Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-06-11
Mrs. rrent's good humored smiIe wa.

Il am sure of that, but a pen writer
Is what | need" she rejoined quietly.
MY correspondence. I fear, is too
trivial to be typed. SO may | trouble
you for a sample OF your handwriting!
That is the whole point, you know"
Certainly. ma'am.. Emma said.
Miss Nosper arose, and Emma seat.
ed herself in the desk chair. An angle
of the wall was between the desk and
the couch. She heard Miss Vospel
reading a concert program to Mrs.
Trent.
Emma found a blank sheet of crest
ed paper underneath a manuscript list
of charitable hospitals on the desk.
She selected one of the mother-of-pearl
penholders, consulted the jade ink
stand and wondered what she ought to
write. Then she turned her perplexed
glance, and 1t met the pictured face OF
Franklin Trent. She had not seen him
for twenty years.
Middle age had marked him but
slightly. Framed by a wide band of
gold, the masterful, handsome face
was that of the boy who had yainly
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 nested 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 finds a safe
path homeward.
Miss Vosner coughed suggestively.
81 beg your PARDON Emma &C.
of the months ON the sheet of paper
and submitted it to Mrs. Trent.
The lady examined it with regret.
full scrutiny. Emma's handwriting, in
fact, was the commonplace script of an
old fashioned c%opybook, devoid of dis.
tinction and character.
"I'm so sorry" decided Mrs. Trent
gently, "but really fear-I'm so sorry
to %disappoint your
Its only an ordinary workaday
hand, ma'am, and, If you'll excuse me,
I'm not disappointed"
Not disappointed" murmured Mrs.
Trent. She smiled thoughtfully. at
Erap1o uoo..Alu tnanroCcod hu conaa
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 Saxon?"
mo, ma'am. l am going-somewhere
else"
Il shall take care that your employer
doesn't criticise you because l sent
you away. Miss Vosper shall attend
to that in the morning. Good night"
.eThank you, ma'am, and goodby,"
said Emma. smiling inscrutably.
III.
The supercilious maid led Emma
"
haughtily down zeal stairs to the serv-
ants entrance, but Emma vas I'M
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 VEN 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 bonneted
girl emerged from a saloon jingling
IN 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 II
into a side street. It was a street of
old brick houses converted into tene-
mentS. Beyond the distant END OF II,
under the lights of a towering bridge,
was revealed the sullen current of the
river.
The shadowy street would have 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
en- 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 a minute among the
children. with a hand on her leaping
heart. Then she went into the tene-
ment house and up the Singing and
narrow stairs.
The humble room which Emma en-
-