Show I MID EDMURDO q f IYPEWRmR i I s BY NELLIE D S GRAHAM o Mildred Murdock sat j at her typewriter type-writer and the machine moved steadily on keeping time with the disturbed llutterings of her heart On her stand vas a bunch of violets and their fragrance fra-grance did not tend to soothe her perturbed spirits although she loved them dearly They were placed there by her employer Richard Waring who sat watching her from an inner office The girl for she looked nothing more had been in his employ for six months and had awakened a deep interest within him l She was a wee little woman with wondrous appealing eyes and wavy brown 0 hair that fell carelessly round fer piquant face She was a good worker too and never before was the correspondence which piled before him swept so deftly out of the way She was a cheery little soul and had met his advances with a frank pleasure that enchanted him Richard Waring was not a wholly bad pan andhe had only followed the precedent of his fellows I when he had begun a few weeks before to pay herS her-S lt11C little attentions such aft lowers on her desk invitations to lunch etcetera et-cetera At first she had not seemed to mInd but received his favors with si charming charm-ing unconsciousness that amused him She had gone to lunch with him the day before and as they passed out of = the modest little restaurant where he always al-ways took her a gay party of young fellows who had grown very jriorry s over their wine had made an audible j I comment on Wanngs latest flame She had made no f remark at the time but he had noticed a dark Hush sweep 4 over the fairness of her flowerlike face and he had cursed them under his breath for their stupidity f I Then too the luncheon had not gone off j = o well as usual He had I ventured 1 a little familiarity in i > his address and she had gazed at hirn with eyes like a startled fawns I Then he had told her tIn the usual way I of the unsatisfacj tory emptiness of his life at home of I a coldly unsympathetic wife and the happiness he enjoyed when with hs pretty friend < She had still been very silent but had not checked him as he ent on with growing ardor in the recital of the plans for their future friendship and mutual companionship She had asked where his wife was and as he told her that she had gone out of the city for the summer the pansy 1 eyes had gleamed mutinously 1 He had suggested taking her to ar roof garden that night but she had refused saying she would give him an answer onr the morrow = Then he had wandered on and pn and she had lls < tened with an expression which ought to have warned hint but did not When she had finished network that evening she hat found him waiting f and as she uttered a quiet goodnight good-night he had passionately grasped her hand but she wrenched it away and sped rapidly down the hall He had no fear of the success of his suit and there wag a very tender feeling in his heart as I he looked at the pathetic little figure as she worked so swiftly and accurately this morning She had flushed when she saw the violets but had not thanked him nor fastened then in the bosom of her plain black gown as usual Poor little woman he soliloquized I must put some pleasure into her bare life He knew she was a widow a soldiers sol-diers widow too but he knew nothing more about her His heart quite expanded ex-panded and he laid many plans to brighten the summer of this lone little widow and incidentally his own as he watched the pretty flushed face this morning After Geraldine his wife came back ah well that would be different but of course she > would see that for herself The morning wore along and its the lunch hour approached Waring felt a trifle uneasy She had not once addressed ad-dressed him except as her duties demanded de-manded But he reasoned this has been a busy morning atM she is the soul of faithfulness f So he asked her to go to luncheon I with him as usual and she had requested re-quested to be allowed to finish some 1 special work she was doing as she had brought her lunch with her The offices of-fices were deserted at this hour and he bent over her saying I I Very well my dear if I let you off I now will you take dinner with meL me-L I She raised her beautiful eyes to his face and half smiled as she replied I I If yqu will take me to my home first 1 II will dine with you afterward you I wish me to I He had patted the bent head thinking she was a bit shy poor child or else here His eyes brightenedrra trifle coy and he mused on her perfection of form and face throughout thewhole 1 noon hour > I At 6 oclock she had waited rather I proudly for him but she had 1nncdhh violets to her coat and he smiled as lie noticed it They walked silently i to the I elevated thet11 whirled 1 far into the i 1 Il suburbs of the greatcitytbefore she led him to a tall = ° apartment Iho SBt iand 1 stopped at1 the modest door of the third floor flaC L y J V 0 II I r j 0 < Then she spoke and Richard Wai ing felt thehot blood rush to his face at herwerdss J Mr Waring 11 have respected you 1 reverenced you for your great kindness kind-ness to aTffienuless struljglmgfwoman I have wanted to serve you in every I way possible and I have held you above all men Jn my heart t Yesterday I overheard those remarks I re-marks made bv your friends and I coupled with your own I realized < that after all my idolwas clay Hero he would have spoken but she went on hurriedly trembling Mr Waring I do not believe you are like all the rest I cannot help but think you will still be my friend even when I tell you I can never be to you anything but an humble employee your typewriter Waring1 frowned ominously Her hand was on the latch and as he tried to detain her she threw wide open the door and immediately a chubby dimpled dim-pled fairfaced boy of 3 years ran rapturously to her clinging to her dress and dancing up and down in childish glee as he cried out in seet baby accents Muvver is come muv vcr is come He was not wholly bad as I have said and his good angel stood at his elbow now A mist came over his sight and he Brushed away something very liketears as he said I will be your friend irdeed and turned and went out into the night Mildred Murddek still the capable typewriter foiRIchafd Waring Co attorneysatlaw Her employer is her sincere friend apd many a toy comes to the tiny flat tor Jack but there are no flowers on her stand now 1 adays and ir Richard Warings heart I there is an abiding tenderness and respect j I re-spect for a good woman who taught 1 I I him a needed lesson once |