Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-19
CHAPTER Ill.


Another week began. however, and Miss Jones
mad not been dismissed. The sagacious office
boy eyed her sharply during the morning until
she was summoned to take letters for young
Pendragon. Then he remarked TO his confidant
Il was waitin' all trough Sat'day fer Jim ia
send me up to de school to get a new girl. But
he forgot it,
Why. what's the matter with Jonesy :" in.
quired the ambitious clerk.
Nothing that / know Of" replied the boy,
but wot allied all de others. I'd like to know
on, Jonesy II have to SO, you hear Inc talk
another week slipped by, and. to the boys
unutterable astonishment. Miss Jones did not
receive her dismissal. 1t worried him q good
oeai 10 see his reputation as prophet endan-
gered. but he admitted that it would give him
great relief If he could but feel certain that he
would not again have to face the young women
at the school 1t occurred to the senior part
ner' too, that an unusual period had elapsed
SINCE he had had to familiarize himself with
writer.
Getting on well, Miss Jones?" he asked sud
denly one day during the third week Of her
employment.
Il hope SO, sir" she replied, looking up in
surprise.
We'll, don't you know whether YOU are or
not! Numbered old John
MISS Jones smiled roguishly. She had learned
something about the harmlessness of PEN
dragon seniors bark
~ think you should know more about that
tnan 1, Sir, she said.
Don't know the first thing about it re-
torted John sharply Cant YOU see that INV
son runs this Office SO far as routine details go3
ne einpioyed You and he's got to be satisfied.
We no fault to find, not bit and don't W ant
10 alarm you, Miss Jones, but my son James
iss-ah-exceedingly particular. When you suit
nini you can say you re doing we'll"
MIR. James has not found any fault with me
yet, SIT. said Miss Jones, blushing like q rose
anu looking down at her hands.
diad OF 1t. commented John, and forth
with they resumed work.
Miss Jones had been with the Pendrapons
about month when there came one of those
Gays that carry lrritability in the atmosphere
Everybody In the office, excepting possibly
Miss Jones, was affected by it, And it han
pened, as 1t always does on such days that
there was vast amount of important work on
hand. The head clerk directed his wrath Mt
the Office boy, young Pendragon spoke sharply
10 the ambitious under clerk. old John stormed
IN ana cut or his room, laundering at eyery-
Dody, and III the absence of the partners the
clerks and students complained to each other
ana growing was general. Miss Jones was
silent through the storm. COPYING away for
dear lie upon long series of verbose dozen
hents that We're wanted in a hurry. Her lips
were tightly set together, her pretty brows
were contracted III the intensity Of her exer-
ton and the keys ratified like miniature
out of his room.
Got that answer ready?" he demanded
roughly.
Miss Jones' cheek paled. The best operator
In the world could not have finished the task
within an hour later.
mo. sir" she responded in n low voice
keeping hard at her work
'Humph! grOw!ei the Iovvar d;uoo,ta,,
edly as he stamped back and slammed his
door.
half hour passed with various demonstra-
Mons OF the mental storm in the general Office
MSS 'oi.eS suddenly stopped and looked blankly
at the Z ocunent that she was copyinp She
read the long, involved sentence before her
three or tour times over; what could be the
matter with 1t! She looked back at the title of
The case; then she hastily read IL certain sec
uon In the complaint. and her hands trembled
SO that the leaves ratified. Could it be that
either OF the Pendragons Ind made an orrorY
mat word had been inserted that Absolutely
nulilhed the lntent and effect of the agree
meht! What should she do? Was it her bust
ness to question the correctness of her en-
pioyer s language: And on such dayY
once more she scanned the critical sentence.
TOOK her resolution quickly and carried the
document into John PendragOn's room The
oio lawyer looked up from his desk where he
was IN a deep discussion with a Client
Got that ready? he asked sharply.
No. sir, replied Miss Jones; and it seemed
10 her as Ii her voice came from some where on
the other side of the world
Well, what is it?' exclaimed the lawyer be-
fore she could 20 on.
Il am SO afraid. Mr.. Pendragon," f,ut,ered
Miss Jones. that there is a mistake here
that" AVN
Mistake" Old Johns voice was a tarri,v.
ing roar. Mistake! good gracious. Young
woman, what d0 you mean! what do you know
ABOUT law! what-what-h let me see the
thing" 'A'
trembling from head to foot and ute, " nm
able 10 speak Miss Jones laid down the doom
ment ana pointed to the suspicious word The
lawyer growled inarticulately as he studied the
page:
Thunder and guns,' he exclaimed sud-
denly; who e-what-how-ughr % and he
seized pencil and drew heavy line through
the fatal word. Hurry mp, now, " he added as
harshly as before and Miss Jones Withdrew.
leaving him IN state of continual explosion
from which came strange remarks about sam
HEl, Lord Harry, thunder and other terrible
thlnSs when she resumed her work her aei-
tation was so great that she could hardly strike
the keys, and though that wore away after a
rev moments she could not make up her mind
whether she had done right or not in calling
Mr. PendraGon's attention to the error. The
copying completed she took the documents to
the old lawyer, who received them without a
word, and at the close of that trying dav Miss
Jones was still in doubt concerning the wisdom
of her course.
Next day John summoned Jim into his pres
ence.
James, said he with a hesitancy unusual
with him. how do you like Miss Jones? /
mean how does she get on?''
james had with difficulty suppressed a start
of surprise, but he answered gravely, II find
her a very satisfactory operator"
All. continued John, much relieved. "rm
glad to hear it. She's certainly very EXTRA
ordinary young woman. and hope we shall be
able to keep her. She really performed |. very
valuable little service yesterday in detecting an
error IN our answer. So different from tho
ordinary operator. Most of EN- work right ON.
putting down letters with no more idea of tho
meaning than as if twas Greek. And. saw.
James, wouldn't have spoken of it so arnestlv.
but was i'll tantrum all day yesterday. and
I'm afraid hurt her feelings. OF course |
shall tell her that appreciate her cleverness.
but thought you might tell her that I'm not
such COMPOUNDED curmudgeon as am
Young Pendragon smiled, and replied that
he would try to see that the young lady should
not be unduly disturbed, and as he left the
room he nearly burst out laughing. He pre-
served his gravity, however. ard when he had
reached his desk he pressed a button that
brought the sapient Office boy before him.
ASK Miss Jones to step in, please" said jim
moment later Miss Jones entered, and after
she had closed the door, this extraordinary dia-
logue ensued:
Young Pendragon-'Iucy, the"
Miss Jones, Startled )-"Oh! oh! you
mustn'tr'