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But Huldah was obdurate. With
all her hard, practical sense if she-
had stopped to analyze the situation,
she would have realized that she was J
perpetrating a mutual Injustice
she would have recognized that it
was actual love for Bryan that
caused her to distrust her own abil
ity to make him happy, and, there
fore, ordinary rules did hot apply.
So Bryan Wylie went away discon
solate and Huldah' returned to a
daily, dreary, grind of her monoto
nous life, thinking only of duty.
Within a year both her uncle and her
aunt died. Their estate was trivial.
When it was all over the family law
yer handed Huldah a few hundred
dollars and she went to the city..
Huldah found a cheap but pleasant
room in the hme of a poor widow
and-marked out- a prospective busi
ness career. Her idea was to find of
fice work. She wrote a fair hand,
was bright and intelligent, could pick
up stenography and in time graduate
into a good-class office assistant. She
was doomed to disappointment at
first, however. Her lack of knowl
edge of typewriting stood in her way.
She sought employment in less pre
tentious fields. '
One day she was passing a five-and-ten-cent
store when she noticed
in its window a sign: "Lady Assistant
Wanted." The store was on a'side
street, one door removed from a
main, thoroughfare and lid not pre
sent any charm of locality or attrac
tiveness as to the window .display.
However, Huldah entered the place,
wearied with seeking a position and
glad to take anything that would in
troduce her into city business ways
Bryan iWylie and he came out ani
matedly to greet her. Her quick eye
told her that he was a disappointed
man and she lingered. He told her so
himself, after she ha'cl consented to
sit down and chat over old times.
Her dreary tale was soon recited?
That of Bryan was quite as depress
ing. He had come to thecity, had,
found work and saved some money.
A chance had offered to invest in the
present store. He had done so, to?
bSs cost
"No trade, no capital. If I had it,
I've made a bad mess of it all," he
admitted bitterly. "I'm going to try
to sell out. and go back to a salary.
Huldah, it gives me new life to-meet
an old friend like you!"
"If I could help you out I would"
be glad, Bryan," spoke Huldah.
He jumped at the suggestion. He
could pay $6 a week.
"Remember," she said, "'you and I
are to forget everything .but busi
ness." -
You may. I cant!" he answered
her frankly. "I shall always love you,
but Ho word of it shall pass my lips
to offend you."
Huldah entered upon her duties.
She was at the store at 8 in the
morning and left at 13 in the after
noon. Bryan got a chance to work
temporarily as a traveling salesman
in the surburbs. Huldah advised him
to accept the position and- let her,see
what she could make out of the lit-
tie tore.
"Why, Huldah!" he exclaimed, as
he returned from his first trip, "what
does this mean?"
For, marvelously, magically, the
space had been doubled and took in
A man, apparently the proprietor Ltwo entrances, one on the main
of the place, stood behind a counter
figuring over some bills. He did jiot
appear to be in love with his busi
ness, judging from the indifferent ex
pression on his face. He looked up.
"What is it, miss?" he asked, and
then explosively: "Oh, Huldah!"
She would have retreated but it
was too latef. The storekeeper was
street.
"I had a chance to get a lease of
the store back of this and risked it,"
explained Huldah. "The people you
buy from were willing to double the
stock on long terms of payment and
we 'are keeping three clerks and last
week we made $100 clear!"
"We, You!" cried the delighted,
J J. -- 'Vift'
