intrude upon Lowry; he wanted a few minutes to settle down after this return to Ellen Powell. But his excitement stayed. It was not that excitement which he had lost with Lida; scarcely that sort at all. That had overswept him shortly, violently, with a sudden onset which aroused within him resistance, very differently from this.
He avoided Ellen during the day until their old, usual time together, when he looked into the office and, finding her alone, entered as casually as he could and dropped upon a chair.
"Anything new from Lew," he inquired.
"He's in Stanley," said Ellen, arising, "but he hasn't been here."
"Isn't he due?"
"Oh, yes; he's due," replied Ellen, with cheek and forehead deeply stained.
Why was that? thought Jay and proposed to her abruptly, "Would you care to go to New York?"
"New York?" said Ellen. "I?"
"To run our office. Mr. Armiston has asked for you. He needs you like the devil," explained Jay, overurging the matter as he felt how little he wanted this girl away. "You're exactly the person for the place; the only right person," he said. "Mr. Armiston thinks you've the best head of any girl he's seen. Of course you have."
Ellen ignored this praise of her competence. Appreciation of the skill of her hands, the clearness of her head! She wanted value as girl; as woman.
"Father'd send you on, if you asked it," said Jay.
That was true, she knew. Beneath Mr. Rountree's mask of impersonality was a sensitive pride which never would
