The Parker post., 1914-09-12
A man OF FAITH
BY HAROLD CARTER.

|
When Billy Durham was at school
he was the butt of his companions,
! because he believed everything that
he was told. AS he grew older, how
ever, instead of jeering at him the fell
| lows used to go to him with their con-
| fidences. He had that captivating
! frankness and belief in human nature
| that, when genuine, proved irresistible.
1t was just the same when Billy was
discharged from the insurance office.
Mr.. 0omers, the manager, had been or
dered to lay off some Of the employees.
He thought Billy was not cut out for
the insurance business. You'd better
lay off for while and look round to
see if you don't find something more
suited to you," he said.
He never expected to see Billy again,
but, five weeks later, Billy was found
at his desk one morning. Il didn't see
anything l like better, SO / came back"
y be said. Billy stayed and was pro-
NOTED to be assistant manager by old
Rayden, who had taken fancy to the
| young man.
Old Rayden, being a millionaire, was
not the man to pick up an insignificant
subordinate and take him into his
home. However, Billy had been to the
| Madison avenue mansion once or twice
with important papers. He had seen
Elsie Rayden there and had at once
fallen in love with her. With his SIM
plicity of mind, it did not occur to him
that there would be any difficulty
about marrying her, provided he could
make her love him.
That summer he brooded over his
work, hoping against hope that the
occasion would arise for him to go to
Mr.. Rayden's house again. But he was
not summoned, and presently he dis
covered through the papers that Elsie
Rayden was spending July at AtlaIl-
tic City.
Billy took his vacation In July and
went there, He met Miss Rayden on
the board walk and, taking off his hat,
reminded her who he was. Elsie Ray
den was at once amused and inter-
ested. She was tired Of society life,
and she had begun to suspect that she
was in love with Mr.. Gerald Lomax,
who had been reported in the newspa-
pers several times as paying her at
tention.
The result of that conversation was
that Billy was invited to call at the
hotel. Miss Elsie had plan in mind.
She wanted to discover whether Ger
aid loved her, by the simple process Of
trying to make him jealous,
She timed Billy's second visit so that
it should coincide with Gerald's regu-
lar Sunday trip to Atlantic City, and
for an hour the two men sized each
other up, while Miss Elsie chatted
amiably and impartially with each in
turn, and both together.
Billy was the first to leave and some
thing which might have been called a
"scene" In less exalted circles hap
pened afterWard. The next time Billy
called Miss Elsie was more encour-
aging than ever. That was the begin
ming Of a week Of ecstacy for the young
fellow. They went for long country
walks, they swan and drove, they pat
ronized theaters and all the amuse-
ments. And presently the inevitable
society item found its way into the
New York papers.
"Rumor has it that Mr. William
Durham and Miss Elsie Rayden will
shortly announce their engagement"
Billy read the item and turned white
with indignation. He went straight to
Miss Elsie's hotel and slapped the
newspaper down on the table before
her.
II don't know what cur put that In"
he said, but I want to make 1t true,
Will you, dear"
MY dear boy, you don't under
stand" she said. Il am engaged to
marry Mr.. Gerald Lomax."
Billy stared at her inoredulously.
"But you have gone for walks and
| drives with me-" he exclaimed.
20, go away, Billy, and learn some
thing Of the world" Miss Elsie an.
sWered.
Billy went away to learn. Then she
regretted her words. The fact was
that she had received letter from her
father that morning demanding point
edly to know what she was doing
fooling with one of his clerks at At
lantic City" He also demanded that
she go home,
Elsie went home, and hard week
followed There was Mr.. Lomax, ex-
postulating and indignant, and her IA
ther, furious at the publicity. Three
days later, when Billy got back to his
lodgings, he found a letter stating that
his services would no longer be re-
quired in the insurance Office
Now ninety-nine men out of a hun
dred would have whistled and gone out
to look for job But Billy's absurd
faith took him right round to the
house on Madison avenue. AS Mr..