ore he would to any
one else, but, oh, do tell me if you know whether anything has
happened to him!"

"No, Mildred, dear, I don't suppose I know much, if any, more than you
do. But certainly nothing serious could have happened or some message
would have been sent here."

"You're not keeping anything from me?" the girl demanded, staring at
Henrietta with wild, suspicious eyes. "Oh, Harry, you don't know what
all this means to me! I've hardly slept for the last two nights! You
must tell me everything! Oh, I know you are his confidential secretary
and you must not betray his trust, but--you don't know--I've never
told you--I'm almost the same as his wife. We're engaged, and we'd
have been married before this but for some notion father has. So I've
the right to know, Harry--you must tell me all you can!"

[Illustration: "HARRY, DEAR, HAVE YOU HEARD FROM HIM!"]

Henrietta bent toward the girl sympathetically. "I don't think you
need to be so anxious," she said reassuringly, although her own heart
misgave her. "I'm so glad to know about your happiness," she went on,
stroking Mildred's clenched hand where it lay upon her desk, "and I'm
sure this will come out all right. He went away very suddenly.
Did--did you know that he was going?"

Mildred nodded and wiped some hysterical tears from her eyes. It was
a moment before she could control her voice: "Yes. He had promised
to come to our house on Sunday evening. But instead he sent me a
note--the dearest little letter--" and her hand involuntarily moved to
her breast as she paused and smiled. Her listener marveled at the
light that played over her countenance for a moment. "He said he had
been suddenly called out of the city and might be away several days,
but would see me again as soon as he could get back, and in the
meantime I must not be anxious. But I can't help it, Harry! I'm wild
with anxiety! Oh, if anything should happen to him I couldn't bear
it--I couldn't live!"

"There, there, dear, don't be so alarmed. Calm yourself and I'll tell
you all I know." Mildred was hysterically weeping and Henrietta moved
to her side and with an arm about her shoulders soothed her and went
on:

"Sunday morning he motored over to my house to tell me that he might
have to be out of the city for a few days and to give me some
directions about matters here in case he should have to go. He said he
didn't know how long he would be gone but hoped he would be back
inside of a week."

"S