The St. Charles herald., 1922-07-22

Inc next morning he opened the
door and walked directly across to
MISS Denslow, greeting her with a
smiling Good morning. hope you are
uisposed to grant favor today.
wish to get out an unusual amount sof |
work before tomorrow. Would it be |
possible for me to engage your serv-
ices this evening? / can always 90 /
better work when the noise Of the day |
is stilled." With a calm exterior he |
awaited her reply. Eleanor heard his
request with surprise and looked at
him closely, trying to see if there was |
anything more than business in this |
suggestion.
Il am not in the habit of extending |
my office hours into the evening"
The answer was neither what he |
hoped for nor what he feared. Eleanor
never knew how it was that she con- |
sented to return to the Office that eve
ming. Neither did she know how it had
come to be a regular thing for her to
dine with Mr.. Balcome twice a week,
returning to the Office for an evenings
| work on his book.
The time was not all spent in dicta-
ton. Many interesting points came up
to be discussed. OF course. when they
| stayed late Mr.. Balcome could not al
| low her to go home alone. One eve
| ming they stopped work earlier than
usual. Eleanor did not know that he
had so planned it. When they reached
| tho mo rtnopf Ae RolcOmo said.
1T is too late to go to the theater
and too early to 60 home. / think you
| will have to be kind, and invite me to
come in, Miss Denslow."
/ She could not refuse, so for the first
time the gray and rose nest was In
vaded by q man. That night Eleanor
sat long in the gay cushioned chair.
thinking back over the days to that
first time when Bruce Balcome had
walked into her Office and into her
life. She could not remember when
she had commenced to think OF him as
other than one Of tine many customers
who went in and out of her office. How
had she let down the bars that sepa-
rated 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
J home tomorrow"
She read no further. "Going home
going home-without word" she
clenched the note tightly in her hand.
'Then he does not care. And thought
II thought" She dropped her head
on the table, her feelings too deep for
tears. Was it true? Had she read 1t
right? Slowly she raised her head,
dreading. 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 | shall miss our evenings to
gether. My hope is that you, too, viii
miss them, and that your evenings will
be so lonely you will be ready to give
me a warmer welcome when l return
than you did at our first meeting.
look forward to spending next Satur
day evening with you, and l shall mo-
come to dictate, but, If your smile o.
welcome invites, to ask for something
Yours always, BRUCE BALCOME.'
yours" He had underlined it. Hat
their companionship meant as mucl
to him as it had to her? She woult
know soon, but how could she wait
J It was a waiting time filed with glow
ing hopes She walked home at nigh
as In dream, cooked her dinner In
dream, and as she sat down to 1t pic
tured a blue-eyed companion opposite
Saturday came at last, and even tn
room itself seemed to wear an air
expectancy. The pink rosebuds whic
showed their bushes against the sol
l. gray Of the vase must have been RI
b. sponsible for the rose flush on the fac
a of the rooms occupant, flush whic
g, deepened as steps sounded outside an
o. a firm hand knocked at the door. Sh
lg could not move to open it. Anothe
n knock. then q voice. Eleanor" ant
y as she drew the door back, the dreal
IF figure that had been tenanting ne
le room vanished as Bruce Balcome stoo
k. before her, question in his eyes.
"Eleanor, l hope you have been lon'
ly this past week, as horribly lonely
T. 1 have been."
at Her eyes spoke for her as the
" looked into his, and he drew her
- him closely.
dearest, do you know what
frigidly cold greeting you gave m
when I first met you. AS a punis
81 ment / am going to compel you to
lifetime Of greetings Of this kind
- and he lifted her face to his in a. gree
ing such as only lovers know.
~ Two months later Eleanor stood
- - the rose and gray nest alone, for Il
of last time.
"Goodby, little nest. loved 70
:. but you have a rival. He has stole
!. me away from you. l am sorry
- leave you, but, oh. SO glad to 60 vii
him, anywhere"
Id The "Doctor" Wine.
uow manv have heard Of the famOl