Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-08-08
Copyright lel2. The Bobbs- Merrill Company
CHAPTER x.
An Interval.

he went more confidently UP the stairs
Of the quiet apartment house, sure OF
his right.
AS before, the little old Irishwoman
clad In black silk was waiting to adj
nit him; as before, he could have
cried out in the wonder of seeing this
girl who turned Floyd's candid face
to him and smiled with Floyd's gray
eyes. Only, this afternoon Jessicia
did not rise from the piano seat to
greet him, but from a chair near a
window.
"Jes is away again." she regretted,
giving him her hand.
81 came to see you, by his permits
sion," Stanton returned.
The rich color flushed under her
marvellous skin, that was like no other
woman's he had ever seen. Floyd diff
fered there, man from girl, his COM
plexion being much darker and less
translucent.
ut Is too early to give you tea and
cake" she told him, with playfulness
partly shy. But If you will talk to
me for half an hour, 1t will be after
four o'clock and / can offer you hos
pitality.
What shall l talk to you about?" he
doubted. II am better at, listening.
think"
ooh, anything, everything. Suppose
! were Jes; like what he likes, rae
ing, factories, motor-cars."
Although the season was early, a
fire burned in the tiny hearth, on
either side of which they were seated.
facing each other. In the rudy light
Stanton contemplated the smiling girl,
in her pale-blue gown with its lace
rufles foaming around her full young
throat and falling low across her
hands.
your brother has told you of the
business partnership that We plan for
this winter, Miss F1oyd?"
She nodded her bronze-crowned
head.
YES; / am very glad"
did he," sudden fancy prompted
the question, Ibid he tell you that I
was coming here to see you, II
might?"
did he know of it?" she asked in
counter-question.
Floyd had kept the confidence given
him, then, although no formal re-
straint had been made. The express
sion that crossed Stanton's dark face
was warm and very gentle.
"He knew, yes. wish could have
met your brother years ago; I might
have been less hard a man, more fit to
know him, and you, now"
"You hard!"
HAS he not taught you that am
soY"
In her earnestness she leaned for
ward. her eyes fearlessly on his.
Never. Do not imagine he thinks
you that, do not so wrong his memory
of your kindness. A rough word-what
is it? The first gentleness cancels It;
what is a friend worth who does not
understand"
Stanton bent his head, looking at
the fire.
IT have not had much gentleness
shown me-" he said. my mother died
when I was born when was thirteen
my father married again. My step
mother was a good woman, whom ]
loved as well as my father did. But
within the second year after the mar
riage, the horses they were driving
ran away, dragging the carriage over
an embankment, and my parents died
within a few moments of each other
while being taken to the hospital.
Have l said that my father was
wealthy? He was so. He had made
his will, year before, leaving every
thing to his wife; we'll knowing that
she In her turn would pass all on to
me. She was much younger than he,
almost certain to outlive him, and
entirely to be trusted. But she had
never made a will, delayed by chance
or forgetfulness, suppose. When he
died five minutes before her, all his
fortune passed to his wife; then, upon
her death without will, again legally
passed on to her relatives. / was left
with no share or claim"
"But It was yours by every right!
Surely, surely, your step-mother's rel
atives did not take it?"
Iney TOOK every penny and every
Inch, Miss Floyd. And I, at fifteen,
was sent out into the world, beggar-
ed orphan. They had no interest in
me, and | was old enough to support
myself. One of them offered to get
me position as Office boy"
"Oh! You"
T-lived," he grimly answered. 81
asked them for nothing. What per-
sonal trinkets belonged to me, sold,
Tor the first needs; then set to work.
My father had wished me to be a
mechanical engineer, and I meant to
fulfil his plan. Perfect health / did
have-for six years regularly worked
twenty hours out of each twenty-four,
until I was graduated from college.
For six years I was always tired, oc-
casionally hungry, and took Just one
recreation: every night / walked