THE SHOP ASSISTANT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 30, 4 February 1913, Page 10

THE SHOP ASSISTANT.

CHAPTER IV. AN UNWELCOME VISITOR. Jt fortnight During tliat time -MilJic gradually became accustomed to her- surrounding* and the interest she took ;n hf>r work *i>.>n made her one of tie. sm.irtett iifisietante in the department. There was »omething about her ihat attracted people to ihp counter, .and her easy grace and amiability made her a favourile with everyone. Kven Mr Grimes, the shopwalker, whose forehead was always wrinkled in a perpetual effort to find some hitch in the machinery of the department, vrax pleased with her. and showed his pleasure openly. •"'•You're lucky to get on the rijrht side of Grimes/ said lissie. "He's a terror i£-S<- gets a set against anyone." ► But it was the food that was Millie's Pf&a-test trial at first. After a long and taring day at the counter it was impossible for her to find any appetite for the tTnek ehrmks of bread and cheese or to drink the black-looking beer that was eefe before her at cupper. She almost neaeed to eat at all, and the diet coon told on her looks. 'At dinner in the Middle of bhe day the ceaseless round of unsavoury stew nauseated her, and sfie often hurried back to the counter ■with her food untouched. SSSurely Mr Dobbin doesn't know," ehe and innocently xo Cissie. "He wouldn't allow it if he knew."' JJfSesie bubbled over with laughter. my! Have you ever seen him come into the room while we're at cupper pretending he's looking for something ni toe ctrpboard? And have you seen £he way his eyes glanced over the ta-ble Sfbile he wae turning the key in the lock? I believe that even in his eleep he adds np figures to see if he can cut down oar firing expenses." , *~ Juet then 4£t Dobbin himself appeared, jfufi face radiating benevolence and. geniality as he showed a lady to another fctfunier. and they turned hurriedly to their work. But Millie 6oon learned to procure the necessary food at shops outeide in the >way th* otiere did: it was one of their few little luxuries and sometimes th« bulk of their wages went m appetising delicacies to be conetnned at the tapper-table, or secretly ia their dorsnitories.

ißut it wae in the two hours between Slipper and bediime that Millie lived keenly. There was no fire to sit IXaind. for the big. common-room was «mly heated by a tiny radiator, and a eMll depression , seemed to ooze from its bleak walls: but outside was the teeming We of the streets. The end of win€er wae coming, and the parks were already beginning to be filled with sauntering couples. It was there that threescore of girls poured when Dobbin and Carter's closed, and there were meetings under lamp-posts and at corners, for the tq.fp that laughs at locksmiths was ready them another world from that of beeements, and petty restrictions and swip-countere. . Jt wae only a brief two houns. for they had to be in at eleven, the light being turned off fifteen minutes later: Vat it was the only time they could feel themselves free, and they were as happy as little children let loose from school. Generally Millie and Cissie went together, and perhaps it was not altogether by accident that they found Jack DeniSHTi and Favereham posting letters at the pillnr-ljox round the corner. There were merry little parties at the confectioner's nex; door, and long walks through the f[u:etpr streets, Denieon and Cissie going on ahead and Favereham and Millie dropping behind. It was one night as they were coming home! thus that he said to her suddenly: . '"Have you begun to be happy here?" Millie looked up and her eyes had a glea-m of laughter in them. "Fairly so." ehe said. "After elosingiime. anyway." But his face was serious. •"I wish you had more friends," he said thoughtfully. "Til probably be going away in a month or so, but there's Miss Martin. You know her already, don't you? She has a nice way wiA her; she could he a very good friend to you, I ih^nk." ■Millie bit her lips. She looked at Favershanr'e clean-cut, face and "wondered why hie eyee did not ccc more deeply beneath the- surface. And he wae going away! Somehow a little poignant ache came to her when she realised all ffiat that would mean, to her. She had never - looked towards the' future, hut bow it flashed before her mind with a sudden intensity how much the little glimpses of happiness that had been granted her during the last few weeks ■had depended on the man by her side.

They were in early that nigrbt. and Ci<s6ie vas sitting on the side of her bed before the others came up. "Do you think Tin horrid, Ciseie?" ehe began. "I really can't like .Mies Martin."' "Who in the world does?" said Cissie brusquely. ,; Mr Favere-ha.m—for one," Millie replied looking down. There was an expression of annoyance on Cissies face. " T know. I±"s so eaey to take in a sra-n." They think that just because a giri has a bit of beaiity she must be nice all through. Amy Martin isnt good-tem-pered with anyone but Mr Faversham, yet a monuh or two Rgo " She stopped suddenly in restraint. MilKe looked un. •?Well ?" *f Oh, he used to take her about every■wibre. Some of the girls osaiil they were engaged, but 1 don't believe that. He's just ac friendly with, her now. It's simply that he doesn't see behind her good looks.'' The rest of the girls came tumbling in and broke off the conversation, but for a long while that night Millie lay with sleepless eyes. She was aware notv of the place <ieorge Faversham had taken in her thought's ever since that day they had met in the "train; she was conscious of tin. way she -had been weaving- hie personality into the texture of her lifeA chance meeting in the corridor wonld set her blood astir; a. smile from him across ithe room at dinner would seem to Jiaik Tip the whole day. Yet.he had sho-wn hor anything bn.t the< me£f«E frie-ndlineas. and she felt, he was the'kiSil of man to do rbhat to any girl who stood in need of it. Some ciut-i thoughts were wandering i thron*rli her mind the next day at the pouatcr when die was sorting out some boi&=. Her mimi was «o preoccupied tliat tire , man who had advanced acrncs ihu shop had to cough to attract her attention. Then she looked up. and tiie blood sprang to her face. "Mt Tracy!" ehe said in surprise. His sleek figure, in its heavy Astrakhan coat, his glossy silk hat, and the air of prosperity that seemed to exude from him, would have aifctractp<l notice anywhere. Millie saw all the other girls loozgGver towards her, and she bit°her Sβlit embarrassment.

