" I Did It For Fun , First " Said She .sx " And Afterwards ?sx " Said He .sx Well .sx .. How Bowman Found his Love .sx IF Bowman , the assistant bookkeeper , had a heart , he was as unconscious of it as he was of any other of the practical working organs that went to make up his physical man .sx Bowman loved his big ledgers .sx He revelled in long , terrifying columns of figures .sx He liked good things to eat in an unemotional way , which left him unmoved if the steak happened to be done too much or too little .sx He was devoted to his mother .sx He enjoyed his pipe in the evening .sx However , up to the age of twenty-eight he had never heeded or been attracted by a girl , nor had let his head be turned by the glance of a bright eye .sx Not that he was afraid of girls ; he rather liked them .sx They were pretty , he thought , on account of the bright colours they wore , and some of them were graceful , so he enjoyed seeing them flash about , but some-how they all looked very much alike to him , and he regarded them with a benevolent indifference .sx He was quite an ordinary , stout , plain person , who wore big spectacles across his big nose , had a wide , kind face , and a twinkle in his eye .sx Bowman was probably the .sx only member of the office .sx force who remained unmoved .sx the morning Miss Finley .sx made her first appearance .sx Quiet and small and dainty .sx as she was , she was yet such .sx a vivid creature that even .sx the manager , who believed .sx that business and social rela- .sx tions should be kept dis- .sx tinctly separate , noted her , .sx and asked her name .sx How- .sx ever , the first time Bowman .sx remembered seeing her was .sx one morning , several weeks .sx after her first appearance , .sx when he raised his eyes from .sx his work to find her standing .sx at his elbow , looking just a .sx trifle shy , with a piece of .sx paper held up appealingly in .sx her hand .sx She laid the paper .sx on the desk in front of him , .sx and he noticed that she had to stand on her tiptoes to do it .sx " Will you add them for me , Mr. Bowman ?sx " she pleaded .sx " You don't know how mean they act for me .sx " Bowman's slight interest immediately changed to a pronounced interest in the column of figures she handed him .sx " Certainly , " he answered .sx He ran his pencil rapidly up and down the column while she stood beside him humming a little tune .sx In a moment he handed the slip back to her .sx " I think that's it , " he said happily .sx " Oh , thank you ever so much , " she replied , softly .sx She stood a moment , sliding the paper back and forth in a ridge at the side of the desk :sx " I'm afraid you think it was awful funny of me to ask you , " she continued , hesitatingly .sx " You always seem so busy .sx " " Why , I'm never too busy to help you , " he said .sx With a quiet , impersonal pleasure he watched the pretty colour surge into her cheeks .sx " Or any of the other girls , " he added , genially .sx Miss Finley turned on her little heel and walked away so quickly that Bowman was unaware of the smile that was curling her lips .sx A little ripple of giggles greeted her as she returned to the stenographers' corner .sx " Was it a frost ?sx " inquired Miss Temple .sx " Maybe , " replied Miss Finley , non-committally .sx " But one frost doesn't make a winter .sx You just watch me .sx " It was perfectly astonishing the number of things Miss Finley found after that which only Bowman could do for her .sx If the drawers of the desk refused to open or shut , only Bowman's strong arm seemed to be considered equal to the task of getting them into working order again .sx She even got him to sharpen her pencils for her , and her frequent appeals to him to know if her hat was on straight set him to wondering if a .sx girl's hat could ever be .sx considered on straight .sx Bowman was sur- .sx prised one morning , .sx upon looking over .sx toward the steno- .sx graphers' corner to .sx discover that Miss .sx Finley's chair was .sx vacant .sx He was even .sx more surprised at the .sx queer , sinking sensa- .sx tion that took posses- .sx sion of him when he .sx realised that she was .sx not there .sx His first .sx impulse was to go .sx over and ask where .sx she was , but a sudden fit of shyness seized him , and he decided not to .sx This made him uncomfortable , for shyness and hesitancy were entirely new emotions to him .sx He dragged down one of his beloved ledgers and began writing in it .sx Instead of figures he seemed to see a little pointed face in a mist of soft hair .sx At last he stuck his pen behind his ear and gave himself deliberately to reflection .sx After some minutes of unproductive mental labour over the problem he turned to the bookkeeper .sx " Here , " he said abruptly , " how does a fellow feel when he's in love ?sx " The head bookkeeper looked at him scornfully .sx " Come off !sx " he ejaculated .sx " Go on and tell me , " urged Bowman .sx " I'm in earnest .sx I want to know .sx " The head bookkeeper looked at him in disgust .sx " For an everlasting , all-round idiot , " he said , you certainly are the limit .sx She's got you going , has she ?sx " Bowman said nothing more , but from his knitted brows and general air of unrest one might have gathered that he was still studying his own emotions .sx The next morning he was eagerly watching the door when Miss Finley , looking a little pale from her illness , came in .sx Without a moment's hesitation he went over to where she was standing .sx Neither of the other girls had arrived .sx " Miss Finley , " he said , I came over to tell you something .sx I've just found it out yesterday .sx I'm in love with you .sx " He stood back and regarded her with a look of the deepest interest .sx She gave a little nervous laugh .sx " Who told you ?sx " she gasped .sx " I found it out myself , " he said , triumphantly .sx " I didn't think I could do it , " she said soberly .sx " I told the girls I was going to try just for fun , but I