FIGHTING HER WAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 984, 2 March 1910, Page 2

FIGHTING HER WAY.

¥ BY ROSS ASHLEIGH. 1 L Author of "Eleanor's Luck," "The Widow's Wager, ? "Pure Gold," / Etc, etc.

CHAFTER/ XIX. Continued,

Mr Trueheart flung a thick letter, stamped with a Chicago postmark, on the desk before Roland, and added: ( 'You can look into it at your leisure. Suppose you put up work now and come to dinner with me? Madam and the girls will be delighted. You know they always are wfcorj I bring . you to take'pot luck."' 'Many thanks, air; but really you must not tempt me. You know I ! can't affcrd such luxuries nnwadays I as dining with your folks; it unfits me for hard work entirely. I think one of Miss Grade's nocturns would make a baby of me to-night ' 'Come along, Roland; you need a rest, and a bottle of my Burgundy will put fresh life into you. You'll requires new supply to go through that tangled case.' 'You must let me off to-night, sir; I must finish this before I leave the office. I've promised to let Cook and Wesley have these papers at nine o'clock to-morrow.' I 'All right, then; I've no more to j say. How's the old gentleman to- | day?' I 'Father seems always the same, i sir: we see no appreciable change in ! hjm, but Doctor Desmond talks as if He may be a trifle better since we brought him to New York.' 'You've got him under electrical treatment, eh? Well, I hope it may do, but nearly all these specialists are crazy. Dont' let Desmond ride the old man on his hobby, too far. By the way, I ordered Gross and Dix to send a case of port round to your rooms this morning. I hope Mr Marlow will like it.' 'How good you are, sir,' said Roland soflly, as he wrung the kind hand which Mr Trueheart held to him in leaving. - 'Nonsense! You don't expect a man to act like an infernal miser, do you?' Roland laughed outright? it was one of Mr Trueheart's peculiarities to get angry if any one accused him of one of the thousand generous actions he was guilty of toward his friends, and, indeed, his enemies, too—if he had any—that needed a helping hand. Mr Trueheart belonged to that class of men whose mission in life seems to consist in keeping up the high standard of Christian charity. Very few people ever heard of his gifts or benefactions, save those who enjoyed them; but when he goes to his account there will be a cloud of witnesses to 'rise up and call him blessed.' To his great suul every needy creature was his brother, and according as God had prospered him he gave succour to each struggling fellow being who came within the shining radius of his large benevolence. But his name had never been seen at the head of a subscription i list, nor published in a newspaper as a public benefactor. In the byways of the great Babylon he found enough and to spare of charitable deeds; he drew aside his virtuous garmentu from none; all who suffered were welcome to his help and his good word. God be praised for such as he! CHAPTER XXX.

MR TRUEHEART'S "TIRESOME CASE." Anxious to finish the work he was engaged in Roland put aside the letter that his old friend, the lawyer had 'eft for his perusal, little dreaming that it concerned his dearest earthly hope, and would become the means of changing his life from its shadowed care to joyous sunlight. It was eight o'clock when he -left his office that evening, and repaired to a restaurant to take dinner and supper in one before returning to work. While waiting for his order to be filled his attention was arrested by the conversation of two other men who were supping at a table in the rear of him. 'You mean that girl who keeps the flower store at the corner of Broadway and th Street?' asked one of them in reply to some remark from the other that Roland had not caught. 'Yes, the same, She is the most beautiful creature my eyes ever lit on, but I dare any fellow to presume on the fact «'f her being a shop girl. She's as proud as a princess.' 'Nevertheless, I mean to see her home to-night. She usually leaves her shop about ten o'clock, accompanied by the lad who is her assistant in the store. You see, I've been acquainting myself with her movement.' "Have you ever spoke to her?' 'Only this; that you'll wish yourself at the devil if you carry any of your nonsense about her.' 'What do you know ot her, Tomkins?' 'I board at the house where she lives, and I know there is not a daintier lady in New York.' 'You have the pleasure of her acquaintance, then?' 'Not exactly. She never comes to

the tahle or the drawing room, but I see her pass in and out of the house sometimes, and I know she has the utmost respect of every one. I'd as soon offer to walk home with the President's daughter as with Miss Castlebar.' 'Perhaps you would, but we're a little different, Tom. 'Faint heart ne'er won,'etc., you know. Young chap, let me tell you a thing; if you want the goodwill of any woman, young or old, handsome, or ugly, just approach her as if you're master of the situation, and never lake 'no' for an answer.' •That may be the case with the women you're accustomed to meeting, Westfield; but I've seen some that might prove' an exception to your rule, and Miss Carringtun as one.' 'What will you bet?' 'I never take bets on a lady for more than one reason. In this instance, my" respect for the one in question won't allow me, and, furthermore, 1 intend to sse that you don't annoy her in the manner you propose.' 'ls that so, my little Tommy? Now, really, considering the difference in our weight, and inches, I'd advise you to mind your own affairs and leave mine alone." Roland glanced round at this remark, and beheld two men, one very youthful, very slender, and girlish in form and feature, but with an expression of resolute courage in his clear eyes, and an air of gentility; the other, middle aged, thick-set, brawny, and having the look of a j loose character, otherwise presenting j the appearance of a gentleman, well I dressed and quiet in his manners. During the , conversation just related, Roland had preserved his selfcontrol with the greatest difficulty. His blood boiled to seize and throttle the audacious wretch who dared take so lightly on his libertine lips,, the name of the woman whose place was in his heart's, holy of holies,' But the wish to possess himself of the intentions and motives of the man kept him silent until a convenient season for intercepting his designs in the most efficacious manner. After his hasty glance toward the table occupied by bis neighbours Roland stepped quietly to the clerk's desk, paid for the meal he had ordered, and left the restaurant. A twenty minutes' walk brought him to the comer on which La Bijou was located. Taking his stand in the shadow of a building on the opposite side of the street, he could distinctly observe all that took place in the flower store. It was by no means the first time he had occupied this post at an hour in the evening when it would be impossible for Christine to discover his proximity, and when the hunger in his heart for the sight of her became too fierce to be endured. He had, indeed, promised to absent himself from her presence, but not to deny his eyes the sad joy of beholding her. She seemed unusually occupied this evening with customers, most ot whom were gentlemen buying bouquets for the ladies they were to escort to the theatre or opera. Roland envisd each strange pair of eyes that met the soft light of Christine's glance—each hand that touched the flowers she had arranged. Through the vine-wreathed windows he could see her sweetly smiling in reply, to the courteous words that accompanied the request for her wares or the payment for them. How graceful <uid how dainty she looked in her rich but severely simple dress of black silk, with a tie of pure white lace about the snowy throat. A lone pale rose was fastened to in the heavy coil of her sunny hair, where its petals kissed her neck. Roland felt he would give a year of hard labour to have that creamy rose in his bosom.

Presently a grey-haired man stepped in, and Christine reached both of her hands over the marble slab of the counter to greet him. She smiled almost lovingly up in his benignant face as she spoke her welcome, which Roland could not hear, but which mad,e his heart ache with a jealous pang. Who could this old man be that had won such ready smiles from her chaste lips? he wondered wrathfuliy. Then he saw her take down from some shelves behind her a lovely pillow basket tilled with white roses and geranium leaves exquisitely arranged, and hand them to the old gentleman. He shook his head and seemed to remonstrate but she insisted, and he tone the beautiful offering away with . im. At last her day's labours came to an end. Franz proceeded to close up the shop for the n ght, wnile Christine put on her wraps for departure, and.together they left the flower store, walking side by side down th Street. TO PW CONTINUED