Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-10
Copyright, 1895, by Irving Bacheller)
Continued from Mondays Starr

CHAPTER ".
Although the Whittiers. father and son,
spent Sunday ont of town, Paul made an
excuse to the friends whom they were
visiting and returned to the city by mid
night train. Thus he was enabled to pre-
sent himself at the office of the Ramapo
works very early on Monday morning.
1t was so early, indeed, that no one of the
employees had yet arrived when the son
of the senior partner. bag in hand. pushed
open the street door and entered the long
store, at the far end of which the porter
was still tidyiug up for the days work.
An is that you, Mister Paul?" Mike
asked in surprise as he came out of the
private office to see who the early visitor
might be. AN what brought We out O.
yer bed before breakfast like this?"
II always get out of bed before break
fast" Paul replied. Don't you?"
Would I get up if hadn't got to get up
to get my livin'?" the porter responded
Paul entered the office, followed by Mike.
still wondering why the young man was
there at that hour.
After a swift glance around the office
Paul put down his bag on the table and
turned suddenly tc the porter with a qucs-
ton.
when does Bob get down here?"
Mike looked at the clock in the corner
before answering.
It'll be ten minutes" he said cor may
be twenty, before the boy does be here
today, seem it's Monday mornin'. an he'll
be tired with not workin' of Sunday"
After a moments thought he continued:
Then I'll have to ask you to go out for
me, Mike"
Il can go anywhere We want. Mister
Paul., the porter responded
Il want you to CO." began Paul. want
you to go" and he hesitated as though
he We're not quite sure what it was he
wished the porter to do. Il want you to
n he 0ff Of no nth
get me two copies of yesterdays paper.
Do you understand"
Maybe they won't be open so early in
the morniH," said the Irishman.
That's no matter" said Paul, hastily
correcting himself II mean that I want
you to go now and get the papers. If you
can. OF course. if the office isn't open 1
shall have to send again later"
"I'll be goin' now, Mister Paul" and
Mike took his hat and started off at once
Paul walked through the store with the
porter. When Mike had gone the young
man locked the front door ami returned
at once to the private office in the rear
He shut himself in and lowered all the
shades so that whatever he might do in
side the office could not be sean by any,
one on the outside.
Whatever it was he wished to do he was
able to do it. swiftly. for in less than
minute after he had closed the door of the
office he opened it again and came out
into the main store with his bag in his
hand. He walked leisurely TO the front
of the store, arriving there Just in time
to unlock the door as the office boy came
around the corner smoking a cigarette.
When Bob. still putting steadily, was
about to open the door and enter the store
he looked up and discovered that Paul
was gazing at him. The boy pinched the
cigarette out of mis- mouth and dropped it
outside, and then came in, his eyes OK
pressing his surprise at the presence of
the senior partners son down town at that
early hour in the morning.
pnrh atrI ~ 81
got away from him as soon as possible,
for ever since the young man had told
what had gone on the office when Bob was
its only occupant, the office boy was a lit
tie afraid of the young man. as though
some way mysterious. not to say uneanny.
Paul thought it best to wait for the
porter's return; and he stood outside, I'M
der the archway, for five minutes. smok-
ing cigar, with his bag at his feet.
When Mike came back with the two
copies of the Sunday newspaper he had
been sent to get. Paul gave him the money
for them and an extra quarter for him
SELF Then the young man picked up his
bag again. = - 70 ~ -. ..
when my father comes down. Mike"
he said. tell him L may be little late in
getting back this morning SCOT
AN are We goin away now. Mister
Paul?' the porter asked. What good was
1t then we got QUITO bed before break
fast and came down here so early in the
mornin'?''
Paul laughed little. II had reason
for coming here this morning." he an
swered briefly: and with that he walked
away, his bag in one hand and the two
bulky and gaudy Sunday newspapers in
the other.
Mike watched him turn the corner and
then went into the store again. where Bob
greeted him promptly with request to
know why the old mans son had been
getting up by the bright light.
IF I was the boss or the boss son,
either said Bob. Il wouldn't get up till
l was good an ready. I'd have my break
fast in bed, If 1 had a mind to-an' my
dinner, too-an my supper. An wouldn't
do no work an I'd go to the theayter every
night an twict on Saturdays
Il dunno why Mister Paul was down."
Mike explained. "All he wanted was two
O. thin Sunday papers with pictures into
'em. What did he want two O. thin for,
I dunno. There's readin' enough in one O.
thin to last me month O. Sundays
1t may be surTnised that Mike would
have been still more in the dark as to Paul
Whittier's reasons for coming down town
so early that Monday morning if he could
have seen the young man throw the two
copies of the Gotham Gazette into the first
ash cart he passed after he was out of the
range of the porters vision.
Paul was not the only member of Whit
tier, Wheatcroft & Co. to arrive at the