Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-02-15

what he nae done, ana b bur1es her
face in her hands. bending down till
the hands rest upon her desk. Dick
withdraws to the front Of the Office,
where he Is invisible to me. But he
makes some sign to Laura. for. having
raised her head. she makes a gesture
with her hand. something like the
throwing of a kiss.
Act H.-Dick and his father are in
the fathers office. Dick pulls up n
chair and begins to talk. His father
listens with growing i-mpatience-a
scene in which father and son are an
%tagonistic. both talking at once. FL
nally Dick arises and makes a last inef-
fective appeal. The father brings his
fist down on the desk, and I fancy l
can hear the thump. Dick withdraws
gesticulating.
I watch for him to enter the ante
room. He evidently opens the door
without coming in and speaks a few
hurried words to Laura. for I can't
see him. and by her gestures I know
that she Is receiving some unwelcome
message. But it is all over in a mo-
ment. She walks back and forth. evil
IDENTITY in great excitement.
The elderly man is also pacing his
own Office floor. evidently much
wrought up. Presently he sits at his
desk. seizes his check book, writes a
check and takes it into the anteroom.
He says something to Laura, she
standing with all the dignity she can
command. her head bent as If receiv-
ing a blow. He hands her the check
he has written. then turns and goes
back to his Office. Laura the moment
the door between them is closed con-
vulsively brushes the check in her
hand. puts on her cloak and hat and
leaves the room. She Is not seen at
her window again.
Act III.-An interval Of six months.
The old gentleman at his desk. BE
looks troubled. Enter Dick. who goes
TO his father and rests his arm on his
shoulder. looking down upon him pity
1ngly. A nan comes from the rear
and stands in the center Of the room
reading a paper. l can see as far up
us his chin. but no farther. Having
finished he withdraws. The old man
rests his head in his hands and his ell
bows on the desk before him.
Dick pets him and talks to him, EVIL
IDENTIFY trying to cheer him. but with
out success. Then the son brings his
fathers hat. coat and cane. helps him
on with the coat. hands him his cane,
puts his arm a~ffectionately through
his, and they leave the Office.
Act IV.-An Office desk Is at the
window where stood the typewriter,
and it is occupied by Dick. Before
him are bundles Of papers. In the
adjoining Office sits his father. much
breken. Most Of the time he reads a
Newspaper or looks li~stlessly out Of
thr window.
Dick is seen alternately at his desk.
in the general Office and with his IA
thor. The clerks. who are now fewer
thhn formerly, begin to put away their
books and papers and n by n leave
fo' the day. When they are all gone
Dt:k goes into his fathers Office and
ha dads the old man his hat and coat.
But the father demurs. and Dick lays
thu. hat and coat on q chair. Then he
gos.s to his desk, picks up a pile of let
ters and sits down to prepare the yer
ina mail.
While Dick is tipping he stops. turns
his head and half rises from his seat.
Some n has entered. but I can't see
who it is. Dick disappears t o the
front Of the Office. but soon reappears
accompanied by a lady richly dressed.
Since the cleaning is coming on. I
cannot make out her features. but
Dick turns on the electric lights, and
Laura stands beside him.
She and Dick sit down together and
begin to talk. though Dick most Of the
time listens. Laura speaks with great
earuestness. Dick shakes his head.
pointing toward his fathers Office. Lau-
ra takes from her reticule a package,
unfolds 1t and exposes what looks like
mortgage bonds. At any rate. they are
securities of some kind. She looks at
Dick a%ppealingly. He. forgetting IN
der a powerful impulse. that the win
dow shades are not drawn. takes her
hand and kisses it ~passionately.
Both start. Some one has entered.
Dick and Laura rise and face this
newcomer. | know who he is, for |
have seen the old man in his office
take up his hat and coat and leave it.
He aas come in to where his son is.
and | can see him slowly advancing
toward Dick and Laura with a sur
pr1sed expression on his face. Then
Dich speaks. How tantalizing that l
cannot hear a word he says. His man
ne' Is impressive. He points to the
bonds in Laura's hands. while he tells
his father about them. Laura stands.
her head bent, her eyes resting on the
forr.
Dicks words are few. Indeed. they
are but a single sentence. When it is
finished all three stand for a few mo-
ments in silence-Dick erect, pointing
to the securities; Laura's eyes still
bent on the floor; the old man looking
from one to the other in evident amaze
meut. Then. advancing toward Laura,
he e%ncircleS her in his arms and kissas