By VANCE PALMER,

'■ It's good to see you again, Mise Brandon." lie smiling. " I'm staying down in London for a while, and 1 thought " "' Mow could you know I was here?" Millie asked in mortification. , There was an unconcerned geniality in Mr TracyV* face. " Oh, your uncle gave nic your al--dre.ss. He wanted mc to call and .see you" , MillieV aheefcs were hot ar.d burning. "' He had no rigtlit,"' she began. "■ But. my dear young lady," broke in Tracy, smoothly. " surely you haven't cut youmeff off from all your old friends. I had a message frqm your uncle. If you fould have a little cupper wich mc after closing , irour-* ?" lie was looking at her interrogatingly, but she could ji.lho see the Keen eye of Miss Martin watching her euriouslyfrom the cashier's desk. Her brain wius in a whirl. She knew the speculation that would go on among the girls, ami foil ■that at all coots she mvi: get Mr Tracy out of the shop. "' Thank you," ehe said, quickly. "We dose at eigJit. I have no time now." In her conjuskm she was Hushing to the rooitß of her hair, and a smile came to Mies Martin's lips. Mr Tr*cy bowed. "It is kind of you, Mii<> Brandon- I will wail for you." Hv- sauntered clow.lv from the shop. Millie's thoughts -were in a jumble as she turned to her work again, and her ingers trembled ac she tied up the parcels. She had t-hougtht that Tracy had paesed completely out of her life, and now he bad appeared when she least expected him. To 'her bewildered mind Cuiere seemed something sinister in his airival; even to herself she could hardly explain why. When she passed out to dinner she found Favereham awaiting iicr in the corridor, a boyish shyness in !u«s face.

"Oh, Miss Brandon," he said, "I've been waiting for you for ever «*o long. I wanted to ask you to come out- with mc to-night and see some new jnoturee." She turned her head away. '" I'm eorry, 1 can't." A flash of disappointment passed through ihie grey eyes. " Anything else on hand?" he askej. careiesely. " Yee," she said, blushing " Vve —l've an appointment."' Her obvious embarrassment, puzzled hi-rn for a moment, but there seemed only one explanation. He mum , ' e1 an expression of regret, and she paissed on, feeling in all her being that he had taLjunder" stood her, and that Fa-re \vd<. twisting things to her disadvantajrc. CHAPTER V. THE TRIUMPH OF MISS MARTIN. "You're going out?" said Ctesie that evening. "Yee," answered Millie, as she arranged her hair. Cieeie looked at her with frankly curious eyes. All that day there had been something she had wanted to tell; her secret had been burning within her, and Millie was the only friend to whom she could give her confidences. But it was not of her own affaire she wae thinking m>w. "'ls it —that gentleman who oame into the shop thie morning?" she asked. Millie nodded her head. "I've told you of him before. This k the only time I ehall see him. I couldn't quite get out of it this morning." There was a slight pucker of Ciesie'e forehead. "I heard some of the girle talking at the next counter this afternoon. .Amy ■Martin had told them something. But —you never loved him. Millie." "I've never loved any man," slie said. Then a quick flush overspread her face as she realised what her worde meant. They would have been true a month ago, but now — she remembered, how her pulses etirred when of a. morning she caught a glimpse of someone through the departmental door. She remembered how the chance words of one man sometimes flitted backwards and forwards through her brain in the few hazy moments before her eyes closed in sleep. But Cieeie did not notice her, for she was turning something over in her hand, and her eyee had a soft ligirt in them. "Millie, I must tell you," she said, suddenly. "I—that is Jack—re——" Her round, happy face wae covered with confusion, and her gaze dropped to the ring she was turning over in her palm. But there was no need for worde. All there was to tell could be read in her ehy stammering, and the joy that was lighting up .her eyes. Millie gave her an impulsive little hug. "You're a dear," she said, with miety eyee. 'Tm so glad." "It's a eecret, of course," said Ciseie, quickly. "If anyone knew " Millie looked up in eurprise. '"'What could it matter if anybody did know?" she asked. "Aek Mr Dobbin," 6aid Cieeie, with a touch of bitterness. "Surely you understand. If the shopwalker or any of the heads heard a;bout it, Jack would be 'swopped 5 straight a-way." A flash of incredulity passed throngh •Millie's eyee. "How on earth could it matter to them?" she said, indignantly. ."Oh, I don't know," said Ciseie. "But they don't believe in their assistants getting married. They're always on the look-out to see if there's any courting going on. There were two 'swopped' just before you came." Her quiet voice and bhe realisation of all that enoh petty tyranny meant made the blood burn in Millies forehead. It had never been brought home to her with eueh force before, and it. wae more humiliating than all the little economies of food" and lodging, "and the hundred rules which stared in their faces daily. "It's a ehame," ehe said,.ae put on her hat. "It puts the brand of elavefi on us all."

