The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-28
The Daily Short Story

had been told that he would find
Eleanor Denslow a congenial com
panion, and he had looked forward
to meeting her. He had been at
tracted at once and congratulated
himself that he had brought a let
ter of Introduction so that the &C
quaintance might progress rapidly.
But it did not progress rapidly. 1t
did not progress at all. The &C
quaintance had commenced with a
bow and a few words, and q bow
without the few words was all he
was getting now. This would not
do. He was a young man of de-
termination, and the dignified aloof-
ness of Miss Eleanor served only to
make him more DESTROYS of knowing
! the young lady inside that bushes
shell.
The next morning he opened the
door and walked directly across to
Miss Denslow, greeting her with a
smiling Good morning. 1 hope you
are disposed to grant a favor today.
I wish to get out an unusual amount
of work before tomorrow. Would it
be possible for me to engage your
SCI f4NCo ILLS C1n d.
ways do better work when the noise
Of the day is stilled." With a calm
exterior he awaited her reply. Ele-
amor heard his request with sur
prise and looked at him closely,
trying. to see If there was anything
more than business in this sugges-
ton.
81 am not in the habit of extend
ing my office hours into the even
ing"
The answer was neither what he
hoped for nor what he feared. Flea
nor never knew how 1t was that she
consented to return to the office
that evening. Neither did she know
how it had come to be a regular
thing for her to dine with Mr.. Bal
come twice a week, returning to the
office for an evenings work on his
book.
The time was not all spent in die
tation. Many interesting points
came up to be discussed. OF course,
could not allow her to go home
alone. One evening they stopped
work earlier than usual. Eleanor
did not know that he had so planned
it When they reached the apart
ment Mr.. Balcome said:
1T is too late to go to the thea
ire, and too early to go home.
think you will have to be kind, and
invite me to come in, Miss Dens-
low"
She could not refuse, SO for the
first time, the gray and rose nest
was invaded by man. That night
Eleanor sat long in the gay cush-
toned chair, thinking back over the
days to that first one when Bruce
Balcome had walked into her office
and into her life. She could not
remember when she had COM
menced to think of him as other
than one of the many customers
who went in and out of her office.
THE RIVAL-GAL TWO -. 800.
How had she let down the bars that
separated her business and her
home life?
A few nights later she found a
box Of roses at her door. Burying
her face in their sweetness, she
spied note.
My Dear Miss Denslow-I am
going home tomorrow"
She read no further Going
home - going home without a
word" She clenched the note tight
ly in her hand. Then he does not
care. And I thought thought"
She dropped her head on the table,
her feelings too deep for tears. Was
it true? Had she read it Alright?
Slowly she raised her head, dread
ing. yet longing. to see the words
again. Her fingers loosened on the
note. Yes, but there was more. Per
haps he explained. She glanced
along the lines.
Your assistance has meant much
to me, and I shall miss our evenings
together. Ny hope is that you, too,
will miss them, AID that your even
ings will be so lonely you will be
ready to give me warmer welcome
when | return than you did at our
first meeting. l look forward to