The Romance of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10711, 15 October 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl.

0111# SERIAL.)

CHAP'I il (Continued.) "Wl .ix- .'•= : v .-il: about?" asked Cap- 1 tai.i .V:.t.-'V, talking in from tae : tV. He was looking rat';:or ! worried ;>K.i abstracted. "Itou two aro &oo;i in. disagreement." .. a Mr Car!in;; I and 5 huw of mutual sympath- I ie«. Wo :;i"' n;erely •ccm'ing.to a per- j lmwten- umU'i> landing." "Oh. t only judged from your voice;!. 1 d-m'* know what you w.ro tali.: • ;iij;.i: t. ,\"o cheap tompii-monc-i I oui. fb.rling. I say, Laura, T s'.ra vr-r*- \r,; ,-y t'> disappoint, yon. I must .'.a; off Immediately after tei'.. That 'rfcter spelled urgent i business,' with -niv lawyer. ! must: phono him. Yon'don't mind ?" j ■He went into an anteroom where j a telephone had been installed, and j Lady Laura, bit her lip with vexation, j "Just like Lewis. Always in som" j turmoil."' she said pettishly. "and I j have planned such a pleasant evening, Of course, you will have to goj away with him, Mr darling, unless, some of my friends drop in informally, and stay to dinner. How very annoying!" IShe was just- resolving not to let him go, oven if she had to resort to artifice. How easy to telephone an invitation to some of lier numerous acquaintances. But Jim promptly knocked the scheme on the head. 'I am rather glad of the opportunity to get away after tea, Lady j j Laura," he said, with engaging frankness; "but 1 shall look forward to | the pleasure of meeting you again. The fact is, I have neglected a bit of • very important business, which T want to see the end of befoi"> I to-night." It 'was a few minutes past six o'clock when Mayhew and Curling left Lady Laura's house, and there remained in Jim's mental, for long afterward, the vision of a. graceful woman; whose glowing beauty and dazzling brilliance were almost bewildering. Mayhew AVas obviously ill at ease. He chewed at the ends of his heavy blond mustache, he frowned and stared through the window of the taxi-cab, which was rapidly bearing them cityward. "Curse it!" he growled, at last, "I see no way out of the tangle. Excuse ine, old chap, I actually forgot your presence. Where are you going? To your office? Then drop me at the Fleet Street end of Chancery Lane. You made quite a hit with, my cousin, and she is not easy to please." Jim looked at him quickly. "I rather fancy it is just the reverse. I'm not used to swagger soe-j iety. We don't agree upon a single point, and I am afraid that I was] very rudtV' j "Itats! Just what she likes about; you,' 'Carling. Now, honest, what is 1 your opinion of her?" \ * Very handsome. —charming—clever, but worldly, for a woman. J am sure we shall become very warm friends —.if she doesn't think T am quite a boor." "Don't bo a chump. You can't think what a relief it is to meet with a candid fellow like you. We can't help being unnatural in our crowd — faces and speeches masked, as it wore. And wo all know that we are deceiving nobody. When I am with you, my artificialty drops away, and my cousin tokl me that sho had exactly the same Feeling. One cannot help, being a bit worldly, as you call it, when one's income falls a thousand a i year short of the expenditure. It's hell on earth, Carling. Now you are the first man living to whom I have admitted such a thing." "Tell me about it. You have been very kind to me," Jim said diffident-' ly. "It's no business of yours," frowned Mayhew; then he gripped his companion's shoulder. "There was something bad in that unregistered letter Oarling." "So I guessed. A writ?" "Worse! A bankruptcy notice. It may be a mere broadside across m.v bows, and it may not. Anyway, it ■isn't a thing to be monkeyed with." "How much?" "Six hundred pounds, and I haven't as many shillings at the moment, with the despondent reply. "Let me lend yon the money. You haven't asked me for it, and you've the .right to be angry '' Jim paused. Mayhew had turned his face away; it was ashy pale, and moist with cold perspiration. "Thank you, Carling. T should be : a fool to refuse, and I know that it would vex you. A debt of honor is repaid by a, gentleman." "That's all right/" Jim interrupt-

BY F, L. DACRE Author of "A Fleet of Dreams," "Silar DenningWs Money," "The Shaclu a- T , v i'->it;e "A I'hanof the Past," irl old in Bondage etc.

(xl hastily. "Take your own time. I'll iei y-./ii have a cju'i-n to-morro>v. Tne Mxieab stopped at the end cf Chancery Lane. "I'll get. out here, too," said Jim, gripping .ha.nd. "Look mo up at the Coei.l about eleven to-nior-rcv.- evening." And Here they parted. Captain Mayhciv walking with a firm and confident step to the office of his lawyers, v. hilo Jim 'darling made a bee line fn:• the Corner Shop. CHAPTER .I Jl. THE GIRL. Jim kne.v exactly what he was gr>ing to do. l''or several day.» -past he hadn't felt easy about the fate of Mi;-;s Serena. Fleming, the waitress. Ho .had permitted himso.if to be overruled by Lewis iviayhew, and there had been so much to occupy his time. [ Then there was the memory of the, girl's pale but beautiful face, and her fine dark eyes—he was sure that he never could forget them. Set wide apart they were, one moment flaming with righteous scorn, the next misty with gratefulness, but not unmixed with fear. A girl with such eyes as these an adventuress—an unscrupulous schemer. 5 First Mayhew had sworn to it, and now LadyLaura Mackinder, so lie would prove or disprove it for himself. Anyway, it was a duty he owed to -Miss Fleming, no matter what she might be. He pushed past, the big doorkeeper unrecognised, but the lady cashier had keener eyes. There we re only .two customers at the tables, and the lights wre turned low. ?Im glanced down the long room and then turned to the girl at the desk. I "We close at seven o'clock," she | said, anticipating him, "You will just | have time for a cup of tea or coffee, if " Sho paused, her eyes dancing, "I don't want anything to eat or drink," Jim blurted out. "I came to ask after Miss Fleming. I >ce tint you remember that bit of a rumpus* T caused ihere, and my conscience won't rest." "She's gone," the cashier replied. Ihe lord chancellor's grandson refused to come here again as long as Miss Fleming stayed." "The contemptible little cad!" Hush! You'll have the boss down Jiero. He isn't so bad, you know, and has to humor important customers. He allowed Mis s Fleming to resign, and offered her a month's- salary. She wouldn't take it—flim- it •it him in a .towering.passion. l ' "Cm glad to hear it," Jim fervently said. "Oil, but it was silly, because :die wantod the money." j "Is she rather badly off?" he .-HeI ed, darting a keen look at the cashj ler. j "Well, wo waitresses don't hay our own motor ears and servants i„ livery. Do you think we would !."> harried .like toads for twelve hours ,n day if we had anv choice in the matter? Hon- stupid you are! A groat big fellow like you." (lo be Continued.)