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Show zA I I Prompt Suitor I j I By CECILLE LANGDON j -r-rrr-r T (CopjrlEht. 1J19. by th Wemn Nw. papr Union.) "This Is no place for you. Miss Den-zll." Den-zll." said Walter Richards, and Edna Denzil regarded him askance. "If you will allow me to call upon you this evening I will tell you why." Young Richards spoke in a low. Impressive tone and as Edna nodded as if in assent, went into the front office of Moore & Allen, drew what salary was coming to him and left the place. Edna followed him with her eyes. She confessed to a slight pang of jealousy as Richards met a flashy, bold-faced girl of her own age who had been of late quite a frequent visitor vis-itor to the office. On several of these occasions Miss Martine made it a point to parade her fancied beauty and fascinations fir the benefit of the young clerk and student. There was some mystery about this Miss Martine that neither Edna nor Richards had fathomed. When either of the partners consulted with her it i was behind closed doors. She wore a certain air of audacious superiority, indicating that her visits to the firm j were of great. importance. Edna puzzled iier mind all the rest of that afternoon as to the reason why Walter Richards had given up his position. She has liked him from the first moment she met him. He was courteous to the point of gallantry. gal-lantry. He had walked home with her on several occasions and Edna was attracted and pleased by bis quiet, gentlemanly ways. . She was glad that she had assented to his calling call-ing upon her. f r he was about the only friend she had made since coming com-ing to the city. It was seven o'clock when Richards appeared at the home where Edna boarded. "If vou don't mind," he said, "suppo- e we take a stroll to the park, where we can find a quiet spot to talk over things," and Edna wa nothing loth. She went r.p to her room and reappeared re-appeared dress d for outdoors, the handbag she r '.a'.'.y carried in evidence. evi-dence. Ricbnn's insisted on relieT-ing relieT-ing her of this. He selected a remote re-mote bench when they reached the park. "You have probably been surprised and mystified as to my leaving Moore &. Alien so abruptly," he spoke. "Yon also perhaps wonder at what I said about the office being no place for you. I am going to explain. I have a lonf, hard road ahead of me before I become be-come a full-fledged lawyer, and I may not readily find another place, but I have learned enough concerning the devious and tricky ways of my former employers to know that every honr I remain I am imperiling my reputation reputa-tion for the future." "You amaze me :" murmured Edna. "Last week they asked me to assist In deluding a client whom they were! willing to sell out for a money con- sideration. This Miss Martine who comes so often to the office is, I am assured, a mere adventuress whom they intend to use in some plot, the details of which I have not yet learned. But I shall learn." concluded conclud-ed Richards, with determination. "As to yourself. I hope you will believe that I am deeply concerned in your well-being, and if I can find you another an-other posif'on, with more honorable men, I trust you will resign from your present one." x Edna murmured a vague assent. He was so earnest, so sincere, somehow the fervor of his apparently unselfish interest in her touched and influenced her. Then at the door of her home Richards handed her back her handbag hand-bag and asked permission to call again at the end of the week. Edna had pleasant dreams that night. She decided to trust to Rich-! Rich-! ards as to changing her position. : Just as she was readv to start for the office next morning she made a discovery dis-covery that annoyed and worried her. She had carried in her handbag with her other belonging, a key to the office door and one to a metal cabinet i where Moore & Allen kept their pri-; pri-; vate papers. They were both missing, i She had left the house about a square behind when Richards met her. "I hope I have not made you anxious." he said, "but did you miss your office keys?" ' "Why. yes." assented Edna. "Here they are." said Richards extending ex-tending the missing articles. She awaited him expectantly the following Saturday evening. There j was a noticenble vivacity In his manner man-ner n she greeted him. "I have a si range story to tell yon. Miss Denzil. ' rather Edna. Now do not become offended, because I hope soon the I right to call you that. I took your keys purposely." I "Oh, Mr. Richards!" cried Edna in a tone of dismay. "Yes. to visit the office and pry into tin1 private papers of Moore Jt Allen. I I found what I suspected. A wealthy i man named Richard Tate had employed em-ployed thein lo look up a half niece. They found that she had died years ' ago. but plotted to have Miss Martine assume her Identity, benefit by the claim and share her Ill-gotten Rains i with them. When I revealed all this to Mr. Tate he became grateful for j our interest in him. He has offered I me a position at two thousand a year, and oh. Edna : don't you think that enough to marry on and settle down In a dear Utile home of our owuT |