Ragged Lady, Part 1

he had to do with. He had to do chiefly with the dining-room girls, whose susceptibilities were such that they kept about their work bathed in tears or suffused with anger much of the time. He was not

of a forbidding temper, they knew enough in spite of their hurts to value a young fellow whose thoughts were not running upon girls all the time. Women, even in their spring-time, like men to treat them as if they had souls as well as

he knot between his brows did not dissolve in the smiling gratitude of the young ladies whom he preceded to their place

ork hours, if he met any of them, he recognized them with deferential politeness; but he shunned occasions of encounter with them as distinctly as he avoided the ladies among the hotel guests. Some of the table girls pitied his loneliness, and once they p

celebrated his high sense of the honor to the lady-guests; but if any of these would have been willing to show Gregory that they considered hi

the front to say that he was out buying, but would be back now, very soon; it was occasionally the clerk's business to forage among the farmers for the lighter su

leased him. She put her face in sight a moment to explain, "I have got to be here and give out the lettas till Mr. Fane gets back," and then withdrew it. He tried to lose himself in his book, but her tender voice spoke from t

sudden bang at last and jum

e corner of the boxes. "Oh! I

ils of loose hair springing from the mass that defined her pretty head. "Don't you know that you oughtn't to say 'No'm' a

id I say that? I meant to say Yes, ma'a

y answered savagely, "Just say Yes, an

ance, as if charmed with the novelty of the

s. But his words, in spite of his tone, were not brutal; they might have even been thought

sked the girl joyously. "I

no business to critici

mentina laughed in triumph at the outcome of her efforts, so that a reluctant visional smile came upon Gregor

t way," said G

on't they really say Sir and Ma

like me." He inflicted this stab to his pride with savage fortitud

thought you was a

her, involuntarily, and

suppressed gritting of the teeth; and he added, "My Master was the servant of the

shall not care if you tell me of anything that's out o

I won't wait any l

k very soon, now. I'll try

s towards the door, and said, "I wis

? Why, s

that it's all right abo

o Clementina's face. "He had

hink he had, now. He'

," said C

ologies for being gone so long coldly, and went away to Mrs. At

y so proud?

man," said Mrs. Atwell,

ou can see he fights ag

say anything to t

think of it. But don't you think that wa

ng to be a mini

ilent. At last she said, "Don't you thin

ind is liable to freckle," s

na asked, "Do you think it would be nice for me to a

e wh

ronunciation; an

him take up a book one day, that one of 'em was readin', and when she as't h

do it, though. I sh'd neva have the courage." Clement