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Show on entering, tossed a smile and a roi as one would a ball to a kitten. The girl was so soft and pretty he could not be blameJ. But she. Nancy, would straightway resign be fore she made a fool of herself. It was high time. It had grown dark in the room, ano she was still lost in planning for the coming year when the doorbell roused hr. Flushed and startled, not stop ping even to smooth her hair, she went into the hall, where the light burned low. She opened the door. She did not realize that it was John Steele till he asked, with an attempt at lightness, if he might see Miss Stanton, Miss Nancy Stanton. "She welcomes you," she answered, lightly enough, deciding he had called to talk business he often asked her advice, and she knew he had some im portant matters under consideration She bade him enter, and he followed her into the sitting room, where she turned on the lights, half blinding herself her-self by the sudden glow. She pointed to the big chair where she had been Waitm zBMMBm HAT night Nancy 1 f9 1 returned from the 1 ill offlce to find her 111 Sfl brother's home, 1 J id which she shared, -Vi fx ful1 of St' Valen' it !'"A s 'an ad brought J-fiM yt Maude a bracelet rjo" 1 arjd theater tickets tI Sv his wife liked J ) 8 u c b attentions. VflwV HeIen- ner sister w? of eighteen, was blushing and bliss-ful bliss-ful over Jack Harlan's Har-lan's extravagance in violets; even Baby May had come from the kindergarten kinder-garten with her fat hands full of lace-paper lace-paper hearts. And it was the maid's afternoon off, so Maude asked Nancy if she would mind . washing the dinner din-ner things. And would she be lonely if they all went out and left her with May, already asleep? Nancy did not mir the dishes or being alone she saw too many people downtown to want them at night. She thought of her unfinished book and a quiet place by the sitting room fire. However, as she buttoned Maude's theater waist up the back, and later helped Helen pin her mass of violets to her white party dress, and saw them all off, she felt alone the odd one. She had caught a glimpse of her rather worn face in the glass over Maude's shoulder, and missing its fine strength, saw only the record of twenty-nine years in it. What had been ailing her lately? With her characteristic refusal to procrastinate, she sat down in the dusk to think it out. She was not going to permit herself to grow into a state of discontent or unhappiness. Certainly every one was kind to her at home and in the office. Suddenly she frowned. Perhaps she was letting Flossie, the new stenographer, stenog-rapher, get on her nerves. The girl, sitting, and then began to resuscitate the fire; but in his mastering way he put her aside and went at it himself. Then he turned and faced her, noting her flush, her lovely disordered hair, her bright, steady eyes. But she returned re-turned his gaze, making herself rise to the situation, ac he questioned her. "What were you doing in the dark? Where is your family?" "It's St. Valentine's day, and they"re out junketing. As to what I was doing, do-ing, Mr. Steele, if you must know, 1 was resigning my secretaryship with you. Just as you rang I was wording it wondering whether to be businesslike business-like and polite, or to say simply, 'I'm tired of working for you. I want to go abroad this spring, and I intend to do it let Flossie have my place!'" She held up her head and smiled at him. Why couldn't the man say something some-thing instead of staring at her? "You anticipate me," he replied gravely. "I came to discharge you. I don't think I can keep you in the offlce any longer. In fact, Nancy," he stammered like a boy, "I can't bear the sight of you in that office a moment mo-ment longer! Oh, can't you see what a sentimental fool you have made of me? What are you going to do with me? See what I did today wait a moment!" He went into the hall while sha stood half dazed. What was he trying to say, and bungling it, too, this clearheaded clear-headed man of business? Was he jesting? He returned with a purple box, which he handed her. "See violets! The thought of you made me buy them and wonder all day if I dared bring them to you! And here!" He drew something from his pocket. "Here is a lace-paper heart surrounded with doves and "oses! Would you mind taking that, too, as part of my general silliness? What do you think of me?" She was very pale now, but waited in silence. "I've done even a madder thing brought you my heart; ail I have, all fassie. r4l IheJew L-A J; I Slenofrapher- Ij ' eSsr They Stood n-jiX 3LonJ Time dimpled, curly-headed, silly, was too obviously trying to attract her employer's em-ployer's attention. Nancy reflected that it was none of her business, but no woman likes a sister woman to make a fool of herself and no 'woman 'wo-man can be a man's private secretary for six years without having an interest inter-est in his welfare. John Steele deserved de-served a better mate than that and yet Nancy knew that strong men, past their first youth, were prone to make just such a mistake. She shook herself free of the thought and returned to herself. The plain fact was that her business gave her little time to cultivate her old friends, mostly married now and engaged en-gaged in their own affairs. Her brother broth-er was wrapped up in his business and family. She, Nancy, was too much alone, growing too introspective. She was losing her individuality and independence, inde-pendence, and needed to take more care of herself, mentally and physically. physic-ally. Still in her black offlce dress, with its white collar and cuffs, she stretched stretch-ed out a little in the big chair by the fireplace where the fire was low, and, not wanting the lights, sat thinking. She put up her hands in a fashion of her childhood and rumpled her heavy brown hair, usually so trim; her sweet, steady gray eyes filled with tears, which she promptly suppressed. Self-pity, she thought, was the last straw of humiliation! Why should she be sorry for herself? If the offlce irked her, why not take a rest? Her grandmother had, with the year past, left her a little money. She would resign. Why had she not thought of It before? Flossie could take her place, and she would travel and find broader interests. Then it came upon her how much John Steele had been in her mind, and she fought it out vith herself on the spot. She would not, simply because be-cause she was lonely, let herself fall in love v.-ith the only attractive man near her own age whom she saw r-.uch of and her employer, at that. Tbat was too banal! What would he say when she resigned? Would he care? He was not so foolish! No; he had showed her every courtesy in the office of-fice the same courtesy he showed to all women, but never the lit.le lie! ; attentions he showed even to Flosoie, to 'yhom., that very morning, be had, I am and ever shall be! . Could you manage to work with me. instead of for me? Couldn't you love me a little? lit-tle? no, I mean with all your heart, for you're no halfway woman, Nancy! Will you?" She nodded, hoping she was not go ing to be foolish enough to cry because be-cause she was so happy. "I think I could," she murmured. "I think I should like that even better bet-ter than my present position!" He caught her hands in his and looked at her with delight. The violets vio-lets fell unheeded to the floor and the lace-paper heart fluttered and fell just out of reach of the fire ready to lick out a lean tongue for it. Then John Steele suddenly clasped her close in his arms as if he never would let her go. They stood a long time before the fire, then they sat down to talk about it so many things had to be talked over. .CoDVrlsht, by Associated Literary Pres.) |