The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-01-26
The Cinderella
Affair
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By ADELAIDE D. HUFF


known handwriting on the envelope
in his hand. Dropping into a chair on
the deep comfortable porch of the
Westway club Durham ripped OPEN
the flap and hastily scanned the con-
tents. It was much like the others he
had received from the same person.
whoever she might be.
Dear Mr.. Durham:
"Here l come on my daily visit. I
like to be there to welcome you to
your club in the evenings because [
feel that it is then that a man with"
out a home is the loneliest.
~ saw you yesterday, standing on
the corner of Eighth and Market, and
1t seemed to me that you were look
ing well. / believe your business
projects are being crowned with sue
cess. There was an alertness in the
expression of your eye that made me-
glad all over. You seemed full OF
the zest of life from the tip Of your
well-shod feet right up to the crown
Of your well-groomed head. You
reeked of success! Am l rightt
Aren't things going better at the of.
fee and aren't you happier than you
have been in ages? Now, tell me, isn't
It true?
Each day think of you with such
sympathy and interest and when
see you and you look happy l am
happy for q long time afterward.
1nn0 fn
put out a hand and give you little
friendly pat and tell you that know
everything will be all right in the end
and that I believe in your innocence.
I long to do lots of things just to COM
fort you. I long to let you know who
I am, but I'm afraid you might think
1 was flirting with you when I really
am not. That is the only horrid thing
about goOd-looking eligible men; they
can't help thinking girls are flirting
with them.
This is enough for now. I'll write
you again tomorrow"
That was all. No signature. No
date. No address.
Certainly one who was intelligent
and obseryant, else how could she tell
by his face that things were going
better at the office? Yet, she was eX-
actly right What a dear little heart
she must have to write such letters.
What did she look like, he wondered,
and how old was she and would she,
could she ever learn to love him after
7, boI booD ;D1T1icoto5 in, tho
ker Brothers disgrace? Innocent
though he was there had been many
who had suspected him of being
guilty. There had been the disgrace
of the long grilling trial, and that the
whole thing had injured his business
reputation he realized only too fully.
He sat on in the falling darkness
smoking and thinking, but his
thoughts Travelled over the same route
and came to the same conclusion
which was really no conclusion at all.
The following week brought more
letters as puzzling as ever. At last,
because he felt that he had to talk
of it to some one he took his private
secretary into his confidence and told
her about it. He tried to make his
voice sound casual, but he betrayed
his eager interest by the nervous way
he toyed with the things on his desk.
TITS terribly interesting" said little
Miss Harmon, when he had finished.
"Sort of Cinderella affair, only it's
letters instead of slipper"
n+I,- bo
eff 1 could only find her! How would
you go about it? I haven't done a
thing because l couldn't think of a
thing to do"
"You might not like her If you met
her." said Betty Harmon thoughtfullys
glancing at him with soft brown eyes.
II would. I know I wouldw he
answered fervently. "She's little
saint. 1 don't care If she's as ugly
as mud. She has heart of gold and
that's what males life worth living.
I know you think I'm a fool to-
talk like that" he apologized hastily.
II do not!'' said Betty emphatically.
He left the office early that after
noon and went out to the club to play
golf Betty received several tele>
phone calls for him after he went
away and as usual left notes about
them on his desk so that he would be-
sure to see them in the morning aa
soon as he came down. Something
that he had forgotten made him re-
turn to the office that evening and a
few moments later he was rushing up
the front steps of the Harmon home.
whats the matter?" asked Betty,
leaving her seat in the porch swing
and going to meet him.
Without a word he swept her into
his arms, and she felt him kissing
her hair.
SLOW blind I've been! Why didn't
I think of it sooner?" he laughed hap
PLY. "My little Cinderella.
When I saw those notes on my desk
written in the familiar backhand that
has haunted me for weeks. Oh.
What a clever little way you had Of
telling me-"
II thought that was a good way to
break the news gently, but 1t doesn't
look a bit like my everyday writing,
does it?' she laughed up at him.
"Not a bit . but no wonder
you knew when my business was go-