The Girls of St. Wode's Part 43

"Ah, to lend you another sixty pounds?"

Leslie's face turned very white.

"Do you know that you, my father's old friend, are cruel," she said.

"I don't think so. On the contrary, I consider that I am most forbearing. A girl who can go into debt once, and conceal it from her friends, and send another girl--"

"Mr. Parker, you break my heart."

"Again I repeat I am sorry, but I must have my say. I cannot grant your request, whatever it is, except in my own fas.h.i.+on. Now, speak up, and be quick. Being Leslie Gilroy, of course I cannot refuse you anything in reason."

"You are doing much for me. I know it is for my mother's sake and my father's sake."

"That's about it."

"And never, never more for my sake?"

"My feelings have changed toward you. The more I think over that black business the less I like it. I cannot pretend to be other than I am."

"Well, I have not come here to plead for myself to-day," replied Leslie.

"I want to help Annie Colchester. She is very poor, nearly starving; she has heard that you want a secretary."

Mr. Parker raised his brows, and an ominous exclamation dropped from his lips.

"You must hear me out," continued Leslie. "She knows also that you do not like her brother."

"Scoundrel!" muttered the merchant between his teeth.

"But she is not to be held accountable for her brother's sins."

"Did I ever say she was?"

"No; but you act somehow as if you did. Oh, I am not going to be afraid of you, Mr. Parker. I will speak out. A brother may be wicked and a sister good and virtuous--"

"You think her good and virtuous?" interrupted the merchant.

Leslie hastily proceeded, as if she had not heard this remark.

"I want you to make Annie your secretary," she said. "She feels sure that you would refuse her own request, and she has asked me to plead with you. I do plead most earnestly. I plead because I am my father's daughter, and because once you were fond of me and good to me. Annie is a very clever girl; she knows many foreign languages, she has a great deal of shrewdness in her character, and would do your work admirably. I want you to let her do it."

"And you intend to be responsible for her character?"

"Her character? Oh!" said Leslie. She trembled and colored.

Mr. Parker fixed her with his keen twinkling eyes. He seemed to be dragging the truth out of her soul. If he knew even for one moment how Annie had got that money, if he knew about the forged letter, would he give her the post?

"And you are, personally, very desirous about this?" said Mr. Parker.

"I am indeed. Under the circ.u.mstances, it is bitterly hard for me to have to plead with you; for my whole heart aches, yes-whether you will believe it or not-at the cruel change in our positions. You, to whom I owe so much, think badly of me. But I have risen to this great effort on Annie's behalf. Don't let me have to humble myself in vain."

"Would there have been anything so humiliating in your asking a favor of your father's greatest friend?" said Mr. Parker, a kinder note coming into his voice.

"It would not have been humiliating at all; but, under the changed circ.u.mstances, it is."

"Aye; they have changed, truly. But because of your father and our old friends.h.i.+p, I will do what you wish, Leslie Gilroy; but on a condition."

"Oh, I will promise anything, I am so grateful to you."

"Stop a moment, young lady; wait until you have heard what my condition is. I will do what you wish-I will give your friend that post-if you will tell me the truth with regard to that sixty pounds."

Leslie turned from white to red.

"I thought--" she began.

"No, young lady; no," said Mr. Parker. "I can read character well enough, and you have never told me the truth with regard to that money.

There is something concealed at the back of it. The more I think the more a.s.sured I am, and your face tells me so plainly at the present moment. When I know the simple truth, Leslie Gilroy, I will restore you into my full favor again, and your friend shall be my private secretary."

"Then there is nothing more to be said," replied poor Leslie, trembling from head to foot. "I cannot tell you more than you know already."

"What I know already is not the truth. Go, child; tell your friend that you have failed, and that the fault is yours."

Leslie walked across the room. Mr. Parker preceded her and flung open the door. He followed Leslie into Annie's presence. He stood and faced Annie Colchester.

"I understand," he said, bringing out his words coldly, "that you have asked Leslie Gilroy to come here and plead for you. You want to be my secretary?"

"I could do the work well," said Annie, standing up and speaking with glistening eyes.

"Your brother also a.s.sured me that he could do my work well. He had brains enough, but nothing else, the scoundrel!"

Annie bit her lips until the blood nearly came. She made a valiant effort not to speak; but to hear Rupert abused was like dragging her through fire.

"Now, listen to me." said Parker. "I have spoken to Leslie Gilroy; I have told her that I will grant her request when she tells me the whole truth about that sixty pounds which you took from me to her. It is true I have her letter; but it was not only her letter, it was your pleading which induced me to give it. Since that hour I have felt certain that something is hidden. When Leslie tells me the exact truth, you, Annie Colchester shall have the place. You had better go away, both of you girls, and consult-there is something at the back of this. I will keep the post open for forty-eight hours, but no longer. Now go; you have my decision."

CHAPTER XXVIII

RUPERT.

When the girls found themselves once more in the open air neither of them spoke. Then Annie said in a gasping sort of voice:

"I see quite well, Leslie, that it is all useless. I give up the hope which seemed so bright a short time ago. You have done your very best, and I thank you from my heart. I will go to Belle Acheson now. Perhaps something will turn up at the end of a week. At any rate, I have that week to turn round in."

"We will go to the Bank," said Leslie; "omnibuses go from there in all directions. As to what Mr. Parker said, you know, Annie, that it remains with yourself."

"And do you think," said Annie, coloring and s.h.i.+vering, "that if I could bring myself to tell the real truth I should get the post?"