didn't think I could .sx I told them the other day that I'd given it .sx up .sx I thought you " .sx Bowman's face grew stern for a moment .sx " You did it just for fun !sx " he said .sx " You never thought what it might mean to me .sx " She gave a quick , little sobbing sigh .sx " I .sx did it for fun at first , but afterward " .sx " Well , " demanded Bowman , " Why did you do it afterward ?sx " " Because I liked you , " she said after a moment's pause .sx Dr. Mary Bonnar .sx The HAPPIEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD .sx EDITH and Mary Bonnar listened to their father's footsteps as he walked down the passage , opened the door , and closed it with a decided bang .sx Then they looked at each other silently .sx " Well , " said Edith , a tall brunette with full red lips , and a hint of the rebel in her proud carriage , " what are you going to do ?sx " " I think he's wonderful , " sighed Mary Bonnar .sx " To think he's saved all these years to give us this great chance .sx Dear old dad !sx " " Dear old fool !sx " ejaculated Edith angrily .sx " We've been at work three years , and we had two years at the 'High .sx ' What more do we want ?sx " Mary Bonnar's dark eyes flashed up at her sister stormily , and she pushed aside a lock of brown hair as she answered .sx " You're dashed ungrateful , I can see that !sx Don't you want to do anything better than push a typewriter ?sx I know I do !sx And after father's denied himself in order to save up 900 to give us a chance to go to the pretty rotten to be annoyed .sx about it .sx You might have .sx the grace to thank him , anyhow .sx How many other fathers would have done the same ?sx " If he hadn't been so keen on saving , " returned Edith , " we'd be living in Corn-ford instead of this stuffy street .sx We could have had a decent house instead of this old hole .sx I'm sick of living here .sx What d'you think my boy pals think when they bring me home to a place like this ?sx " " Oh , Edith !sx " said Mary , and turned away .sx It was useless to argue with her sister on this point .sx Edith wanted a smart semi-detached villa in an equally smart suburb ; she wanted social standing to impress the numerous boys who wereattracted by her vitality ; and she wanted good clothes .sx Obviously she did not appreciate the fact that her father , assistant cashier in a small business house , had fostered all his savings , and now , when .sx he had 900 in the bank , had told them it was for them , not to be spent idly , but to be used in assisting them to study for any career they chose .sx He had told them , rather huskily , that he would like them to win through to either Oxford or Cambridge , if they could , as that had been his ambition when a boy , which had been frustrated by circumstances .sx Mary , likest to her father , had crushed down the tears that threatened to overflow as she listened , and looked at his lined face and greying hair .sx What years of sacrifice and striving lay behind this simple statement of his !sx How her long-deadmother would have loved him at that moment .sx It had been rather a strained time , for Edith had said nothing , and Mary had been able to say only , " Oh , daddy !sx " and kiss him tremulously .sx Then he had .sx gone for a walk .sx The atmosphere had been too charged with emotion for his stolid Northern nature .sx And now Mary found that Edith was resentful , angry , at her father's dreams .sx She walked slowly to where Edith had flung herself in a chair by the parlour window , gazing with frowning brows at the narrow , drab street .sx " Aren't you going to do .sx .. anything , then ?sx " she asked quietly .sx " Oh , how do I know !sx " Edith twisted round impatiently .sx " It's all too absurd !sx " she burst out .sx " What's the use of trying to get anywhere now ?sx If it had been after school it would have been different .sx But I can't go back to lessons now , even if I wanted to .sx I besides , I want to get married !sx " " But there's years yet in which to get married , " protested Mary .sx " You're eighteen and I'm twenty , and I don't suppose either of us will be married before we're twenty-one " .sx " Speak for yourself , " retorted Edith quickly .sx " I'll be married at twenty if I have my way , you see .sx What's the use of girls having a career ?sx Isn't marriage enough ?sx " " It may be for you , " replied Mary quietly , " but not for me .sx First of all I want to prove I can do something worth while .sx I'd love to be a doctor .sx " " There are thousands of women doctors , " returned Edith .sx " What use will one more be ?sx Oh , I'm going to the pictures .sx You can do what you like .sx " Lionel Bonnar looked at the girl before him with pride .sx She was rather indistinct , because a slight film troubled his eyes , not altogether due to the tears which welled up and rolled , unashamed , down his cheeks .sx Mary , resplendent in her scarlet gown , rushed to him and hugged him rapturously .sx " I've done it , daddy !sx " she cried , dancing round as unlike a doctor as it was possible to be .sx " I've done it , and I'm going into partnership with Dr. Marion Lawson .sx .. all through you , bless your dear old heart .sx Aren't you proud of your offspring ?sx Dr. Mary Bonnar , at your service !sx " .sx Bonnar cleared his throat , mopped his eyes dry , and kissed her soundly .sx " Mary , Mary , I'm I'm proud of you , lass !sx " he said ; and Mary was repaid for all her years of study as she saw her father's eyes .sx The memory of sleepless nights and burning headaches , long hours bent over diagrams and lectures , the regret at not being able to join in the college extravagances , were swept away in the flood of happiness that overwhelmedher as she realised that in her was the fulfilment of all her father's dreams .sx It was worth study and disappointments .sx It was worth refusing .sx Arthur Cole's proposal , to face life at twenty-seven , the living .sx embodiment of all her father had meant to be .sx