Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-16
CHAPTER XIV.

Soapsuds.
II II r. MARTIN will see you, Miss
MI Grayson.' said Johnson. COM
ing back. and she followed
him upstairs with beating
heart. r. ...
If there In any time in the day when
a retired business man should be al
lowed to enjoy himself in his own ma
ture and self chosen way, 1t is the
hour between 5 and 6. This hour "be-
tween the dark and the daylight was
not the children's hour In Mr.. Martins
house, for good and sufficient reasons,
| his only son having been cast of and
there being no '.grands" yet any way.
Neither was it O'Clock tea hour, for
Mr.. Martin never had tea any more
since Mary Grayson had gone. He had
had Johnson bring 1t in for her once
in awhile in the old days. to feed her
up, but not now. His new secretary
was goose, and he packed her off, AID
now be found some letters to open with
his own hands today. which seemed to
annoy him. Disgruntlement still sway
ed his paternal heart when he thought
Of Rodney. He was torn between love
and irritation where that boy was con-
cerned. ...- -
He turned to the papers for consola-
ton and held one sheet up TO scrutinize
the headlines. AS he did so he display
ed to the empty room full page ad-
vertisement Of IL Soap-the hand Of
Ambrose. in fact-w hich by some &C.
cult influence presently impeled him
to turn the paper over and glance Mt the
last page neyt. The blatant sprawling
ad. caused him q pang Of regret and
disgust, and he flung 1t down. He took
up another paper and had the same ex-
perience, then turned angrily to some
letters, only to be rewarded by the
sight Of Ii Soap circulars huttering to
the floor when he opened the envelope
the hand of Ambrose again, In fact.
Another letter" and another-they had
got a beastly way now of addressing
them in refined female hands, on good
stationery, soryou'd think they were
Observation-Disclosures the first into the
waste paper basket.
It was q relief when Johnson pres
though a great surprise to hear the
callers name. Mary Grayson! Now.
what was this sly puss after? he spec
ulated as he babe johnson show her
in. Come to get her old job back, he
supposed. Well, she could have it at
her old salary. He, said this last aloud
to her as she came into the room look
ing very sweet he must admit. The
serious expression she wore was not
at all unbecoming to her pretty face,
The room looked just as it used to
do, and the recollection took Mary back
again in spite of her engrossing er-
rand The diamond pendulum was
still swinging on the mantelpiece. Mr..
Martin himself wound all the clocks
in the house every Sunday morning at
exactly half past 9, when the hands
did not interfere with the keyholes.
But I don't want it," said Mary in
response to his ungracious proposition.
"Oh, then, Rodney has sent you to
plead for him." suggested Mr.. Martin.
mo, SIR" said Mary. "Hc doesn't
know I'm here" s---..
Then what are you here forY' he
demanded. really curious.
ITO make you q business PROPOSE
tion," said Mary stoutly.
"Why doesn't Rodney make it him
self?' asked his father.
"He doesn't know what it u.s." ex-
planned Mary.
That's something in his favor"
Martin conceded. II can't see much
use in women tying up in mems bust
ness. Somehow love the scallawag,
and, - 1t, miss him around here"
He looked at Mary curiously as he
said this, wondering how she and Rod
ney were getting along these days and
what her errand really was. though he
didn't propose to give away his inter>
est in it. She had betrayed the true
nature Of things to him once. What
was she going to do now7
His reflections and Mary's business
were interrupted, however, by John
sons entering second time and an
nouncing the last two people in the
world that Mary had counted on,
namely, Mr.. HoineJ Martin and III III
Ambrose Peale.
"Oh, the whole fr,n, eh7" said Mr..
Martin, cycling Mary sharply.
Mary started glliltily. For moment
she feared that Rodney might bark
back to that 5000 check his father
had given her and grow Jealous again.
She couldn't pretend to BE- pleased to
see him. despite her sentimental re-
dections just now downstairs She had
wanted to handle this interview in her
own way. She felt as IL she could have
done 1t right, convincinsly, Just as 4
hunter feels within himself that he can
clear the hurdle that looms ahead.
Now, here we're Rodney and Ambrose
to interfere with her. and Ambrose of
course would interrupt and switch her
of and perhaps irritate the old gentle
man with bis advertising talk. He
couldn't help 1t. Ambrose would pop
out Of bis jack In the box instanter
II you sprang the subject Of soap and
advertising. -.,.s