The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-05-28

be saved from from humiliation and
blame.
At nine O'Clock in the morning he
} was at his desk; he looked so pale
and miserable thas his friends asked
him whether he was i'll. At half
past nine he was called to the
telephone.
Is this Mr.. Wickes?' said a wo-
mans voice.
Yes" answered Larry.
Well. I'm talking for J. A.
Orrington. Was it pocketbook
containing money that you found?"
Yes. But it's too late now! I've
lost the pocketbook!''
The woman did not understand.
Yes, a lost pocketbook. Well
send for it in less than an hour" And
she hung up the receiver.
Larry sat down again at his desk.
He was in a corner of the Office
where he was concealed from the
other clerks, and no one noticed
him. He felt that he could not face
what was coming. The thing that
he had done was like crime. In
his wretchedness. he forgot all the
world around him.
Half an hour later someone touch
ed him on the shoulder; he started
up nervously, and stared into the
countenance of a stranger standing
| by his desk. But it was not a man
who faced him. A middle-aged and
poorly dressed woman, with a mar
ket basket on her arm, was looking
down at him with serious eyes.
Are you Mr.. Wickes?" she ask
ed;
YES" answered Larry. Could
this be j. A. Orrington? Was it
this woman's money, then,-a poor
working woman's savings that he
had lost?
They told me it was you," she
continued. "A man who knows you
told me-"
Larry stared. She was very slow
and serious. She held out her hand
toward him.
Is this yours?" she asked.
| In her hand was a yellow brown
pocketbook with an old rubber band
around it! Larry looked at it, and
for a moment all the world seemed
to spin around him. He felt sudden
ly weak and faint. Then he quick
ly put both hands over the woman's,
| pocketbook and all.
"Oh!'' he cried, in hoarse gasp,
and looked at her.
She drew back her hand, en-
barrassed but satisfied, and started
to turn away without another word.
But the next instant Larry was on
his feet. He caught her arm.
Waltz he cried. You don't
know what this means to me! Where
how did you get it? I want to
give you "a reward!'
| The woman smiled, and shook her
head. She seemed only to want to
go. Il just missed the car you
caught last night" she said. L
saw you drop the pocketbook, and
young man told me who you were.
Didn't he telephone you about 1t?
He said he would"
But do you know what's in this
purse?''
"Yes," she answered, Il saw that
it was money"
Money! Haven't you counted it?
Look!" He opened the pocketbook
and ran hastily over the bills. They
were all there intact" It's more
than four tho usand dollars!''
He looked at her. Her eyes
widened. They were good, clean.
gray-blue eyes. They looked at
him now with an expression of good,
clean satisfaction.
It's lucky it's found" the wo-
man said simply.
He could not believe her. Here!"
he cried. He plunged his hand in
to the pocket where he carried all
his own money, and drew out
little roll of bills. Take this. The
other isn't mine, out | lost it-and
you've saved me from-I don't know
what"
He pulled out the bills and offer
ed them to her. The woman looked
at them. Then her face grew red;
but her eyes came back to his. He
saw a sober query and hint of
distress in them.
Why" she said, slowly. you
wouldn't take pay just for picking
up a pocketbook. would your"
She smiled again, and went away.
Larry sat down; he could not accom-