Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-06-25
TWENTY-ONE
TEMPLE STREET
BY VICTOR REDcLrFFE

Shrewd, precise Mrs Rachael Ford
smiled as was always an indulgenf
phase Of business policy with her. but
shook her head with an equally insin-
cere suggestion of regret.
Il am very sorry she spoke, "hut
an hour after you were here this
morning and told me you could not af-
ford the apartment"
But have changed my mind !"
piped the feeble old man querulonslv.
1T is TOO late. sir A Miss Wadleigh
has engaged the room. There she Is
now" and Abel Marsh turned 10 oh
serve a young lady passing down the
hall, bat hesitating at the open door
way as if wishing to speak with the
landady. but not desiring TO inrrude.
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 to this Miss Wadieigh was inn
Dervious. 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 a step into
the room unlimited, as the old man
said:
''Then I'll have to take the room
upstairs, suppose How I'll ever GET
up three fights with my lameness and
pain don't know, but I've got to have
roof to shelter me. It's cheaper.
too. and that is consideration with
me-"
Can ! speak to you for moment,
Mrs Ford" yentured Inez Wadleigh,
and she drew back into the hallway.
and in a low tone conveyed a message
to the landlady that caused the latter
to stare at her in wOnderment 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
it, most kindly agrees to occupy the
upper one instead, so you may be near
er to the street and more comfort
able"
whats thatr challenged Marsh,
with token of suspicion in his tone.
"Of course, she wants a bonus for the
exchanged"
ooh, 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. 1t is settled, then?"
"You mean to tell me that there's
a mortal In the world who would sacri-
fee thair own selfish wellbeing for
an old hawk like me, without having
some Interior designs In view? de
manded Abel Marsh.
There seems to be a lovely young
lady in this instance, just human
enough and gentle and piteous enough
to do So" declared Mrs. Ford, with a
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, IN
social as he was with others. "'~ fur
rowed face would soften when he met
or spoke to her. She did stenographic
work in a business office and also some
piece typewritiGg 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 an
liberal in pay for her labor. but Inez
excused his penurlousness as char
acteristic Of a warped and afflicted in
valid. The next morning he knocked
at the door of her room ~ hand her
some other work. Inez noticed as his
glance swept the apartment that il
rested upon a framed picture, the only
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 quizzlcal look.
"A fine looking young man." Oh
served Abel Marsh, with an unusual
twirkle in his eye. "A .relative?'
No" replied Inez In an embar
raised way. III am engaged - 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 q
l,ind-hearted. truthful girl. Not many
of such nowadays" and he departed
with certain vague and mysterious
expression upon his face that some
what p'IZzled Inez.
"A letter TO copy" said Abel Marsh
the next day. handing some pencled
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: have stolen