The Red Cloud chief., 1911-11-30
MABEL'S
MISSION

0lD Ting lot NV8eT WHote UoUh0t, ~
most fell down the back stairs In her
hurry to spread the news.
Covinston had come to board at the
Bradley's three years before. and
since then no one could recall having
seen the top Of the desk. A little
space In front. just large enough to
write upon. was kept fairly clear. but
for the rest. Covington seemed to
take pride In the confusion he main
tained and boasted that he could find
| anything he wanted at moments
notice.
At the Office his desk was scrupu.
lousy neat, but the rolltop In his sit.
ting room. used for his personal cor.
respondence, was piled high with pa.
pers and books.
II might have continued so far an
| other three years. but Covington was
| restless. He found the evening pa.
pers dull, the theatrical advertise
ments made no apneal to him. and
books were intolerable.
In his restless roaming around the
room his attention was attracted by
the desk. and sinking into the chair
he began to clean up. Here. at least,
was a novel occupation, and soon he
was busily engaged In reading over
old letters and discarding those Of
| no further interest.
MabePs letters, OF course, he kept
In a drawer. the top one with the
Yale lock. Well. perhaps 1t would be
we'll to clear those out. too. Ro.
nance was dead. He had written her
the proposal he seemed unable to
make in person, and had added. Il
shall not write again until your an.
| swer comes" That had been q fort.
night ago.
His eyes caught a line in an adver-
| tisement in theatrical paper that
formed part Of tho litter of his desk.
Consider silence a polite negative"
| Il ran. That was what he was doing.
Mabel had not even taken the trouble
to answer.
He viciously thrust the paper into
the basket and caught up a letter. It
was that check for his tailor. He had
been positive he had mailed that: the
| subsequent argument had resulted in
transfer of his patronage, yet here
was the check still inside. He was
rather glad that he had commenced
the cleaning up process.
There was another envelope under
the pile OF Consular reports. He drew
II out and his face blanched. It was
the letter to Mabel. In some fashion
It had slipped into the tangle on the
desk. He remembered he had writ.
ten number OF other letters at the
SAME time. When he had done he
had snapped a rubber band about
them and had given them to one Of
| the fellows to take out.
What could she think of him? He
had ceased his customary visits and
had not even written. He slipped out
| OF his house coat and into his dinner
Jacket. There was IN telephone in the
lower hall. Perhaps Mabel had not
gone out
1t was her mother who answered,
rather frigidly and with a certain note
Of disapproval In her voice. Mabel
was in. but she was III and had gone
to her room. She did not think that
she could sec Mr.. Covington.
But Covington was persistent and
In the end hs gained permission 70
call. He found her pale. with nervous
lines In her face. She tsied to LAUGH
Il Oh bot hs would not have II %.
Il have . special delivery letter Tor
you." he announced. IT should not
have been letter at al. bat I guaas
I'm sort of moral coward.
Anyhow. I was cleaning I'd NJ
6ssk at the house tonight ana found
this. thought Il had been sent two
weeks ago"
Letters often 60 astrsy." she com.
mented a. she stretched out her hand
to receive It.
1T vas my fault" he said humbly.
You see I've desk up at tho house
and I've rather prided myself upon its
confusion. Tonight I cleaned II up.
Just to have something TO do. and
found this letter"
Something In bis tones conveyed
IT, import and she slowly broke the
seal and glanced through the CON.
tents. At last abe looked up.
80 that 10 the reason I have NOT
heard from you lately" shs said. Il
wondered that you forgot the Apollo
concert"
"That ID only ono count" hs said
humbly. Il did not bring the letter
expecting that you would give the
same answer hoped for two weeks
ago. Just wanted you to see that I
was not quite 40 bad a. you think I
am"
Il did not give II great thought"
she said. while the red. flooding her
face, denied her words. II Thought
that perhaps you were engrossed In
some important DEAL"
This is the most important deal
In Q mans life." he laughed q little