The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-08

could not even speak civ1lly To him.
IAttlefield had been expecting MS oiS
missal since the first OF the year; now
ever. he had stuck it out for Lucys
sake. But when Lucy Merritt went
back on him
It was a foolish quarrel, but she had
given him back his ring and told MIN
she never wanted to see him AGAIN.
He could not even remember WHAT
they had quarreled about. At nrst
Littlefield had been overwhelmed; out
then he began to accept 1t as part OF
the grudge fate seemed to have against
him.
And, once he had begun to believe
himself q victim of destiny, he lost
all moral sense. He was alone In the
world, and now that he had lost Lucy
he meant to make amends to himseil
at the banks expense.
He had reached the door when the
porter came up to him.
"Mr. Johnson wants to see you, MT.
Littlefield," he said.
There was a significant look u1on
the mans face. Littlefeld had a wild
impulse to bolt for the door Instead
Of that he stood looking speechlessly
at Jacks. Jacks face grew sterner
AT once, sir, he said" he continued.
Johnson looked up We'll Mr. Lit
tlefeld, you don't look very happy" ne
said you seem to go about your
work with perpetual glo|er-at
least when | meet you.
Was he playing with him? Or was
this the preliminary 70 his discharge!
Littleiield's h0nes grew.
Put your bag on the table Mr Lit
tlefield," continued johnson. You
look as though you were afraid was
going to open it. Come. set it down
beside me-never mind these Papers.
Littleield flung the bag down de-
family and stood facing his tormentor
johnson arose slowly, and suddenly
clapped his hand hard on the others
shoulder.
We've been looking over your rec
ord since you came here, Mr. Little,
field" said Johnson, and it makes
very creditabie showing. Mr. Sleigh,
you know, is leaving to accept the
cashiers position with Brown & Sea
gull. We ere going to promote you to
his place at the salary which always
goes with 1.-TWO thousand to start
and an annual increase of hundred
up to twenty-five hundred"
Littlefield still stared at him; he had
, not yet understood.
$50 you see," continued Johnson,
I'VE have not failed to recognize the
J zeal that you have shown in our In
terests. l may tell you in confidence
that there was much difficulty in de-
Gliding between you and another mem.
: Der OF our force. and that you were
selected on my insistence for the rea.
son that have given you"
Littlefield understood at last. and
he swung round impulsively and
looked into Johnson's face.
, II have thought sometimes that you
had taken dislike to me-" continued
the manager.
mo. sir; no." blurted out Littleneld
J II must have given false impress
. sion. +"
I Il am indeed glad to hear IT," an
Y swered Johnson, wringing the other
= mans hand warmly. "And now permit
r me to offer you my best and sincerest
1 congratulations"
: Littlefield found himself outside the
t office again. He walked idly towarc
the door. He did not quite know where
= he was going. He was recalled to him
self by Jacks, who thrust letter into
d his hand.
@ Just come, sir" said Jacks, smil
g ing. Littlefield looked hard at thu
3 porter. Why, he was the acme O
d friendliness. What had been the mat
9 ter with him? Had he, Littlefield, beer
$ seeing everything through the mirror
Of his morbid and perverted mind?
It He tore open the envelope will
II trembling fingers. The letter was from
II Lucy.
q my dearest" 1t ran, forgive me
j. thousand times for my unkindness t,
& you. was 80 hurt by what you said
II here Littlefield remembered tn
>, cause Of their quarrel-"but see nov
how wrong l was when you have Al
y ways been SO kind and good. I trus
y you as every one trusts you. You ar
, the soul of honor"
~ A rush Of tears blinded the man
y eyes. He could not read the lette
- further. then. So it was all in his ow
:, mind, everything. the sense of injus
= tice, the quarrel with Lucy, Johnson
- assumed unfriendliness, Jacks ar
- tipathy-all his fears and wrongs an
:. injuries!
- He took his bag and crept back int
= the cashiers cage.
= Copyright. 1914. by W. G. Chapman.)
Full Skirt.
Now that full skirts are actual