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Show j, Mill I II I I 11 Money and Marriage By MAUDE PARSONS (Oopyrtgnt, Utll, by A&fiocluuxl JUlerury fnu.) William Douglass, manager of Tbornybrook, strode to the telephone ind rang three times. A lovely voice, with a little yawn In It, answered. an-swered. "May I see you a few moments, yiss Anne?" queried Douglass. "U'b a matter of importance." "Yes, William," returned the lovely voice. "Come right over." Anne Thornton, owner of Thorny-brook, Thorny-brook, awaited the manager in a sun-flooded room in the handsome old house. Miss Thornton was good to look upon. In a ruffled, trailing morning gown, and with dewy eyes that looked forth contentedly on a pleasant world, she was ravishing. Or so thought William Douglass, anyway. William was in love with lis employer. His homely, trustworthy face was pale and his eyes were dark-dinged. ; He had not slept much for two nights trying to decide on just what ha wes going to say. Now he found Ms speech curiously hard to deliver. "Miss Anne," he began. "Yes," encouraged Miss Anne, in t tone of voice she reserved for Douglass alone. 1 am going I have decided that Is, we you have a chance to buy some more stock of the Du Quoin National bank." "Well, what do you think of it!" "It is a good buy." William, on familiar ground, was not embarrassed now. "The bank's well managed and Is making money." Then buy It, William. You know I trust all those things to you, anyway." any-way." The unhappy William perspired. "That's what I came to see you about. I've I've been thinking about the back farm. Shall we pasture It again "How I've Longed to Call You 'Billy,' She Said." this summer, or plow for corn? We'd better decide. If this weather is go-ng go-ng to stay." Without, the low hills were taking ta-king on a tender greenery, and two robins made love under the window. Hiss Anne, being young and whole-rae whole-rae and pretty, was pulsing beneath be-neath the call of spring and William Wil-liam was talking about plowing! j "Whatever you think best, William." Wil-liam." And then, suddenly turning er dark eyes full upon him: "What did you really want to see me about, William?" Douglass gasped and floundered, en. rising, he placed a little package pack-age of papers in her hand, and said: "Here's a statement of things of 'ur money and stocks and your farms. I'm going to to leave. Miss Anne." The old clock in the hall tick-wcked tick-wcked off ages of silence. Douglass "Pt his stubborn glance on the sun-!"iny sun-!"iny landscape beyond the broad window. Miss Anne studied the top of her little slipper. "Going away," she said at last, as r to herself. "You are really going leave us! Why, William 7" U's a private matter. I'd well, '4 rather not say, Miss Anne." Ia It salary, William? You know T'Tatried to make you take more." I N" returned DouglaBs, decided- ' "I'm paid more than I'm worth, now." But you've done splendidly, Wll-"DL Wll-"DL when we hired you as mana-. mana-. mother and I had no Idea of bur-you bur-you with our financial affairs, ron t now we're depending on ' to make our Investments." 1 " all right. Miss Anne. I"v ' to do It" "Uncle Robert lays you've made at richer than ever. And a share of that is yours " "No," said Douglass, and he meant it. "It isn't money." "I'm sorry," said Miss Thornton, plaintively. "We've been very happy togeth " If William had not been so busy watching the love-making robins he would have noticed a little blush tinge his employer's cheeks as she substituted: "Everything's been so harmonious." "I know, Miss Anne. That's what makes it hard to go. I never can thank you for your kindness. Those papers will explain things to the new man." "William," interrupted Miss Anne, "please sit down again. I want your advice for a friend. You're not going go-ing to leave us right away?" "Oh, no; I can stay for for a little time." "Three months four months?" The girl leaned forward eagerly. "We ell, I hardly think so. I want to get established before the summer is too far advanced." "Oh." A pause. "So you're going Into business?" "Ye es; that is, I think so." "Is that so personal that you didn't want to tell me?" There was an accusing ac-cusing emphasiB on the "me." Douglass did not attempt to answer. "One of my girl friends doesn't know Just what to do, William. You see, she's she's in love." "Oh!" "That 'Oh' was dreadfully noncommittal, noncom-mittal, William. Aren't you interested?" inter-ested?" "Why, yes, certainly, Miss Anne." "Well, she doesn't know whether the young man is is in love with her or not" "Can't she tell?" "She isn't sure. She thinks he likes her, but " "Yes?" "Oh, there are complications, Wll-Ham. Wll-Ham. She is rich, and the young man is poor. She feels he's to proud to speak." "Oh." "Well, what Is she going to do? She's she's cried herself to sleep, I'm afraid, a good many times; and yet there doesn't seem to be any way to make him speak." "There isn't any way, I'm afraid," he said, with an unconscious sigh. "If the man has self-respect, he can't be a fortune hunter. He must make his own way before he can ask the girl to be his wife." "She's thought of that, too. But it seems so foolish! They may have to wait years, and grow old and withered with-ered while he makes a lot of money they don't need. Isn't marriage an equal partnership? Why hasn't the wife the right to bring money to the union as her husband?" "From an impersonal standpoint, she has," replied William, "but if I were that young man I would feel as he feels. He cannot in honor speak while his motives could be misconstrued. Her friends would say " "Bother her friends!" Miss Anne looked confused when she realized the emphasis she had put on the three-words, but only for a moment. Then she added: "That's the way Rhe feels. She says she has a right to her own happiness, no matter what people think or say. She is satisfied he is not a fortune hunter; that he is upright and honorable, and the man nature Intended as her mate. Why can't he be sensible and speak?" She leaned forward In her chair, her lips dropping In childlike perplexity. per-plexity. Douglass got up hastily and backed away. He did not want to lose his carefully acquired grip and make a fool of himself. That's why he was leaving Thornybrook to keep from making a fool of himself. He fumbled his hat and turned to the door. "He can't, that's all," declared Douglass, when his hand had closed on the knob. "It's an impossibility. Miss Anne. If you were In his place you'd realize " He stopped; he was confusing the other man's case with his own. "Don't you want to know who the girl Is?" asked Miss Thornton, unsteadily. un-steadily. She had risen and her fingers fin-gers were intertwined. "Why, yes." Douglass somehow felt the name of that girl to be the most important thing in the world. "it's it's " Her voice died away. And then it began again, broke and went on to a triumphant conclusion: "Oh, Billy, you stupid, stupid boy! It's it's Anne Thornton!" The next moment she was In his arms, half-laughing and half-crying. "How I've longed to call you 'Bll ly!' " she said. "And how I've longed to call yo darling!" said h. |