Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-19
Henry and
 The Bum B. :"
By Arthur Brindamour.
Copyrighted. 1907, by E. c. Parcells.

teeth together savagely. He knew very well that he could never hope to marry Phoebe Childers. for she had made this quite clear when, under the first impulse of his boysh love, he had written her q fervid declaration of his intention to marry her when he should have grown up. Thereafter it was q hopeless passion that he nursed, but his grief was not assuaged at the spec tacle of DightOn bending over his desk, for the lad shrewdly noticed that she did not draw away from the chief clerk as she did when the junior partner came to her desk, as he so often did
 Time had been when Dighton was Henry's boyish hero. It was he who had trained the lad to office ways, and until they two became rivals for Miss Childers' love DightOn had been Hen rvs favorite But with the coming of the pretty typewriter to the office all this had been changed.
 As Dighton stepped away from the uCoh l1Cllly Slib up to 4h4oo NhIidCio chair with remark conjured up on the spur of the moment, just to show DightOn that he, too, could lean over Miss Childers' desk until the fair hair almost brushed his cheek. Then he went back to his desk but not before Dighton had called him to his side and had sharply ordered him to stop wan dering about the office,
 "I'll get square with you," muttered Henry as he went slowly to his seat, and even Phoebe's bright smile as he again passed her desk did not ease the hurt to his pride. He stood well with Miss Childers, but it was within Digh- tons province to ''call him" before her, and the man had an absurd and un- reasoning jealousy of the boy. Digh- ton had not yet gained the assurance to put his fate to the test, and the air of easy familiarity with which Henry copied his exact attitude was not to be borne by a somewhat fiery and love tried temper
 Henry was still meditating the par ticular form of torture to which he would like to see Dighton submitted when the two active partners, Evans and Sutton, came out of the private of flee. Kincaid. the silent partner, was with them, and their faces were grave and serious. The senior partner be- came spokesman.
 "The Burton Bradley company has obtained our bids on the naval job," he said without preliminary. Can you explain, Miss ChIlders, how they come copy of our bid?'
 "I know nothing of it." said the girl evenly. AS soon as the proposal was made out I returned to Mir. Sutton the original, while the typewriter copy l laid on your desk to be signed"
 Kincaid looked sharply at the junior partner. That is correct. Mir. Sut- ton?" he asked.
 "I think so," said Sutton uncertain ly. "I remember Miss Childers giving me a rough draft of the bid and laying some papers on Mir. Evans desk. was just about to go to lunch, and aft CT thrusting the draft in the safe left did not look to see the copy on Mir. Evans desk"
 Kincaid frowned.
 Tt is unfortunate for you," he said. turning to the typewriter. that Mir. Sutton did not examine the copy on the other desk Some one in this of flee delivered 10 the other company ali our figures They made their bid few thousand lower and got the contract. The man from whom I obtained my information could not tell me by whom the delivery was made, but the infer ence is obvious You are the only Btenographer employed in this office"
 He waved the discriminating docu- ment toward her, and the current of air from the electric fan blew 1t out of his hand. Henry. who had been gradually edging closer to Miss Chil- ders' desk, sprang to pick 1t up. He rose to his feet slowly. ignoring Kin caid's impatient gesture.
 This aln't Miss Childers' writing" be declared. Even a kid could see that"
 You employ a detective upon your staff?" asked kincaid Of Evans. with a sarcastic smile. Henry flushed.
 "Tm only a kid" he retorted, but got sense. This was written on Mir Sutton's machine"
 Sutton flushed. He had been q clerk for Evans before m unexpected legacy had permitted him tO buy Into the firm. He still used the typewriter occasion ally.
 Don't you see that bum BT' de manded Henry. That's on Mr. Sut tons machine. The B key fell UI about a month ago. and they sent a ham over to fix it He didn't know as much about the job as do. and he left it crooked. Get Miss Childers to write something on her machine"
 The girl sTaspcd the idea and rapidly transcribed a few lines from the "a. per Kincaif examined tle two and nodded approvingly toward Henry. "You've been reading dime novels and detective stories to some purpose he said. though I'm hanged if ever saw their Use l.efore Let's see that machine Of yours. Sutton ! He led the way into tte private of- fec. aAI HenFy followed. unchaIlenEed. though Diz.tOn and Mes ChiIders re nzine4 oatslde Sutton uncovered his anf wrote a few lines. When he zFOse Lis fa~e was drawn and white. 'sIt ID0Es bad for me.- ke said The boy was rlzht abJut the br0ke1 key Tbe rTair man e1ud uos adjust t.