The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-11-21
MABEl's MISSION
sy CARRIE eRRemwAv.

L
down the back stairs in her hurry to
spread the news.
Covington had come to board at
the Bradley's three years before, and
since then no one could recall having
seen the top of the desk. A little
| space in front, just large enough to
write upon, was kept fairly clear, but
for the rest Covington seemed to take
a pride in the confusion he maintain
ed and boasted that he could find any.
! thing he wanted at q moments no.
tice.
At the office his desk was scrupu-
lousy neat, but the roll top in his sit
ting room, used for his personal cor
respondence. was piled high with pa
pers and books.
1t might have continued so for an
other three years, hut Covington was
restless. He found the evening pa
pers dull. the theatrical advertise.
ments made no appeal to him, and
books were intolerable.
Tn his restless roaming around the
room his attention was attracted by
the desk, and sinking into the chair
was Il novel occupation. and soon he
was busily engaged in reading over
old letters and discarding those Of
no further interest.
Mahel's letters, Of course, he kept
in q drawer, the top one With, the
Yale lock. Well, perhaps it would be
we'll to clear those out. too. Romance
was dead. He had written her the pro-
posal he seemed unable to make in per-
son, and had added: 81 shall not write
again until your answer comes" That
had been fortnight ago.
His eyes caught line in an ad-
vertisement in theatrical paper that
formed part of the litter of his desk
"Consider silence a polite negative"
it ran. That was what he was doing.
Mabel had not even taken the trouble
to answer.
He viciousy thrust the paper into
the basket and caught up a letter. 1t
was that check for his tailor Tie had
been positive he had mailed that; the
subsequent argument had resulted in
transfer of his patronage, vet here
was the check still inside. He was
rather glad that he had commenced
the cleaning up process.
There was another envelope under
The pile of consular reports. He drew
it out and hi: face blanchod 1t was
the letter to Mabel. In some fash
ion it had Slipped into the tangle on
the desk. lie remembered he had
written a number OF other letters at
the same time. When he had (Gne he
snapped 4 rubber band about them and
had given them to one OF the fellows
to take out.
What could she think OF him? He
had not even written. He slipped out
of his house coat and into his dinner
Jacket There WAS a telephone in the
lower hall. Perhaps Mabel had not
gone out.
1t was her mother vino ans.-erad,
rather frigiAly, With q cclrain note
OF diSanproval in her voice. Ma #, was
in, but she was i'll end had ne to
her room. She did not think l.t she
could see Mr.. Covin-ton.
But Covin@ton was persistent ami IN
the end he gained permission 10 call.
He found 1l"r pale. With nervous lines
in her face. She tried to laugh it off
but he would not have it so.
II have Il special delivery message
! for YOU" he announced. 1T should
not have been letter at all. but I
guess I'm ii sort Of moral coward.
Anyhow. l was cleaning up my desk
at the house tonight and I found this.
l thought it had been sent tTo weeks
! ago"
/ T@ttcrs often 90 astrav.' she com
i montpd is she stretched cut her hand
to receive it.
st was my fault" he said h,lnbly.
"1ou see. I've desk Tip 1T the house
! and I've rather rrided myself upon it's
confusion. Tonight I cleaned 1t up.
just 10 have something TO do, and I
found this letter."
Something in his tone conveyed its
import and she slowly broke the seal
and glanced through the contents. II
last she looked up.
$50 that is The reason I have not
heard from you lately" she said. 81
wondered that You forgot the Apollo
concert"
THAT is only one count" he said
humhly. Il did not being the letter
expecting that you would give the
same answer I hoped for TWO weeks
ago. I just wanted you to sec that
was not quite as bad as You think I
am"
Il did not give it great thought"
she said. While the red. flooding her
| face, denied her words. II thought
that perhaps you We're at,grossed in
some important deal"
"This is the most important deal
| in a mans life" he laughed lit
tic bitterly. "And 1 have bungled it
badly"
I PITY is akin to love-" she reminded,
"and do YOU know, Frank, I think
have mission"
Sand that?" he asked hoarsely.
''To keep that desk straight," she
smiled.
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-