Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-01

"There will be-" answered Hollister confident
ly, bowling himself out.
As he did SO Mr.. Wilder suddenly recoected
the errand upon which he had dispatched his
confidential clerk. Ringing the bell, he asked
the messenger if Mr.. Richards had returned.
mot yet, sir" was the answer, but while
the messenger was speaking Richards, out of
breath, burst unceremoniously into the office.
Richards" said Wilder sternly, you're late
I told you to report to me Immediately he re-
turned on Mr.. HOLSTERS movements. He has
been here for the last ten minutes. You should
have preceded him."
''He fooled mel" gasped out Richards. "He
got into cab and got out on the other side,
and followed the cab until it stopped before
I found out"
$50 you allowed yourself to be taken in by
that stale old trick, did your sneered Wilder.
"Um! Well, what have you to report?"
"Hollister went down to the Park Row res
taurant after he left you"
"Ah And lunched with Mr.. Hanson?"
"No, sir; he lunched alone"
"He did? Didn't he see Mr.. Hanson%
"He didn't anyone. He sat there in the
restaurant smoking cigar and reading paper
after lunch until after two"
"Are you sure?'
Perfectly sure. I had him under observa.
tion until he took the cab"
"You are sure that Hollister didn't observe
you?"
"I think not, SIR
You think not! The Gazette pays people
like you to know, not to think! It Is perfectly
evident that he did see you and that he gave
you the slip in order to get here ten minutes
before you. That ten minutes was enough, sir!
We've been swindled robbed! It's outrageous!
And it's all due to you The cashier will make
out your time. We don't want you any longer"
"This will make very pleasant story to tell
the Union, for instance, won't it?" said Rich
ards coolly and bravey. "And there are other
things that 1 tell / haven't been your
private secretary and confidential clerk for the
last two years without knowing something about
this paper, Mr.. Wilder"
"Well, I'll be hanged!" calculated Wilder,
furious with rage "T won't have you around
another minute! Get out of here"
"You don't have to have me around, Mr.. Wild
er but you won't fire me- nevertheless, ! think.
ton that I've wanted so long"
"Oh, very WE'LL" said Wilder savagely. A mo-
mentary reflection had convinced him of the
strength of Richards position. 1t was impreg-
nable for the present. So, too, he realized
as his eyes fell upon the contracts, was Hol-
listers! 'Ill see that you get it then" he
added ''but you won't hold it very long" he
muttered under his breath as he went out. "And
as for you, Mr.. Hoster, I'll fix you! Think
of it! And I trained both these men my
self"
VatOr ana repair W bhS oluCo VI oho PiVPiiSool'
To him he told the story regarding both Hol-
lister and Richards.
"Um!" said the proprietor. pretty bad, isn't
it? But, after all, Wilder, both these youngsters
got the better of you, and Hellister got the
better of me and the editor-in.chief, too, and
we're the finest newspaper men in New York, I
take IT, Pretty shrewd of them. They're
pair of swindlers, but if they're smart enough
for that I guess we haven't done so badly. after
all, in retaining them. They're the kind of men
we want on the Gazette"
Copyright by ]. B. Lippincott Co