Jennie Gerhardt
f appreciation for everything he had done and now continued to do. The Senator gave her father a letter to a local mill owner, who saw that he received something to do
awl. All these benefactions were made in a spirit of mingled charity and self-gratificati
oment the world's point of view. Since that one notable and halcyon visit upon which he had robbed her of her original shyness, and implanted a tender kiss upon her cheek, they had lived in a different atmosphere. Jennie was his companion now, and as h
er was not without knowledge that Jennie almost invariably lingered from a quarter to three-quarters of an hour whenever she came for or returned his laundry. He knew that it might come to the ears of the hotel clerks, and so, in a general way, get about town and work serious injury, but the
-approval which such a resolution might bring him was hardly worth the inevitable pai
his knee, and told her of his life at Washington. Always now he had a caress and a kiss for her,
ted creature, emotional, totally inexperienced in the matter of the affections, and yet mature enough mentally
od by his chair, and, finding nothing else to do, took out his wa
to have a watch,
uld," said Jennie
g a jewellery store and bought one. It w
next time, "I want to show you someth
from his waistcoat pocke
she exclaimed, her face
ted with his little d
Jennie. "Mine! Oh,
hink so?"
im immensely. Her face shone with
. "See that you wear it
good!" sh
he drew her toward him until, when very close, she put her arms about his neck, and laid her cheek in gratitude
ed that a great railroad corporation, which had always been friendly, was secretly throwing its strength in behalf of an already too powerful candidate. Shocked by this defection, he was thrown alternately in
ning, after an extremely comfortless conference with his leader, he met her with the most chilling formality. When she knocked at
of it. He was restored on the instant to his far-off, mighty throne, and left to rule in p
vered with considerable formality, and he went on toiling forgetfully, until at last he was miserably defe
eful disposition. Nagged to desperation by his thoughts, Brander first talked to her to amus
ght have done to a child, "youth is on your sid
o
lise it. You never will
to himself that night. "I wish
ducting herself strangely. A girl who carries washing must expect criticism if anything not befitting her station is observ
id. "People are talking. You'd better not let
ven now she did not believe there was anything to tell. The watch had been both approved of
admit the implication that things had gone too far. In fact, she did not look at it in that l
begin to talk!" said her mother. "Did
lled by her conscience to admit at lea
anything out of the
id not attach any suspicion of evi
hush the matter up. People were slandering a good man, that she knew. Jennie had been the least bit indiscreet. People were always so
s that she decided to g
this decision. Brander, who was expecting J
her, "what has b
change, Mrs. Gerhardt did not know what to say. She looked up at him wea
is she?" h
N
t," he said resignedl
ad gone he got to thinking the matter over, and wondered what could h
returned the clothes he felt th
rdt?" he inquired. "Has anythi
ned, too troubled to
ing for the la
r perturbation; "she - they have been talking
talking?" he
e here in
errupted, a touch of annoy
ouseke
" he exclaimed. "What
lated to him
own business without interfering with mine. Your daughter, Mrs. Gerhardt, is perfectly safe with me. I have no intention of doing her an injury. It'
apologetically. "I know you like Jennie and wouldn't injure her. You've done
ly right. I don't blame you in the least. It is the lying accusation
man who had done so much for them. If she could only say something, she thought, that would c
everything for the be
njoyed her coming here. It is my intention to do well by her, but pe
he had no hope of seeing her there any more, he began to realise how much these little visits of hers had meant. He thought the matter over very carefully, realised i
little affair," he thought. "It
stayed away the more eager he was to get back. When he was again permanently settled in his old quarters he took up his cane one morning, and strolled out in the direction of the cottage. Arriving there, he made up his mind to go in, and knocking at the door, he was gr
ake a drive with me tomo
e, to whom the propositio
add to her beauty. Graced with her clean white apron, her shapely head crowned by th
ned, and then, having accomplished
ding tomorrow evening," he explained. "
saw nothing incongruous in the proposal. Th
rdt. "Doesn't he always speak so nicely of you? He
aid Jenni
r father or not," concluded Mrs. Gerhardt. "
not to tell him. He
on. There were little lace-edged cuffs and a rather high collar attached to it. She had no gloves nor any jewellery, nor yet a jacket good enough to wear, but her hair was done up in such a dainty way that it set off her well-shaped head better than any hat, and the few ringlets that could escape
raw night air," he thought
ly forgot everything but the great fact that she was at his side. She talked with
where, outlined dimly against the new rising moon, they were touched with its yellow lig
I could?" she
w. You're the dearest little day-dreamer in the world. Of course you could write
s saying such nice things. No one ever seemed to like or to appreciate her hal
ng, he said: "I wonder what time it is. Perhaps w
hing of which she had hoped he would not speak. E
tha had got to that place in the matter of apparel where she could no longer go to school unless some
o bring home ten dollars. Mrs. Gerhardt expended the money upon her children, and h
r hour of retribution seemed at hand. She actu
d gently, "what made
," she a
you you
trained silence; then she said, with a voice that had too much of a sob in it for
en you need anything I want you to come to me. Do you hear? I want you to promise me that. If I'm not here, I want you to write me
said
e to do that n
she r
t neither o
im to a burst of feeling, "I've about decided that I can't do without yo
clearly understanding hi
ow," she sa
'm serious. Would you be willing to marry me, and
ay to
ter you
mother came into her mind. Ma
her face. It was not dark. The moon was now above the trees in th
for me at all, J
es
re, though," he returned pathetically
wered. "I couldn't help it;
ly. I was only joking with you. You'd be
d," she answ
ed doubly emphasised to her. Reaching up impulsively, she put her arms abou
th deep feeling. "I'd do anything in