New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-05-19
CHAPTER /.
Sentiment and Clews.

wears skirts is lady until the
law proves her otherwise. From
the fraEed and slovenly petticoats
of the woman who owns poultry
stand in the market and who has
grown wealthy by selling chickens at
twelve ounces to the pound or the silk
sweep Of Mamie Tracy. whose dia
mOnds have been stolen down on the
avenue or the staidly respectable black
and middle aged skirt of tue client
whose husband has found an affinity
run off with her-all the wearers are
ladies and as such announced by
HAYES. In fact. he carries it to ex-
cess. He speaks of his wash lady,
with husband who is an ash mer-
chant. and he announced one day in
some excitement that the lady who had
just gone out had appropriated all the
loose change out of the pocket of his
Overcoat.
SO when Halves announced a lady
took my feet off my desk. put down
the brief had been reading and rose
perfunctorily. With my first glance
at my visitor, however. I threw away
my cigar and, ! have heard since. set
tied my tie. That this client was diff
ferent was borne in on ME at once by
the way she entered the ROOM She
had poise in spite of embarrassment,
and her face when she raised her veil
was white. refined and young.
II did not send in my name," she
said when she. saw me glancing down
for the card Halves usually puts on
my table. 1T was advice l wanted,
and IL did not think the name would
matter"
She was more composed. l think.
when she found ME considerably older
than herself. l saw her looking fur
lively at the grazing places over my,
ears. | am only thirty five, as far as
that goes, but my family, although it
keeps its hair. turns gray early-a
business asset. but social handicap.
wont you sit DOWN. asked, push
Ing out chair so that she would face
the light while / remained in shadow.
Every DOCTOR and every lawyer knows
that trick. Only too often the raising
of woman's veil in my Office reveals
the ravages of tears or rouge or dis
.sipation. Ny new client turned fear
lessly to the window an unlined face,
with clear skin, healthily pale. From
where I sat her profile was beautiful
II hardly know how to begin" she
said, but uppose''-slowly-"s
that man. a we'll known man, should
leave home without warning. not TAX
ing any clothes except those he wore
and saying be was coming home to
dinner. and he-he''-
"How long has he been gomez?
'Ten days.
~ Il should think it ought to be looked
into" said decisively and got up
Somehow l couldn't sit quietly. A
lawyer who is worth anything is al
ways partisan. l suppose, and new
er hear of man deserving his wife
that / am not indignant, the virtuous
scorn of the unmarried man perhaps.
But you will have to tell me more
than that Did this gentleman have
any bad habits-that is, did he-er-
drink"
! mot to excess. He played bridge for
money. but I believe he was rather
lucky"
Married. supposey asked casu-
ally.
He had been. His wife died when
r. She stopped and bit her lip. Then
it was not her husband, after all. Odd
~ enough, the sun came out just at
that moment, spilling pool of sun
light at her feet.
1T is my father" she said simply.
was absurdly relieved.
He would have papers to identify
him."
His pockets were always full of en-
velopes and things like that"
Don't you think ought to know his
name?' I asked. 1T need not be
known outside of the Office. and this is
a sort of confessional anyhow, or
worse"
my name is Fleming, Margery
Fleming" she said after a seconds
hesitation. 'and my father, Allan Elem
ing, is the man. Oh, Mr.. Knox. what
are we going to do? He has been gone
for more than weekv'
No wonder she had wished to conceal
the identity of the missing man. So
Allan Fleming was lost! A good many
highly respectable citizens would hope
that he might never be found. Elem.
ing, state treasurer, delightful compan
ion, polished gentleman and successful
politician of the criminal type. Out.
side in the corridor the office boy wa,
singing under his breath. "Oh. once
there was a miller" he sang, .'.wh<
lived in mill" It brought to nv
mind the reform meeting year be
fore. where for Z few hours No hak