For Gold or Soul? The Story of a Great Department StoreSheldon, Lurana
General
For Gold or Soul? The Story of a Great Department Store
Sheldon, Lurana
Department stores -- Employees -- Fiction; Dime novels; Love stories; Young women -- Conduct of life -- Fiction
"I just dropped in at the office; they wouldn't let me see him," was
the answer; "but I learned that there was a chance for him--he was what
they call 'comfortable.'"
"I am glad to hear that," said Faith, moving slowly away. They had been
standing at the head of the stairs which led down to the cloak-room, and
she expected every minute that Maggie Brady would see them.
"Don't go just yet, Miss Marvin," urged Mr. Denton, hastily. "I've just
arranged about that funeral; it is to be to-morrow evening."
"Where?" asked Faith softly.
"At the undertaker's," was the answer. "He has a private room for just
such purposes. He will bury her the next morning."
"That will be better than I thought," said Faith, very slowly. "I will
tell all the girls I know and ask them to tell the others."
"Here's the programme or whatever you choose to call it," said Mr.
Denton, sneering a little. "The firm got ahead of us this time, Miss
Marvin."
He held out an evening paper as he spoke so that Faith could see it.
With a cry of horror the young girl read the headline. It was a regular
"scare head," reaching across two full columns: "Denton, Day & Co.'s
Generosity to an Employee!" "A Poor Girl's Funeral That Will Cost the
Firm a Large Sum of Money!"
"How's that for hypocrisy?" asked the young man, still sneering. "I say,
Miss Marvin, how would you like to be the child of such a father?"
For the first time in her life Faith could not rebuke disrespect. In
spite of herself she could not help sympathizing with the sentiments of
the young fellow.
"Oh, it is terrible!" she whispered in a heart-broken voice. "Poor Miss
Jennings would rather have been buried in 'Potter's Field,' I really
believe, than under such conditions!"
"Well, I'm mighty disgusted," said young Denton, bitterly, "although I'm
sure I don't know what's got into me to care about it!"
"I guess you never knew just how you felt before," said Faith sweetly.
"Sometimes it takes a shock of some kind to bring us to our senses."
"Well, I'm shocked all right," said young Denton, quickly. "Why, when
dad told me about that dying girl saying so distinctly that she forgave
him, it went through me like a knife! Cut me up worse, I believe, than
it did the Governor!"
"Did it really disturb your father?" asked Faith, very eagerly.
"I should say it did!" remarked Mr. Denton, soberly. "Why, the man can't
eat nor sleep! I believe her spirit is haunting him!"
CHAPTER XXI.
A CHANGE IN MR. DENTON.
"Well, Hardy what have you found out about the Watkins family? Something
satisfactory, I hope!"
Mr. Forbes spoke to the detective with unusual good nature.
But Hardy closed the office door and advanced to the desk where the
superintendent was sitting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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