Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-09-15
TWENTY-ONE
TEMPLE STREET
Bv VICTOR REDCLIFFE

Copyright, 1S2u' western >eMsP@PeA
ST have decided to take the room on
the first floor" announced Abel MARSH
to the landlady of 81 Temple street.
Shrewd, precise Mrs. Rachael Foro
smiled. as was always an indulgent
phase of business policy with her, out
shook her head with an equally insih-
cere suggestion of regret.
81 am very sorry" she spoke. but
an hour after you were here TINS
morning and told me you could not al
ford the apartment"
But / have changed my mind J"
piped the feeble old man ENORMOUSLY.
SIT is too late. sir. A Miss Wadleigh
tas engaged the room. There she Is
now" and Abel Marsh turned to OBJ
serve a young lady passing down the
hall, but heSitating at the open door
way as If wishing 10 speak with the
landlady, but not desiring 10 intrude-
The crotchety, self centered old man
regarded her with scowl. as though
she had crossed his path purposely
and had done him some deadly In
jury.
But 10 IIllS MISS w d0ASA=A WIS
pervious. She had noticed the thin,
weasened old man painfully limping
into the house as though every step
was painful, she had overheard the
conversation between himself and the
landlady. She advanced step into
the room unlimited, as the old man
said:
Then I'll have TO take the room
upstairs, / suppose How TIL ever get
up three flights with my laIneness and
pain don't know, but I've got TO have
a roof to shelter me. It's cheaper.
too, and that Is consideration with
me-"
'-Can / speak TO you for a moment,
Mrs. Ford" ventured Inez Wadleigh.
and she drew back into the hallway
and in q low tone conveyed q message
TO the landlady that caused the latter
to stare at her in wondernent- Then
further conversation. and Inez went
on, while Mrs. Ford returned TO the
presence of the-old man.
Mr. Marsh" she said, 'you can
have this room after all. Miss Wad-
leigh, the young lady who had taken
IL, most kindly agrees TO occupy the
upper one instead, so you may be near
er TO the street and more comfort
able"
"What's that I" challenged Marsh,
with token OF suspicion in his tone
"Of course. she wants bonus for the
exchange7"
"Oh, no." dissented Mrs. Ford. ''She
wouldn't think of such a thing. She
is just a thoughtful, kind-hearted girl,
who lost her father recently. You
make her think of him, she says, and
your age and feebleness appeal to
her. II is settled, thenT'
"You mean to tell me that there's
q mortal In the world who would sacri-
fee their own selfish wellbeing for
an old hawk like me, without having
some Interior designs in view2' de
manded Abel Marsh.
There seems to be q lovely young
lady in this instance, just human
enough and gentle and piteous enough
70 do So" declared Mrs. Ford. with
touch of deep emotion In her face.
Abel Marsh became a mystery to the
people In the house after that.
Inez was the only person in the
house TO whom he paid any particular
courtesy or attention. Brusque, un-
social as he was with others, his fur
rowed face would soften when he met
or spoke to her. She did stenographic
work in a business office and also some
piece typewriting work at home eve
nings. One evening in the common
parlor Abel Marsh asked Inez to copy
some legal documents for him. TO
which she agreed, He was not at all
liberal in pay for her labor, but Inez
excused his RIGHTEOUSNESS as a char.
acteristic of warped and afflicted
valid. The next morning he knocked
at the door of her room to hand her
some other work. Inez noticed as his
glance swept the apartment that II
rested upon a framed picture, tie onl,
one belonging to her in the room. II
was that of her fiance. Gordon Bridges.
She flushed as her visitor bestowed up
ON her a Qu:zzicaI look
"a fine looking young man." OBJ
served Abel Marsh, with an unusual
twinkle in his eye. "a relative?'
NO." replied Inez in an embar.
raised way. IL am engaged to him."
''Oh, / seeI" nodded Marsh. But
he does not come often TO see your"
''He lives in another city," explained
| Inez.
You quite interest me-" said the
old man. you deserve to have him
fully worthy of you, for you are
kind-hearted, truthful girl. Not many
or such nowadays" and he departed
with certain vague and mysterious
expression upon his face that some
what puzzled Inez.
/ "A letter to copy" said Abel Marsh
the next day, handing some penciled
sheets to IneZ.
Half an hour later, as Inez placed
| the pages at the side of her type
| writer to transcribe them, they seemed
| to blind, to daze, TO overcome her. The
first one began:
my Dear Son: I have stolen a
march on you and have seen the young
lady you so sturdily insist is the only
one you can ever love. Keep on low
ing her, for girl so considerable and
self-sacrificing cannot help but be a
worthy wife. She knows me as Abel
Marsh. Enlighten her as to my real
identity and let the wedding bells
wit full