El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-03
RECONCILED
E. ALMAz STOUT

n y elderly man was drawing on
II gray suede glove as he passed
~ through the hall of the great
London hotel known as the Astoria.
He nodded to the manager, who. in
immaculate frock-eoat, came forward
to speak to him.
Glad to see you here again, Mr..
Merritt. 1t Is some time since you
patronized US
Yes, been away Weston, longer
than L like. You've made several i'm
proYements since 1 was here, and not
the least of them is among the cham
bermaids
Indeed. Mr. Merritt?' replied the
motel manager. with a smile. Nv ell,
that hardly comes into my department
you know; the hOusekeeper is respOn-
sible for them"
Well. she's got jolly good taste
theni I've seen no less than three
pretty girls already, and 1 only came
last night, and one-the one on my
landings peach, an absolute
peach, Mr.. Weston"
I'm glad tO-hear it. But it really is
more important that she should dc
her work well than look we'll"
y woman like that, egad, ought to
do no work She ought to be IOlling
in her own carriage and be waited on
hand and foot,
Weston laughed outright NJ Mer-
rift was an old customer, and when
ever he came to town put UP at the
Astoria He was perfectly harmless,
really devoted to his own wife and
three daughters. but il pleased him
to rave about feminine beauty. Wes-
ton knew his little weakness, and or
this occasion promised to make d point
of seeing the beauty who made the
beds and busted the bedrooms in the
west corridor of the third floor
This woman-Or girl. rather for she
only looked three-or-four-and- twenty
was tail and superbly made. Her
plain black dress showed off her fig
ure to perfection, while the white
muslin apron and the cap pinned on
thick coils of golden hair, which rip
pied back from low forehead became
the most becoming ornaments instead
Of the badges of service.
Just IS Mr.. Weston was sitting
down to his tea a message came down
that Mr.. LangGOn would be obliged II
Mr. Weston would so 20 his room, No
314.
He found his new customer sitting
In an easy chair by the window OF
the private sitting room he had taken.
ADJOINING his bedroom with a bandage
around his head. and tall grave look
ing many by his side.
Look here, Mr.. Weston Mr.. Lang
uon said I've met with bit of an ac-
cldent today, and hurt my eyes rather |
badly. It's not bad enough to 20 to a I
nursing nome, and l don't want a /
nurse, but Dr. Jewett here saws !
must have both eyes bandaged and I
keep quiet for three or four days. Can |
you manager
Certainly. certainly! There will be 4
no difficulty about that. We have /
some very nice women on the staff. 4
ana L am sure one of them will be 4
only too pleased to do what she can /
1 am very sorry to hear of Mr. Lang /
6
Thank you, Mr.. Weston very
mucb' Mr.. Langdon answered. i 1
don't expect to be a nuisance more than /
three or four days. I especially want 4
to stay here, as I have made one or /
two appointments with men to see me 1
A few minutes later Mrs. Peterson,
l M tructed by Mr. Weston, sent for
alice Smith, who was in charge of /
5l4. and told her of her new duties.
The girl listened, and went slowly
-, 4 am sorry" she said at last in a
low voice. but I can't do it,
Mrs. Peterson frowned. She was not
staff
You. viii either do it or take
tell them, and if you haven't enough
KIND heart to want to do what you can
Tor a poor gentleman, who can't see,
you ought to be ashamed of yourself
there /
word"
In silence Alice walked away. and. !
instead OF obeying went straight to !
her own little cupboard Of a room.
She sat down on the edge of the bed
and clenched her hands. What should !
she do? She knew the horrors Of be-
ing without money, and she was COM
portable and safe in the Astoria hotel
She had seen too much of Mrs. Peter
sons methods to doubt that she would
keep her word She was just and kind !
as long as her authority was not
but she brooked no in
subordination or disobedience from
anyone.
Suddenly she started up.
Why not? Why shouldn't she at
least try it? 1t was only for three or
four days, and
The next afternoon Alice Smith
Knocked lightly at Mr.. Langdon's
IN the morning, as he did not get up
till after lunch, and said his bedroom
could be put straight in the afternoon
Receiving no answer she went in,
and was about to begin her work,
when she heard voices coming clearly
rom the next room. She saw that the
1oor leading from the bedroom was
slightly ajar. She hesitated for mo-
nent. She did not know whether to
90 in to close the door, and so show
there was someone there But a few
words she caught kept her motiOnless,
IS though glued to the spot where
she stood.
Never mind that point What !
want to know is. if 1 give her her
reedom, Will YOU give me your word |
# honor to marry her, and put her
happiness before all else in life2'
The words were spoken by Godfrey
in q low, tense voice, which /