El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-17

with them all these years and helped
build up the business?'
That's what they are doing every
day-not only Crane & Barker, but
nine-tenths of the other firms. Loyal
ty to old employees isn't a business as
set in this country.
"I guess they haven't saved anything.
They've always lived right up to his in
come"
DO you know what he was getting?'
asked Helen.
about $4,000 or $4,000 a year. But
they've lived we'll and he as good as
told me some time ago that he hadn't
been able to save. He doesn't stand
much chance now without any capital
And Mrs. Randall" murmured Helen.
ooh, I can't help thinking of her. She's
so proUd-itIl almost kill her" Then.
with a sudden impulse, Would it be
all right for me to go to see herr On,
L should love to, if I thought she
wouldn't think it merely curiosity. Do
you think she would2"
Helen Calls on Mrs. Randall.
Il don't know; she might" admitted
Warren. You never can tell how
woman will take things. You'll have
to decide that for yourself"
All that evening and the next day
Helen was haunted with the thought of
/ this overwhelming misfortune that had
come to the Randalls She finally de-
E
misunderstood
The moment she entered. Helen
seemed to feel the atmosphere of
suppressed tragedy, although there was
nothing in the surroundings to suggest
/ it. The front room, where she waited,
was in its usual exquisite order.
Helen remembered of having once
called IN house after funeral. The
( blinds were all up everything was as
usual, yet she had been wildly con-
sciOus of the atmosphere of death.
a swish of skirts in the next room,
and Mrs. Randall entered. She seemed
to have aged 10 years since Helen saw
! her last, but she greeted her as though
nothing had happened.
For several moments their conversa-
ton was only that of a formal after
noon call Helen felt now that she had
made a mistake in coming She knew
it must be torture for Mrs. Randall to
sit there and talk of trivial, impersonaI
things. And since she did not refer to
her husband and the loss of his posi-
ton, Helen, of course, could not
To Helen's surprise, Mr.. Randall an
peared at the door. He was evidently
on his way out. for he had his coat and
hat
'9Iollie, where did you put those pa
pers2 I'd better take them"
Then. seeing Helen. he came forward
and greeted her cordially. But Helen
felt that his manner was forced. He
too seemed older; there were anxious
haggard lines in his face that she had
never noticed before.
When a few moments later, the outer
door closed after him, Mrs. Randall.
who had gone with him into the hall.
came back, threw herself on the couch
and burst into tears.
"Oh. you know, Of course" she
sobbed. Everybody knoWsi At first I
wanted to pretend that nothing had
happened-but I can't can't try to
keen up before him-sO he won't break
down. But I don't know what were
going to do don't know what were
going to dor
s'Oh. you mustn't give way like this, "
murmured Helen, almost on the verge
of tears herself Nothing IS ever as
bad as 1t seems at first.
ooh yes, this is! And I blame my
self should have been more ecOnom-
ical-we've never saved always felt
sure that he would be taken into the
firm. But since Mr.. Barker died, ev-
erything's different
but a man with Mr.. RandalPs eX-
perience-sureIy it won't be hard for
him TO get into something" Helen tried
to say it reassuringly-
ooh. but his age is against him. He s
already written or had an interview
with every leading silk hOuse-they're
all courteous but there isn't any open
ing-and that's the only business he
knows"
She got up now and walked eXcitedly
up and down the ROOM
We've been living at the rate Of