Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-23
CHAPTER XIX
Still Other Flies

TT WAS when his duties of secretaryship
i to Miss Flora had dwindled 10 almost in
finitesmal proportions that Mr.. smith
wished suddenly that he were serving Miss
Maggie in that capacity. so concerned was
he over a letter that had come to Miss Mag
gle In that mornings mail
He himself had taken it from the letter
carriers hand and had placed it on Miss
Maggie's little desk, Casually. as he dld so
he had noticed that it bore IA name he recog-
nized as that of Boston law firm; but he
had given 1t no furth-l thought until later
when, as he sat at his work in the living
ROOM he had heard Miss Maggie give low
cry and had looked up to find her staring
at the letter in her hand, her face going
from red to white and back to red again.
why. Miss Maggie, what is it?" he cried,
sprnging to his feet.
As she turned toward him he saw that
her eyes were full OF tears
why. tits letter telling me
She stopped abruptly. her eyes on his face.
Yes. yes, tell me-" he begged Why.
YOU are-crying, dear Mr.. Smith, plainly
quite unaware of the caressing word he mad
used, came nearer his face aglow with sym
pathy, his eyes very tender.
The red surged once more over Miss
Maggies face, She drew back httIe'
though manifestly with embarrassment not
dispeasure.
"lt's-nothing, really it's nothing" she
stammered It's just a letter that-that
surprised me.
But it made you cry!
"Oh. well, IL cry easily sometimes
With hands that shook visbly, she folded
the letter and tucked it into its envelope.
Then. with a carelessness that was little
too elaborate. she tossed 1t into her open
desk Very plainly. whatever she had meant
TO do in the first place, she did not now m
tend to disclose to Mr.. Smith the contents of
that letter.
Miss Maggie, please tell me-was it bad
news"
bad? Why. of course not" She laughed
gayly.
very like a sob in the laugh.
But maybe could--help you,' he pleaded.
She shook her head
You couldnt-indeed you couldn't
Miss Maggie, it--money matters?
He had his answer in the telltale color
that famed instantly into her face-but her
lips said: ,,
1T was-nothing-I mean. it was nothing
that need concern YOU She hurried away
then to the kitchen, and Mr.. Smith was left
alone to fume up and down the room and
frown savagely at the offending envelope
Untitled against the ink bottle in Miss Mag
gIe's desk, just as Miss Maggies carefully
careless hand had thrown 1t.
the Boston law firm. and Mr.. Smith knew, 1t
though he never heard Miss Maggie cry
out at any of the other ones.
That they affected her deeply, however,
he certain fteT very eNlutnl elottS
TO lead him to think that they were or no
consequence would convince him of their
real importance to her If nothing else had
done So He watched her, therefore,
covertly, fearfully longing to help her, but
not daring to offer his services.
That the affair had something to do with
money matters he was sure. That she would
not deny this naturally strengthened him in
this belief. He came in time, therefore, to
formulate his own opinion she had lost
money-perhaps a good deal for herr, and
she was too proud to let him or any one else
know it.
He watched then all the more carefully to
see II he could detect any new economies
or new deprivations in her daily living
Then, because he could not discover any
such, he worried all the more; II she had lost
that money, she ought to economize, GER
tainly. Could she be so foolish as to carry
her desire for secrecy to so absurd length
as to live just exactly as before when she
really could not afford 1t?
n was at about this time that Mr. Smith
reuussted to have hot water brought to his
room morning and night for which service
he insisted in spite of Miss Maggies re-
monstrances, on paying three dollars week
extra.
There came a strange man to call one day
He was a member of the Boston law hrm
Mr. Smith found out that much, hut no more
Miss Maggie was almost hysterical after ms
visit She talked very fast and laughed a
good deal at supper that night yet her eyes