The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-15

remorse, as he thought, of the cruelty
of his short, abrupt dismissal or the
poor girl; pity as he thought of the
possible want that awaited her, and
longing-that was the worst of 1t. A
selfish longing gripped at his heart.
hunger for one more glimpse of that
frank, pretty smile.
The next day Tom Wayne came to
the office with a heavy heart. but
to his great surprise there was Mary
Drake, her hat off, carefully opening
and sorting the mail. Why had she
come back? What would Grenoble
say? What would the great Billing
ton do under the circumstances?
Just then Mary smiled and said
still opening the malt can open
the letters and sort the mail. any
way"
Tom forgot all about Ellington. '"I
want to have a talk with you, Miss
Drake" he said. 81 will start out with
you tonight when you go. l can't talk
easily in the office
Somehow, Tom thought 1t would be
easier to make Mary understand away
from the office that she would have to
leave, but before the evening came he
had decided to settle the problem OF
discharging Mary Drake in a way thai
made him long with all his being for
5 O'Clock to come. 1t was strange, he
thought to himself. that he had not
thought of this solution before.
That night when Mary Draks walked
from the office with Tom Wayne
drought the busy crowded streets he
told her the secret of his love, and as
he told it she looked into his eyes with
such a spirit of confidence and COM
partnership that Tom wondered why he
had hesitated to love her simply be-
cause she was an inefficient little
working girl.
"Mr. Ellington landed this after
noon and will be at the office the first
thing in the morning" he told her,
$50 you had better not turn up there
again. 1t won't. be so hard having to
leave now, will it, little girl? Ev-
not worry about the GALAXY. We viii
talk that over later
AS they walked, Tom noticed that
they were still walking UP the brightly
asked to see her home, Mary protested
Don't be ashamed little GIRL he
said. Come, insist"
Come them said Mary, and led
the way past the business section to
the brilliantly lighted fashionable resi-
Dental section. Tom fairly gasped as
she led the way up the wide brown
stone steps of Billington's house.
81 am not Mary Drake" he heard
the girl at his side saying as hey
stood before the front door. IT
am Vivian Ellington. L have been
playing the part of a spy" she
went on. "You know how father hated
to leave his office even for a day, and
very much I hit on this plan. 1 knew
he didn't like to leave because he
thought things would go wrong while
he was away. One day he said he
would go if he had a son to leave in
his office while he was away to watch
things and let him know just what was
doing-keep him constantly posted by
wireless and cablegraph and letter rs
only one of his own family could do.
az told him I would take the place
of a son-So he had me sent through
the agency and, as you know, I didn't
know the first thing about anything,
but I knew enough to keep my eyes
open and stick to my job, even when
you and old Grenoble tried to dis
charge me L think might have done
my work better if 1 had not had to
spend so much time when you were
not around keeping the run of the
business to let father know what you
were doing"
Then it has all been a game" Tom
Wayne began, as he studied the girls
face. You have been using US
you have been imposing on our SYM
pathy and now your father is home
you are through with us? You have
been very clever, Miss Ellington,
and I congratulate you sincerely"
'Why, Tom" Vivian's two small
hands We're held out before her.
tom. dear. it has all been game
but this, but this is the realest thing
in the whole world. copyrighted,
Associated Literary Press.)