Joyces Investments | Page 8

pictured you the moral image of your
father"--he stopped an instant, then asked with a sort of regretful note
in his voice--"he was your father?"
"Yes," said Joyce coldly. "Only I bear my mother's name for certain
private reasons."
"Yes. I had thought Lavillotte was merely a middle name. We have
always spoken of--of you--as young Early, here. But excuse me! I am
very glad to see you, Miss Lavillotte. You wish to go over the works,
you say?"
"Yes, if perfectly convenient. And I want, if possible, to go inside one
or two of the houses, if I may. Could it be managed, Mr. Dalton?"
"Assuredly. Just let me announce you, and they'll be honored----"
"But wait a minute!" Joyce was gathering her wits again.
"Is the idea general here that I am a man?" smiling up into his face so
blithely that his eyes reflected the light in hers.
"Why, yes, I'm afraid it is. You see we know so little of Mr.--of your
father--in a personal way, and all I have said has been under that
impression. I humbly beg your pardon for it, Miss Lavillotte."
"No, you needn't. I'm not sure but I shall thank you for the mistake,
indeed. Let me think a minute. Yes, I believe I shall leave myself
undiscovered for a time, at least. I may see things more exactly as they
are in that way. But don't they know my name at all, Mr. Dalton?"
"I think not. You have only been mentioned as Early's son, I am certain.
There has been no occasion to speak of the heir except to one or two,
and I know the name Early was given him."

Joyce could scarcely keep from laughing outright at his tone and
manner, for he could not yet conceal his sense of the unexpected, even
the ludicrous, in this dénouement. And if it so impressed him, might it
not also make her something of a laughing-stock among her people, as
she liked to call them? Would they give her credit for knowing enough
to try and promote their interests in all she did? The idea of remaining
incognito appealed still more strongly to her, and she said slowly,
"I don't exactly relish the role of impostor, but it might be justifiable in
this case. Mr. Dalton, I want to make improvements here that shall
benefit the people directly, and I don't want to begin by having them
laugh at me--as you are doing."
He glanced up quickly at the reproachful tone, but catching the gleam
of fun in her eye relaxed happily.
"I didn't mean to," he said contritely, "but you took me so by surprise! I
am ready, now, to do whatever you wish done, and there shall be no
more laughing."
"Well, then, could we not--this is Miss Dover, Mr. Dalton--couldn't we
pass as acquaintances of yours, say? Don't people ever come to look the
Works over?"
"Not often, but they might. And shall I invent new names for you
both?" His manner was as alert as Joyce's own, now, and the
perpendicular lines were nearly smoothed out between his eyes.
"No. If, as you say, my name is unknown we will not dye ourselves too
deeply in deception. I think I'll remain Joyce Lavillotte, thank you! Can
we start at once?"
He seemed pleased at her eagerness, but gave her handsome mourning
costume a perplexed glance.
"Assuredly, only--I don't know much about such things, but aren't you
pretty well dressed to go around in the worst parts? There are some
dirty places, though it's clean work in the main. I know you wish to be

thorough," with an approving glance, "so I mention it. You haven't any
old frock that you could get at near by?"
At this instant Ellen was heard to give a little sniff and both turned their
gaze upon her, Dalton's questioning, and Joyce's laughing and
deprecatory.
"Did you speak, Ellen?" she asked mischievously.
"No 'm, I didn't, but I was just a-thinkin' that if you'd 'a' listened to me
and wore your old Henrietta-cloth----"
"But as usual I did not listen, Ellen, and we won't scold now about
unimportant matters. Lead on, Mr. Dalton; we're ready."
The man reached for his hat, closed his ledger carefully upon the pen
he had been using, then opened an inner door, and stood aside to let
them pass on through a short, narrow entry, from which another door
led them directly into the noise and vapors of the Works.
CHAPTER IV.
THE WORKS AND WORKMEN.
It would not be best to attempt a detailed description of the Early Glass
Works, lest the subject prove so interesting we forget our story. There
are few industries so fascinating to watch, or even to read about, as that
of