The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-02

'h~
Of the wall was between the desk and
the couch She heard Miss VospeI
reading a concert program to Mrs
Trent.
Emma found II bank sheet of crest
ed paper underneath Il manuscript list
OF charitable hospitals on the desk
She selected II of the mother pearl
penhOlderS. consulted the jade ink
stand and wondered what she ought to
write. Then she turned her perplexed
glance, and II net the pictured face of
Franklin Trent. She had not seer him
for twenty years
Middle age had marked him bu,
slightly. Framed by a wide band Of
gold, the masterful. handsome face
was that of the boy who had vainly
implOred Emma to love him. 1t al
most seemed that he was implOring her
! now. so perfect was the p%ortraiture
and so vivid was her remembrance.
AS she gazed at the photograph she
became a girl again. She fancied that
she was aware Of the pure fragrance
of apple blossoms. the sleepy twitter-
ing of nestled birds. the timid luster Of
early stars. The lurking dread slowly
vanished from her eyes. That queer
shadow OF apprehension which had
darkened them for an hOur was lifted
A reSOlute, eager light replaced it,
She was like one lost in a dreary
swamp, who suddenly tnds a safe
path hOmeward.
Miss Vospcr %coughed suggestively.
81 beg your pardon Emma ac-
knOwledged. and she wrote the names
OF the months on the sheet of paper
and submitted it to Mrs. Trent.
The lady examined II with regret
full scrutiny Emma's handwriting. in
fact, was the commonplace script OF an
old fashioned %copyboOk. devoid Of dis
tinrtiOD and character
"1m so sorry decided Mrs. Trent
gently. but really | fear-I'm SO sorry
to d%isappoint you!
Its only ar ordinary workaday
hand. ma'am. and, If you'll excuse me,
I'm not disappointed"
mot disappointment" murmured Mrs.
Trent She smiled thOughtfully at
Emma. vaguely impressed by some
elusive change in the bearing and voice
Of this gray. shabby woman.
Mrs. Trent sighed without knowing
why and moved petulantly among the
velvet pillows.
Are you going back to the agency
this evening. Miss SaxOn2"
mo. ma'am. | am g0ing-somewhere
else."
Il shall take care that your employer
doesn't criticise you because ! sent
you away. Miss Vosper shall attend
to that in the morning. Good night"
THANK you, ma'am. and goodby."
said Emma. smiling i%nscrutably.
The supercilious maid led Emma
haughtily down rear stairs to the serv-
ants entrance. but emma was un
touched by the slight or by the grim
mOckery of such a departure from the
house which might have been hers
The determined smile was still upon
her face. She walked erect now. with
her shoulders squared. In the street
she turned her back on the glare OF
the splendid avenue and set off at a
brisk pace toward the East.
With lips parted expectantly and
firm chin pointed upward Emma bur
ried On. like one speeding to a goal.
A blue cloaked and blue b%Onneted
girl emerged from a saloon jingling
al aims box of the Salvation Army
Emma tugged a coin from her knotted
handkerchief and dropped her pittance
in the box.
God bless you for it!' muttered the
girl
Emma did not pause to hear the
benediction. She turned the corner
into a side street. 1t was d street OF
old brick houses converted into tene,
ments. Beyond the distant end OF it.
under the lights of 4 towering bridge.
was revealed the sullen current of the
river
The shadOwy street would lave been
quiet had it not been for the count
less children. but over sidewalk. curb
and housetops they swarmed like fren-
zied bees. A desperate bandit of sew
Ell years triumphantly caught and held
Emma's skirt as she passed. She bent
down to loosen the chubby fist and
found that for lack Of breath she could
hardly speak.
She waited for q minute among the
children. with q hand on her leaping
heart. Then she went into the tene-
ment house and up the sagging and
narrow stairs.
The humble room which Emma en-
tered was poorly furnished. but very
neat and clean. A a sat beside the
lamp. reading a book. He looked up
pIeasantly--a tall, powerful man. al
though he had the bIeached face Of
an invalid. One Of bis arms was In q
sling.
why. Emmy" said be. what ia
itT'
Sh~ r<n 49, ~ LSrn ~-(AA ShS-S-- k.S->