For Love or Gold? The Story of a Great Department Store — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHAPTER XIII. A HEAVENLY INSPECTOR * Pee When Faith Marvin reached home after her unpleas- ant interview with the well-dressed stranger, she was in ~ a state of nervousness that nearly bordered upon hys- terics. The fact that Bob Hardy was a witness to what she had supposed was a mere accidental meeting gave her an instinctive clue to the identity of the man, and her cheeks flushed with shame as she connected him in her thoughts with that insulting proposition of the detective. She had tried to compose herself, as usual, before going into her mother’s presence, and succeeded so well that when they retired Mrs. Marvin had no suspicion of the interview. Neither did Faith acquaint her with the ex- traordinary suspicions against Mr. Watkins, which she now felt ashamed to think she had harbored for a second: She was much troubled in mind about the latter, for while she felt in her heart that Mr. Watkins was innocent she could not help thinking that he, too, was shielding a ~ thief. She wondered if it was because he felt the same on the subject as had his sweetheart, Miss Jennings. She said her prayers quietly and felt more tranquil after. There was a balm in religion for her trusting heart, which she begged with all her soul to share with others. | It was during this hour that she thought of Mr. Forbes, whom she knew was to bury his only son on the morrow. Suddenly the thought flitted through her head that per- haps employees were somewhat to blame for not express- ing more sympathy for their employers in all serious matters. | “Perhaps they think us as. heartless as we think _ them,” she whispered to herself; then the impulse came over her to write Mr. Forbes a letter. She rose quietly, so as not to wake her mother, and _ penned him the note. It came straight from her heart. Eomirchooks: co!