some af- fectionate expressions, the first that he had ever addressed to her. They were scarce more than friendly, but they revealed one thing to her as clear ly as possible-that Stannard looked uron her as vaguely and indefinitely bound to him by some sort of tie and that no such tie existed. She did not love him; she was not even truly his friend. She had accepted favOrs from him in mere blindness and folly.
 In the course of the day the convic- ton spread through the department that Stannard was down and out" that Gattling was ''in the saddle;" that reprisals would be made upon the Stannard party, and that no friend of Stannard's was secure in his position.
 The girl was nearly insane. She went home that night with such de spair in her heart as made life hate ful.
 For several days, however, affairs moved on with no notable change, but on Saturday the rumor was circulated and received with credence that Mon day would witness the upheaval.
 Dorothy left the office at 1 o'clock distracted with anxiety. Upon the street she heard a voice calling her name, and she turned to meet Stuart Ainsworth, the man who had first of fered her employment before she went to the bank.
 As will happen at such times to minds disturbed, the sight of an old friend was like a revival of the past. Ainsworth was not merely a man; he was an epoch. He represented the time before she had plunged into these fran tic ways.
 She took his hand with a sort of clutch that startled him, and her no less, for the action had been wholly automatic.
 "Why, Dorothy" said he, whats wrong?"
 The tears sprang from her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, there in the crowded streets. She felt an embar- rassment, more for him than for her self. and a strange joy took possession or l1er when she saw that he was 1n- terested in her alone and utterly obliv- ious of the hurrying people who gave her a quick, rude stare as they passed. So she stood there, weeping with sheer nervous strain, and told him the whole story.
 He gave her no blame. Only her in- tuition told her that he was grieved; there was no visible sign except of sympathy, and that was very carefully and tenderly restrained.
 'ETheir crazy methods are respon- sible for this," he said. You're caught in their machinery, and we must help you out. I can let you have the $4O0 easily enough. Pm down here to raise a little for myself''-and he laughed pleasantly-"and can just as we'll get a bit more. MT. Leonard will doubtless oblige me-"
 He did not give hel d hint of his true situation, which was. in fact, somewhat precarious. He lad recently filled some rather Iarge orders for important peo- pie, and they were holding up his bills, with the money stringency as an ex- cuse. Meanwhile his own accounts were falling due, and considerable loan was absolutely necessary to him. He had had a small line of credit at the bank where Dorothy had formerly been employed and had that day ap- preached MT. Leonard, the president, in the matter of a loan. Leonard. knowing Ainsworth to be good, had practically promised to arrange the matter on Monday.
 q never should accept this kind ness," said Dorothy. "But how can refuse? This would kill my mother. How can repay you?"
 "A little at time," said Ainsworth. Let's settle that when we find out whether you hold your position
 'T don't want to hold it." she re- piled. "I wish I had never had it. I wish had never come to this city.'
 He paled suddenly.
 '"There is always home for you," he begun and checked himself, re- membering that he had just offered
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