Part 28 (1/2)

”You would put heart into a craven,” he said, shaking hands.

”You 're no craven,” answered s.h.i.+rley, returning the look steadily with her frank eyes, ”but one of the stoutest-hearted I ever knew. I know lots more about you than you think, and I know what you have been facing all these years in the way of sticking to work you did n't like.”

”That's nothing. Everybody does that, if he amounts to any thing.”

”Everybody doesn't. But it's made you strong and brave. You 're brave now--and you 're going to be braver yet.”

He studied her a moment in silence. Then the smile she had missed shone briefly out upon her as Peter said fervently: ”If I am, it will be thanks to you, my friend. Good night!”

CHAPTER VI

A BREAKDOWN

”Now make her come!” commanded Marian Hille, as her brother Brant brought his big green motor-car to a stand in front of the great building belonging to Townsend & Company. ”Don't let her refuse. How she can spend her days down here, drudging away, I don't see! Brant, tell her I shall simply never forgive her if she does n't shut up that typewriter at once and come along.”

”I 'll say what seems to me to suit the situation,” declared her brother, sliding out of his seat and divesting himself of his motoring coat. ”Whether it will make any impression I 'm not so sure.”

He walked leisurely off, but when he was inside the building he made a short trip of it to the fifth floor and the offices. He was quite as anxious as his sister for the success of his errand.

Murray himself welcomed young Hille cordially, and when Brant asked for s.h.i.+rley, he led his visitor into an inner office. Here Brant stood still, gazing with interest. He had not yet seen his old acquaintance at her new tasks.

s.h.i.+rley sat before a typewriting machine, her fingers playing as lightly and swiftly over the keys, for all Brant could see, as those of any veteran at the business. The girl did not look up. Plainly she was much absorbed in her work, a little flush on her cheek, her eyes devouring the ”copy” before her in the shape of her note-book, held open by a device above her machine.

Brant turned to look at Murray, and Murray smiled.

”She looks as if she enjoyed it!” Brant exclaimed, under his breath.

”She does. No question of that.”

”It 'll wear off, don't you think?”

”I doubt it.”

He walked over and stood at her elbow, waiting. s.h.i.+rley paid him no attention while she finished the long business letter before her, and she would not have turned then if her brother had not said quietly, ”A caller is waiting to see you, Miss Townsend.”

Then she glanced up, and rose, pulling a glove finger from the forefinger of her right hand before she let the visitor take it. ”I still seem to give this finger a bit of extra work,” she said smiling.

Brant said a complimentary thing or two in recognition of her businesslike command of the typewriter, and then proceeded to put his case.

As she knew, a November house party was in progress at the Hildreth's country place, eighteen miles out. He and Marian had come in on an errand, and were going back. A particularly jolly evening was in prospect. Somebody had suggested that the Hilles bring s.h.i.+rley back with them, just for the evening. They felt she owed them that much, after so resolutely declining the original invitation for the entire week. Would she not go? It was a rare evening for early November, the air mild, the moon magnificent, the roads like a floor.

The Hildreths wanted her to stay the night; but Brant would rise with the lark and bring her back to town before breakfast, that she might not miss so much as a semicolon of her day's work. Or--as s.h.i.+rley continued to look doubtful--he urged that, if she preferred, he would actually get her back to-night. Some of the married people would drive in with them for the sake of the run in the moonlight. Please!

”Go, s.h.i.+rley, and have a fine time,” said her brother.

She was only human--and a girl--after all, and after many weeks of close and serious work the prospect of the little spin of an hour's duration, with the ”jolly evening,” appealed to her. Smiling at Brant's last proposition, s.h.i.+rley yielded.

”I shall have to go to the house first,” she said, setting the cover on her machine and putting away her work. The clock already indicated the end of the working-day in the Townsend office.