, 1916-01-20

GraySOn, SAID Johnson, com
ing back, and she followed
him upstairs with beating
heart.
If there is any time in the day when
a retired business man should be al
lowed to enjoy himself in his own ma
ture n self chosen way. 1t is the
hour between 8 and 9. This hour be
tween the dark Inc the daylight was
not thec hildren'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 vas 1t a 3 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 a goose. and he packed her off, and
now he 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 n sheet up to scrutinize
the headlines. As he did so he display
ed to the empty room a full page ad-
vertisement Of IL Soap-the hand OF
Ambrose. in fact-which by some &C
cult influence presently impelled him
to turn the paper over and glance nj the
last page next. The blatant sprawling
ad. caused him a pans of regret and
disgust, and he flung it down. He took
up another paper and had the same ex-
perience, Their turned angrily to some
letters, only to be rewarded by the
sight of Ii Soap circulars huttering to
the door when he opened the envelope
the hand of Ambrose again, III fact.
Another letter" and another they had
gol u 0eastly way now of addressing
them in refined female hands, on good
stationery, so you'd think they were
invitations-followed the first into the
waste paper basket.
1t was a relief when johnson pres.
emily appeared and announced a caller,
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 how her
in. Come to get her old job back. he
supposed. Well, she could have II ut
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 1t used TO
do, and the recollection o Mary back
again in spite OF her engrossing er'
rand. The diamond pendulum was
still swinging on the mantelpiece. MIR.
Martin himself wound all the clocks
in the house every Sunday morning at
exactly half past 0, when the hands
did not interfere with the keyholes.
But don't want It," said Mary In
response to his ungracious proposition.
"Oh, then. Rodney a sent you to
plead for him." suggested Mr.. Martin.
mo. SIR" said Mary. He doesn't
know I'm here"
Then what are you here forT' he
demanded, really curious.
"To make you a business PROPOSE
ton" said Mary stoutly.
why doesn't Rodney make 1t him
self?'' asked his father.
"He doesn't know what 1t is" 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 errund really was, though he