Part 17 (2/2)
”Mr. Winthrope, nothing would give me more happiness than to be on good terms with you.”
”But I see no possibility of that, except--I believe we ought to be on good terms--that is, friends.”
”So do I.”
”May I hope--no, I must not--may I hope to see you here again, sometime?” he asked seriously.
”I used to come here often.”
”I never saw you here before.”
”No--I did not like the last secretary.”
”Then you will come again?”
”I antic.i.p.ate that I shall.”
”Then we may become better acquainted?” dropping his pen.
”If you wish it, Mr. Winthrope,” she answered, looking at her hands lying on the arms of the chair, then up to John, who was taking up his pen again to reach for a new dip of ink.
At that moment the door opened and Mr. Jarney and Miss Barton entered.
He carried his hat and cane in one hand, and arrived at his desk in time to see John completing the signing of his name to the first letter of the pile before him.
”Mr. Winthrope,” he said, ”you have been remiss in your duties. Edith, I am afraid you would make a poor overseer in this office.”
John, thereupon, fell to work with a will to expedite the signing of the letters that had been so woefully neglected during his entertaining tete-a-tete with Edith.
Edith and Miss Barton prepared to take their departure. Both were standing before Mr. Jarney in low conversation, when John turned around, as a new thought came to him, and said, to Miss Barton:
”Miss Barton, do you have a brother?”
”I have several brothers, Mr. Winthrope,” she replied; ”but one of them disappeared months ago.”
”What was his given name?”
”Michael.”
”Meeting you today. Miss Barton, reminds me that I met a young man about two weeks ago who gave the name of Mike Barton.”
Then John related to her the incident of meeting her brother, and of the words that had pa.s.sed between them, without making it clear to the young ladies, however, that the nature of the business that he followed was of the most questionable.
”Poor brother! that must be Michael,” said Star, when John had concluded his story. ”Wish I could see him; I know I could prevail on him going home.”
”Would you help us find him?” asked Edith, directing her question to John.
”It would give me pleasure to aid you,” replied John.
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