A Tame Surrender, A Story of The Chicago Strike

elieved it. It was one of his peculiarities that he invariably attached a sinister explanation to every action of his fellow men and women whose social station, at least, was superior to his own,

stand it, in view of the fact that he was with the general and his staff when the party encountered them at Wichita, and that the general himself had authorized his return to Chicago. "Authorized!" said Elmendorf, with his ready sneer; "ordered, very probably, with the view of having him tried by court-martial here where the witnesses are ready; and Mr. Forrest has had the effrontery to saddle himself on respectable company by way of establishing high connection to start with. I have heard of just such expedients before. My informants are men who thoroughly know the ins and outs of military affairs in the department, and they are not likely to be mistaken." All the same the tutor was glad to get away and to go post-haste to the Pullman building, hoping to catch his one intimate in the clerical force and to dodge the officials with whom he stood in evil odor. Luck often follows audacity. In the elevator he met two officers to whom he had been presented during the earlier days of his tutorship, when he was still cordially received. These gentlemen had been away on duty in the interim, and, knowing nothing of his lapse from grace, greeted him as pleasantly as ever, invited him into the aide-de-camps' offices, and there made him at home in the absence of the usual occupants. They knew nothing of Forrest's movements beyond the fact that he had not been with his regiment at all. One of the two was Major Cranston; the

ertainly had not rejoined his regiment, and Elmendorf had chosen to think that that was what he was ordered to do when leaving Chicago. Thinking of it so much, he had come to believe it a fact; but Forrest was now back here in Chicago, as suddenly and mysteriously as he went. He was not, however, back in his old office, was not then restored to his functions at head-quarters. What more was needed, therefore, to warrant the belief that he was picked up by the general in his wanderings in the Indian Terr

still abundant opportunity for him to rejoice in that triumph. Wells did not like him, but what of that? Wells was probably gone by this time, and she would be there all alone, bending as usual over her typewriter. She couldn't order him out or refuse him admittance, since Wells had never yet done so. She would have to listen, and he would go and break to her the news of Forrest's return,-of Forrest's return with Florence Allison, of his luncheon with the magnates at the club to-day, of his coming to dinner informally, like one of the

answered Elmendorf, with his

, as he looked after the agitator. "Maneness goes wid the loi

iture when Donnelly presented Mart's liquor-bill-stood invitingly open. But the door to the private office beyond was closed, and it was barely five o'clock. She was there; he felt assured of that. He could hear the busy clicking

ering leisurely up the street, might have seen him cross, and, divining that his object was to see her and perhaps renew his offensive talk, have taken prompt measures to resist. Well, even if lettered "Private Office" on the door, it was a public office in point of fact; and that publi

is w

e door,

you wis

speak with

allen d

siness to

is not empowered to act for him. You w

, and that I mean to enter here and now, or make formal complaint to the trustees

y, muttering angrily, he returned through the darkening corridor, down the stairs, and around to the main entrance. Another moment, and he was at the lattice that separated the reading-room from the library proper. There, beyond, were the long aisles and rows of crowded shelves. Here was the customary throng of patrons, returning or taking out books. There were the busy attendants bustling to and fro, and beyond them and bey

en seen the gentleman in the library and in the sanctum itself with t

once. Ah, thank you." And slipping through the wicket, he hastened on his way before any one els

"the power to lock one door does not make a woman the mistress of an entire situation. It would have been better had you accepted what was meant for your good and spared me the necessity of forcing it upon

and faced him. He half expected fierce denunciation, but, to his surpr

here on the plea of business, Mr.

ess is to see that you and yours suffer no wrong at the hands of those who consider such as you their natural prey. I see the ghost of a smile

e of her nature-its helpful, sunny side-was asserting itself at the moment. For the life of her she could not feel the indignation he deserved just

is character and intentions. You refused to believe what I said concerning him and you, and that only confirms my fears. I am powerless to conte

lly considered it beneath her to answer. How amazed would Miss Allison b

no reason, no sense?" he demanded. "I told you this very da

nod of

if at all, only as her husband, or

as cool as

in contemptuous unb

nly, but unbelie

on whose words enraptured ears were wont to hang, at whose eloquence enthusiastic hundreds burst into applause! It stung him to the very marrow of his conce

r contempt to know that

ordered away in disgra

e has returned, brought back

l. I knew he was coming, and I

altered the tutor. "You mean to-you mean he

here this week, that I saw them this morning; and, as it is his work that lies here unfinished,

has been

aps, why you would better not linger. I will

nd see him behind locked doors, as yo

the girl was quivering with indignation. "Furthermore, one touch on this button brings our janitor he

-to my employers on the one hand, to the people on the other. Rest you well assured that whatever may have been his successes, so called, in the past, there are two schemes of your paragon, Mr. Forrest, that shall fail, even i

ack of a toy torpedo, followed by the reverberant bang of a door, and, a moment later, encountered an oddly famili

was surprised to find the inner door locked,-to find that he had to kn