OUR TEN MINUTES' STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 217, 12 September 1911, Page 2

OUR TEN MINUTES' STORY.

TELE DAIffBUBY M3XXJONS. ( BJTWYNN COMAX.) - Theheirtoihe- Danh«ry*similHons leaned bask in the great chair and bent a stealthy,-- puzzled- glance aa the plate the butler had put before him. He had no more idea of the food the plate contained than he had of tha proper fork to eat it with; so he made a long observation anent the weather, by which time his host had unconsciously given him the tip he awaited;. "Tell me more of your life in Medford, Danbury," suggested Judge Tewsbury. "How did you put in your spare time ?"

"What little I had -of ' - the- latter, Judge," -replied the ■ boy in his deep, pleasant, voice, "I spent, on the river; I have a little cat-bait. Winter evenings I read, and went occasionally to a daneing class. Medford is devoted to church socials and dancing classes. There I took in some, at the very informal things. I didn't go to big ones, because'l had no . evening clothes. Thi3 black cutaway, which is. a ready-made, is my Sunday best." .... The judge smiled -afi "Danhiiry's frank confession, and said: '"111 sebid you to a good tailor to-morrow, <and a haberdashery, too. "No doubt, they'll ' take great pleasure in setting yon. up a most expensive outfit. You "can afford it, though." .

"Am I very- .well iofE'P' queried Danbury. "You know money just means figurea to a -bank clerk." . j .' ' - --- "YoiA-e heard of young Wilson?'"Many times. We 1 get the Sunday newspapers, in Medford:, and they are full of him. and his ya-chts and horses." "Yon are better off than he is, Hs is also a client o£ mine." "What?" exclaimed Danbury excitedly. "It—it is incredible." The judge watched, him keenly as he took in the new idea. Though Tewsbury had known his old friend's nephew but two or three days, he had taken a fancy to the boy. i Danbury was about 25, a well set up broad-shouldered fellow with a fresh, unlined face, which made, him look much younger than he- was. He had a wellshaped bead, with steady, deep-set eyes and a : square jaw. " "By the way," said the judge pre"have you seen the evening papers? No? Bring them to Mr Danbury, William;" he told" the butler. The yonng man's face was an amusing study of amazement as he read, the vivid accounts of his'arrival, his past life, and his future plana. "Why, see., here!" he exclaimed. "Here's a paper I never heard of before, with the story of my life written by myself; .and another prints a picture of me that's a. cross between our bank president at home and the three-dollar shoe man."

"Yon ought to have a secretary," said the judge, apropos of nothing at aIL ■'■' Young men who -have lived in an atmosphere of wealth, but are themselves poor, are often most helpful to newlymade millionaires."

" ""A secretary?" said Danbury, who. of course . didn't "understand. "Why, judge,.! should feel like a fool ordering a man about! Besides, nothing for him to do."

"Oh, there'll be plenty of work," said the old lawyer. "There's! your mail, and 1 tnere are. the reporters! to consider. That reminds me, I promised Wilson I would find him a secretary." "When shall I really come into that money, judge?" "It will take us six weeks or two months- to settle everything, I should think. But I shall be glad to let you have all the money you "want, my boy."— "Thank yon, "air," replied Danbury, "Twit I was thinking I—Will you give me a letter to Mr 'Wilson ? I'd like to apply. lor that: .position as secretary." "You would?" • exclaimed the judge. ""What for J" •■•••;• --

"Well,.l.can't trawl very far, because you'll need me to sign papors now and again. I don't want to be entirely idle for two months, and I don't want to go back to Medford.. And I should like to try being a rich man's secretary, so that I should see a little life from the inside; and again, J:'d learti how to treat a secretary when I h av<; one of ray own." "It would not do yon any harm," said the judge, after some discussion of the subject,. "and the experience . may be good for you." Wilson was only too glad to have someone recommended by the judge, and as Danbury was quick and adaptable he had little trouble.

"I'm having my eyes opened a bit," Danbury said whimsically to himself one morning as he went to Wilson's apartments with a big batch of mail. The young millionaire was at his great country house, pulling himself together after a yachting cruise, which lie had taken for his health.

"Morning, Danbury," was his greeting. "Is this Wednesday or Thursday?" "Thursday, the 12th." replied Danhurv.

"The deuce- it is! Then it's to-day the Ambers are. coming. You'll have to go to the station, Danbury. I'm hanged if I feel up to it, and someone must meet her majesty." "Very well, sir," replied the secretary, rather stiffly.