Down in the etreet below, with a halfburnt cigar between his lips, Mr Leo Tracy -was pacing- backwards and forI wards. h« qiiiok eye looking- round him impatiently. He carried the stamp of a man who had gone through life without finding anything too difficult to overcome: nothing- that he had ever wanted had been" nliimatply denied him. Aβ he walked up and down the kerb now with his heavy astrakhan coat,, thrown open. someiJiins in h:s very stride 6howed hie power of will. "A-h!" he said" at last, ""you've come. •T was beginning to think something might have kept you." Thore was a Iflok of rroerve on MilliVs face, a half-concealed antagonism. "' What is the message yo:i lia.ve for mc. Mr Tracy?" she a«ked abruptly. " Let"s see," he said, looking round him. " Surely there U ?ome i)lai;e where ■we can talk. This little restaurant will do." He led the way to a table in the corner, his sleek face making no attempt to hide its satisfaction. As he leant over tho ioble he thought that she bad never svp-

peared co beautiful before. Her dark hair contrasted with the heightenel ooiour of her cheeks, and there '.'as a strange grace in all her wa.j'B. She wae looking at him now as if she expected him to 'begin. " Look here, Mice Braudon," he said clumsily, " eurely you're tired of til<i3 ridiculous notion by ao*. It's ppeitively absurd ti at you should work bghiitd a counter.' , " I fail to see the absurditT,' , said Milli.-. curtly.' 'If tie life ie good enough lor other girte it's good enough for me , ' " r»ut you're in a different position," h<? said impatiently. " Yo'i could have anything you wanted." "Could I?" said Millie, colouring. "I left home because I was oeing forced into something 1 didn't want. ,. It was Leo Tracy's turn to grow Ted. "I merely speak on your uncle's behalf,"' he eaid, clumsily. " Believe mc, Mist? Brandon, that is all I seuk to do. He T.ent a message saying that if you were dissatisfied with the life he would weta>aie you back to Eastwood now." " But 1 have no wielh to go back," ehe said calmly. Leo Tracy leant back in his chair and looked at her- The little tilt of her ohm made him all the more determined "to gei hie way; he was a man who -was more keenly spurred on by defeate tteui by successes. But it wee being pressed in upon him now that he could never hope to conquer by the dheer weight of persistence. He imiet nee more subUe methods and bide hie time. "Do you find the life wt Dobbin and Carter's all you could desire, then?" he asked carelessly. Millie looked away. She was thinking of the stuffy dormitory, the unea-table food, and the long, tiring days uhafc sapped all the energy fraim her ibody. He noticed tihe slight hesitation in her manner and Qxie assurance come back to him. " It's not what I had pictured," she said frankly, " but it is the life I ha\e chosen.' .

'.' And do you think you will always be satisfied with it?" he' said eagerly. "There is a novelty about it now, but that wfll soon wear off. Believe mc, you were made for leisure and comfort and ■travel; you want the feel of pretty things about you. It is necessary to your happines that you should have "all these finings. Mies Brandoe—Millie—l bqryou to think twice before you throw the chance a/wny lamin a- position to give you anything you desire." In the intoxdeaction of trie moment his impetDOUßness had carried him away. He leant over the table with glowing eyes and tried to take her hand. Bat she rose quickly with flashing eyes. " It's of no use." she said otAdly. "We (have gone over all that 'before. You must never see mc or speak to mc like that again." Biting- down Wβ humiliation he put on hk hat and accompanied her out into tilte street. At a table near the door George Faverebain and Miae Martin were sitting talking quietly, and as they passed ithe man's eyes met Millie's in a gaze of perplexity. Bhe had been sitting with her back to hhn all the wUiile. and though he could not have overheard, her words he must have seen Tracy's attitude and nhe earnest tensity otf his face. Millie felt the blood pulse in her temples. " What a little fool I have been," ehe thought bitterly. " I ougfat never to have promised to meet h-hn. I never shall again." But leani&g back in hie taxi-cab Leo Tracy whirred throagh the crowded streets, his brain afire. That evening had only whipped his ardiopr to a keener point; never 'before Jiaci he been co thoroughly under the spell of her dark beauty, and a dozen schemes were floating through his brain by which he could make her yieJd to him in the end. His teeth closed determinedly on the butt of his cigar.