Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-21

country ine the hope Of seeing q, house
within their means to rent. h passes
say that 1t is the property Of a rich man
named Graham On the return trip she
stops to look at the barn. :
CHAPTER III, Continued.
After. ali. 1t was but half-past four
when the q reached the city hall.
Its route lay IN half a mile nearer to
the brick house. and she could stay
in 1t, and have shorter walk II she
anybody would be in any office at this
hour of the day, anyway; that is,
anybody with authority; but some
how Shirley had to signal that car
and get out, long walk or not. "A
strong desire seized her to put her
fate to the test and either crush out
this dream Of hers forever, or find out
at ono whether It had q foundation
to live. &r y ~
She walked straight to the Ward
Trust building and searched the bull
letin-board in the hallway carefully.
Yes. there it was, ~"Graham-Walter-
fourth floor 'front.'.
With rapidly beating heart she en-
tered the elevator, and tried to
steady her voice as she said, Fourth"
but it shook in spite of her. What
was she doing? How dared she ?
What should she say when they asked
her what h wanted?
But Shirley's firm little lips were
set, and her head had that tilt that
her mother knew meant business. She
had gone 81 far she would see the
matter to the finish, even II 1t was
ridiculous. For now that she was ac-
tually on the elevator and almost to
the fourth 1oor it seemed the most ex-
t%raordinary thing in the world for a
p, girl to enter a great business Office
and demand that its head should stoop
to rent her an old barn out in the
country for the infinitesimal. sum she
could offer. He would perhaps think
her crazy, and have her put out.
But she got down out of the ele-
vator calmly, and walked down the
hall to where a ground-glass door
proclaimed in gold letters the name
she was hunting. Timidly she turned
the knob. and entered a large room,
rugs on the inlaid floor. leather chairs,
and mahogany desks.
There was no one in the ONCE but
a small office boy, who lolled idly on
one elbow on the table, reading the
funny page of the afternoon paper.
She paused, : half. frightened, and
looked about her ap%pealingly; and
now she began to be afraid she was
too late. 1t had taken longer than
1t was almost "A quarter to five by the
big clock on the wall. No head Of a
business firm was likely to stay in his
office SO late in the day as that, she
knew. Yet she. could hear the steady
click of typewriter keys in an inner
office; he might have remained to
dictate q letter.
The ofice-boy looked up i%nsolently,
"Is Mr.. Graham in?" asked Shirley.
(Which Mr.. Graham? ?" y
Why" hesitating and catching the
name on the door. "Mr. Walter Gra-
mo. he Isn't here. Never here
after four O'Clock The boy dropped
on his elbewsagain,- and resumed his
"oh!" said Shirley, disrnayed now,
in spite Of her fright. as she saw al
hope fading from her. We'll, is there
another mean is the other-Mr.
Graham in?"
Someone stirred in the inner office
and came across to the door. looking
out, meo with an overcoat and
hat on. He looked at the girl, and
then spoke sharply to the boy, who
stood up straight as If he had been
shot.
Edward! See what the lady
wants.
Yes, sir!"-said Edward with sud
den respect.
Shirley caught her breath. and
plunged in.
II would like to see Mr.. Graham
If possible for just a moment-"N There
was something self-posseesed and
businesslike in her voice now that
commanded the boys attention. Her
| l.:@R I,,{n~.o k.nl-l-- -v>~ ,->- H..
The figure from the inner room
emerged, and took off his hat. He
was a young man and strikingly hand
some, with heavy dark hair that
waved owe his forehead and fine,
strong features. His eyes were both
keen and kind. There was some
thing luminous in them that made
Shirley think OF Doris's eyes when she
asked a question: Doris had wonder
fully wise eyes.
81 am Mr.. Sidney Graham" said
the young man, advancing. What
can I do for .you?""
"Oh, I wanted to ask you about a
barn." began Shirley eagerly. then
stopped abashed. How could she ask
this immaculate son Of luxury II he
would rent a young girl his barn to
live in during the summer? She could
feel the color mounting in her cheeks
| III "o0Au' nav SLA4A ICu-. oAlu 1lSO
gladly il a way had been open. She
was aware not only of. the kind eyes
Of the man upon her. but also Of the
gaping boy taking it all In, and her
tongue al suddenly tied. She could
say no more. - 'Niet
But the young man saw how it was
and he bowed az gracefully a IL ask
ing about barns was q common habit
of young women coming into his Of
flee. .
ooh, certainly" he said; won't you
Just step in here a moment and Sit
down? We can talk better. Edward,
you may go. I shall not need you
any longer this evening"" .3e v
But I am OBTAINING you; you were
just going OUT" cried Shirley in a
panic. II will go away now and
come .again-perhaps." She would
do anything to get away without
telling her p~reposterous errand.
g, Not At am said YOUNG Graham;
step this way. and sit down" HI,
tone was Kindness itself. Somehow
Shirley had TO follow him. Her face
was crimson now. and she felt ready
to cry. What a fool she had been to
get herself into a p~redicament like
this! What would her mother say ia
her? How could she tell this strange
young man what she had come for!
But he was seated and looking at he.
thereby 70 create in them. or TO con
firm, when once It has been created,
the spirit Of intelligent thrift. The
easiest and most simple way in which
this can be done 10 by the Increase Of
{a-A-~-A F-A- -