Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-13

She finished the page of the big ledger and sat looking down at it with the satisfaction that always comes after a piece of work has been accomplished with faultless effect. Clearly. she worked because she loved
 The sunshine of the afternoon came
 in upon her through the office window,
 beyond which. almost on level wi h herself, the usual Saturday crowd was moving. The sounds of smany voices
 in varied keys and the shuff1e of leath-
 CT soles made Ianguid assertion to he- loneliness in the big. still office Suddenly one footfaH detached it. self from the rest. Her back was to- ward him as he entered, but she turn ed instantly. responding to his greet ing with 8 nod and a remote lftele smile.
 He glanced at the empty chair at the other desk. "Hawley's not in. l see?'
 He is out of town till tomorrow"
 "Ah. yes!" He drew a deep breath
 and appeared to ponder. while she
 waited with her distant air of courtesy yet in reality almost painfully con seiouS of him in every detalI-the ser of his broad shoulders. the curve or
 his chin, the way his hair grew at his
 temples.
 T wanted to see Hawley," he said.
 "But it doesn't matter. Another day
 will do as well Good afternoon" He went out and quickly she turned back to her ledger with exceeding
 heaviness of heart. moment she
 kept her head up, then it went down upon the page, while her fingers press
 ed the tears back into their hot eyes. He had come and gone without glv- ing. her a word. His mission had oeel merely to see Hawley.
 AS Hawley's friend she had come to know him. At first he had always stopped at her desk for bit of chat.
 Twice he had walked home with her. Once he had brought her book upon which they had passed judgement in a moments conversation.
 She knew all about him from Flaw l ley-how brilliant he wass and how poor, because he maintained that a lawyer should keep his calling as pure
 as priest should keep his. She could not tell when she had first 1 become impressed by his change of attitude toward her. At first she had | blamed herself for it. so wont was she 1 to hold men at a distance, but gradu-
 ally she was forced to understand.
 Her pride helped her then and she met him with coldness equal to his own. So they had moved apart. Yet why | What had caused it all?
 She was still trying to reason it out, her head on the ledger. when the big clock struck the close of the working | day. She rose, lOcheu Ter ueSh dhu set forth for home.
 ] The streets were quiet as she walk ed rapidly to the old house in fash ] ionable quarter of the town. where s1e 1 lived with an old cousin who had once 1 been wealthy. It was a fine house,
 finely appointed, as befitted the tas e
 of & gentlewoman.
 | A maid admitted her, and she went up to her room over red, carpet thar kept its color and wool because it had l once been the best to be had. Hey
 room was spacious and handsome
 with old furniture, old lace at the
 winows, an old rug on the floor. | In a large closet hung row of dresses for indoor wear. She select l ed one deliberately and put 1t on-a
 cream silk of rough foreign weave. simply made. It was the custom of 1 this house for its occupants always to | dress for dinner
 The picture the long cheval glass showed to her when she had finished dressing set Esther to wondering how