The Romance of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10710, 4 November 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl.

OUR SbKIAL.)

CHAPTER. X! (Continued.) "All niiiu now, sweetheart?" Jim a.sked soJieUousl} . "Oh, yes.' ' Her voico Jackid. its usual heartiness, and Jim took her face betvvoe-n his hands, and looked dot-ply into ner eyes. "It will be ail right to-morrow';" he said tenderly. "Sarah's «• bit stand-offish, but it's only her way. She's like dad for that. We northerners are not given to tho gush of the south." !"You arc disappointed?" "A lit-t-lo —witfli Sarah. 1' thought that. I understood her.' ' ' ''"Ymr think y6u tuulersta-nd me, Jim ?'" Serena- asked fondly. "I know I do." She shook hCT he-.u:!■'gently. • "No,. Jim ; I-don't understand myself; Women arc bundles of surprises, even to themselves. I am often wondering why I did this, and did that, j and am filled with astonishment —as- I tonished by my own inconsistencies." "Is that why you are so charming?" ii© said, unbelieving. "You will discover it some day, Jim. Will you be sorry?" "Some new charm every day," he laughed. "Who so blessed as IP" Tho Catlings dined at seven o'clock, afld.Jim was so anxious to see his father that he walked off soon after six in the direction of the works. The two men came home together in the nunshackle four-wheeler carriage which had done duty for half * century at least. The horse matched tho carriage, and when it came to a. halt in the drive it assumed a stern, uneomprom- i ising attitude. Serena, who was i watching from a window, thought that ! the animal's profile was not unlike its master's. Then the big, lumbering old man entered the room, and blinked at her. He cut an extraordinary figure, to her thinking. His hands and face were grimed; he wore ji rusty, battered tall hit, a black frock coat, and" a high collar of the Gladstone type. His long upper lip was shaven, and the jaws were covered with big, untrained whiskers. "Not a bit like Jim," Serena thought, with a little gasp. , She had risen, at his entrance, and the table was between them. Jim was outside, talking to old Sam, the coachman. Sarah was standing behind her father—a female replica of himself. "So you're the young lady what's taken Jim's fancy, eh?" said Jim's father, in a low, rumbling voice. "1 \ can't say that I've got anything to he \ pleased about, but what'sdone's done, J and we must make the best of it." '. "Better sit down, miss," he 'continued, collapsing into -a. big easychair himself. "Haven't you got a word to say for yourself?" "When you-have- finished, Mr Curling," she began shakily. "Finished what? Here, gi' me that pipe from yon shelf. Thankee." He l began laboriously to charge it. "Jim always an impetuous, headstrong fool in some ways," he went on ponderous- | ly. "Clover young devil! Lazy at J school, and yet beat 'em all! Now j he's mads a fortune for himself, and made tho old man look mean. His patents'll fetch a million—easy, and I was hoping for better things for him. I never could stand foreigners. What did you say you was? American?" "Yes, Mr Carling." l "You,got them English.clothes here, I reckon. Now, rthere was old Thorn-, eymere's daughter—the coal master—.we wanted him to hitch onto her— Staffordshire folks, lik.> ourselves. X'.e have been pure . .Stafford'--for a. hundred •■.wnd'ififtyyyears." He pulled reflectively at his pipe, his somber eyes never leaving Serena's troubled face. . She was flushing and paling. "A shop asistant you are, Jim. was I saying. A poor sort of job for you. j l Of course we can't do without shop- j keepers, and it's a woman's work. What I can't stand is a man measur- J ing tape and ribons, a nd that sort of thing. I hope your father wasn't a counter jumper." "My father was a lawyer," Serena answered, with spirit. "Another n-ajtne for a thief." "You are a hateful man!" quivered Serena. "And I don't care, if you are Jim's father." "Pooh! Nonsense!" rumbled Mr! Darling. "I'd better go and get a wash. Hope you'll be comfortable hero." "Comfortable!" thought Serena. "I shall never be able to endure a week iof this I"

BY F L OAGRE Author of "A Fleet of P roams. ' "Sikir .DeunmgTGiis Money," "The Shade, w >,{ Shame." ,: A .Phantom of the Past," H eld in Bondage etc.

CHAPTER XJT. i MOSE SUIIPIUSKS. I | But tho. visit to JimV pet.ple v,as ! not tho failure that Serena anticipat;ed. With the exception o .''Sunday, whL-;i Jim \sas eterii.illy in evidence, she was left very much to Ikt own devices for five whole days. Mr Oarling and Jim were so immersed in tho busj moss of the works that they left homo early "each morning, and wore not back ! until late at night. All this unusual [ activity was necessary, in view cjf ! Jim's early migration to Loudon. ' After his marriage and honeymoon, the Birmingham works would see him but rarely—perhaps a few days in each month. He would attend at the London office, and devote his energies to other inventions which were simmering in his mind Serena's only companion during these days was Jim's mother, and the two women got along together capitally. Sarah had no time to waste j upon their guest, as the whole of the household management fell upon her shoulders. If her manner was brusque, she was not studiously unkind. An- j other important factor was- tho wea- . ther. If not brilliant, as June wea- | ther should be, it was fairly good, clouds and sunshine alternating, and Serena found unending pleasure in the vast old garden. On the last day but one of her stay with Jim's people Jim ceased his labors. "I shall Follow you to the works in an hour or so, dad," he said, at the breakfast table. "I lv m going to bring Serena to see how we make the rivets i for the great dreadnaughts. Then we'll have an hour or two among the big shops." "That's more in her line," grunted the father. "I don't believe that Sal has been inside the works for twenty or thirty years." "Then how old do you make me?" snapped Sarah. ! "Let me see—Jim's eight or nine and twenty, and you're four years ahead of him. Time you were getting spliced. She's been philandering about i with our draftsman since she was twenty, Serener. You might have i seen him hanging round the gate on j Sunday night after church. I'm sick of the sappy-headed chump." "Father!" Sarah's eyes glittered. "Well, he doesn't come inside these doors again until the job's properly fixed. Why don't you give the chip a chance?" j , He got up from the table, chuckling. I "Sam's waiting for me. See you j about eleven, Jim?" "Yes, dad.". [ Don't you come togged'out in while frocks, Serener. You ain't coming to a fancy-goods store." i Mrs Carling followed him to the door, as was her /invariable custom, and tender kisses were exchanged. "Father.doesn't improve." remarked Sarah severely. "How late the postman is." A double knock at the door caused the Litter exclamation ,and Jim took half a dozen letters from the box. "One for you, Sal, two for mother, and the rest mine." He turned to Serena, "I am going into the garden. You know where to find me sweetheart." i (To be Continued.) j