Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-12-21
SECONDHAND
BY A. w. PEACH


60. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
Her vivacious little friend chartered
on as she busted herself with the chat
ing dish, and with every word she was
tumbfing the bright castles that Esther
Henley had been building through the
months.
''And you know" the eager voice
went on, 'the reason for your transfer,
Esther, from the head Office was that
Raines said you reminded him of a
girl he used to know. Lansing, who is
Raines' special pal. told me so, you
knOw-said that Raines was ready TO
marry this girl-even told me where
she lived and what her name is; then
they quarreled. and Raines never mar
ried and she never did. Quite a ro-
nance, eh?"
Esther agreed with q serene reply,
but there was tornado within her.
She held responsible position with
the great importing firm, and then
suddenly she had been moved to
Raines' department, Her salary was
equal to his, but he was the senior
the department work. Then>his quiet,
strong personality had begun to win
her, and she had been conscious more
than once that his brown, kindly eyes
were following her with pleasure and
q bit Of longing; and, In spite of her
self, she had begun to hope dimly that
he cared for her.
Now that hope and that dream went
with the careless words of her friend.
After all, his interest In her had been
for anOther's sake; when his eyes
rested uTOn her they were seeing an
Other-a vanished love of other years.
She went to her work the next morn
ing with different emotions stirring
her heart. His eyes frightened as he
saw her with the quick light so well
come in the eyes of those we love and
he seemed to make it point to stop
to chat with her Knowing what she
did, she could look at him bravely
enough now, and even as she recalled
that his regard for her was second
hand in a way she could be just a little
aloof He in turn seemed to sense the
distance that was growing between
them.
Esther came to her final decision
that night, and the decision in many
ways was a rash one. First, she went
to her little friends room and using
diplomatic tactics managed to get the
address of the girl that Raines had
Ioved-a little village in the northern
part Of the state.
"There is no use in three of us be-
ing unhappy-and 1 might as well try
the missiOnary's scheme as anyone"
she argued with herself
So letter went out, carefully writ
ten, with emphasis upon the RESPONSE
bility that Raines carried so splen-
didly; upon the regard that all had
for him. Esther built up word by word
an eloquent and moving picture of the
man she frankly confessed that she
loved and at the end she gave the rea-
son for the letter; he had seen to it
that she was kept in his department
because of the girl Of whom she re-
minded him.
at is rash of me and foolish, per-
haps, but missionaries sometimes do
rash things, I've heard, for sake OF
good cause" was her final comment.
Two days went by-days fraught
with some anxiety for Esther, for she
did not know just what the effect
would be upon the absent girl or what
the latter might write to Raines.
Destiny, however, takes care of all
human hopes and fears in some ap-
pointed hour. At the end of the week
Esther, going to Raines' Office on
business Grand found him chatting
with a golden-haired girl, whose blue
gray eyes frightened with recognition.
but who said nothing.
"Just a moment, Miss Arnold, 1 can
see you," Raines said, an odd note in
his voice; and it suddenly dawned upon
Esther that here was the unknown girl
who resembied her.
A bit dazed by the shock of the
realization, Esther, hesitating, said: II
can wait"
i! "No, l must co." the fair-haired girl
said; II have been violating the rule
prohibiting visitors, anyway. Good
byr'
With a smile that included both
Esther and Raines she departed.
Esther turned-and her heart slowed
it's rhythmic beat of excitement He
had turned from the door and was
looking at her with eyes that seemed
deeper brown than they had ever
appeared to her before. Something in
them frightened her a bit.
81 really must not linger-" she be-
gan.
Esther, for better or for worse, !
am going to tell you something"
please don't scold me. was fool
ish in what / did. You see, 1 have
guessed who she is-and l am Sorry,