Wilson's way in speaking , of women did not coincide with Danbury's ideas, and the youth always grew especially ruffled, at Wilson's careless mention of the girl he expected to marry. Danbury had never seen Isabel Amber. "When he arrived at the station to find the train in and a number of people looking about expectantly, he was puzzled. He was making his way across the platform when he saw a tall, sun-brown-ed girl .coming towards Mm, . As she stepped' mrickly aside to avoid being rim down by* a trucldoad of trunks, the bag slipped from, her shoulder and she tripped over it, falling straight into Danbury's outstretched- arms. "Oh, I hope you aren't hurt?"'he exelaimed.w -fervently that she smiled at Mm. ' •, u' " ': ..;v

"Not a bit, thank you," she replied. "You don't know if Mr Wilson's trap is here, do you*" "I do, indeed,"' he- replied, picking up the bag- "I drc®e it»Qcsex- myself, to meet ilrs3 Amber/ 3

"I am Miss Amber. And—yon?" she inquired in a rather imperious way. "I am—Mr Wilsons-secretary," stammered Danbury. "IH'e a maid with me, btrfc "the rest axe coming on a later train. I hurried on for a round of golf before luncheon. What shall I do with Augusta?" she asked, pausing before the high cart. "There is another trap here. Barnes will see to hen, and to your luggage." She paused and looked curiously at the lean brown hand held out to assist her. Being an observant, critical girl, Danbury had quickly impressed her as slightly different from the men she knew. "Are you afraid I cant drive?" he asked a little roughly. "No," she said, giving him a long, cool scrutiny, "I don't believe X am. afraid of anything." "The coming of Isabel Amber was an event in DsJibury's life. With the singlemindedness of a thoroughly sincere and unworldly man, he fell in love with her deeply and for all time. Isabel was honestly unconscious of it, though, she might have known it had 3he stopped to reason out his thoughtfulness for her, his gentle air of protection and deference, and his deep, silent delight in her society. At first she took it all for granted, 'as part of her just deserts, growing unconsciously to depend upon his being near when she wanted him. Her distaste for her approaching marriage was absorbing her mind to the exclusion of everything else. Wilson was the only one who understood the situation, and he found a vast amount of quiet, cynical amusement in it. He said nothing to Isabel, whose to Mm had been the fruition of a scheming mother's work, because he expected her to allow him great latitude in his own 3»£f (1-ITS. Isabel openly expressed her liking for Banbury's society, so he was virtually under orders to accompany her golfing, driving, and wheresoever she desired to

go. ■" : ~ On the night of Isabel's birthday there was a dinner a'fc the house. While it was in progress, Banbury was striding up and down a secluded path on the lawn, having it out with himself. He knew at last just where he stood and how he felt toward Isabel * and, though his lately acquired_ knowledge gave him a clear understanding of their respective positions, he determined, .•fli-utly or wrongly, that she should know something of his feeling for her. After a time he grew calmer. Looking np, he saW Isabel coming straight to him over the lawn, her white gown gleaming against the dark background of the trees.

"You haven't even congratulated me, Mr 'Danbury," site began, "and now my birthday is nearly over." " I've been hoping all day for the chance, Miss Amber," he replied a little unsteadily. "I—l not only want to wish you many happy returns, but I want to beg you to accept this in remembrance of someone to whom you have been very kii_d." He held out to her a small square box, and she took it wonderingly. "How nice of yon! But do —you say remembrance? Surely you are not going away! Why, Mr Danbury!" she exclaimed. as she opened the box and saw the exquitite heart of diamonds, "bow perfectly beautiful, and how good of you, but —" "But what?" he asked, as she paused irresolutely. 'T can't accept so lovely a gift, and—from you," she said. "You would take a flower from a child, wouldn't you? My- gift' is not much more, and I want you to have It to remember me by, if you will, when I am gone." . •„ I

"Gone!" she repeated. ■ "Why, surely you are not going away." "To-morrow, and this is our—"

--"But why do you go?" she interrupted, growing suddenly white and wistful. "I don't want yon to go. I need you. I—" 'T trust I don't intrude," broke in Wilson's cool voice. "You make a charming tableau!" Danbury scarcely heeded him. He was too much dazed at the significance of Isabel's last trembling speech to think, or care to think, what Wilson's presence meant. A sudden hopefulness sprang up within him, and he could scarcely keep back the eager words upon his lips. Tsabel, with the glea.ming heart still in her hand, looked from the one man's amused face to the other's white, intent one, and knew at last what the fierce, sweet pain at her heart porteaded.

"Making the Lady a birthday present, Danbury?" ho ' cynically continued. "Bather an expensive little thing. I should judge. I hope your accounts are

Danbury made one step towards him, and Wilson laughed in a way that made the. young man pause. "Perhaps," Wilson went on, "you are •the-heir-to the Danbury millions in disguise."

"I am," replied Danbury, briefly. "This, no doubt, explains why Miss Amber decided to-day to throw me over."

""George, I am ashamed of you," exclaimed Isabel harshly.. "This do® not concern you in the 'least, and I must beg that you will have the grace to leave me."

"You're a shrewd, one, Isabel," Wilson murmured as he turned and walked away over the lawn.

"Isabel," began Danbrrry abruptly, "I don't know how to say it weU, but I love you with all my heart, and I want you to say that you carc for me. Do you ?"

She stepped up to him and put her two hands on his shoulders, and so for a long minute she stood looting straight into Danbury's eyes.

"As I never dreamed of caring for any one on earth, my dear," she whispered.