The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-06
TAKEN ON
TRIAL
The man whirled about.

NV Ldh Nhilltu dDOult
"lll try you for week" he
snapped. and your pay will be $40"
The girl paused on her way to the
door
Thank you" she said. 81 expect
to make myself worth more than
that
When he came down the next morn.
ing and tramped into his office he
found the girl seated at her table, her
brown head bent over her work lie
was just a little surprised to find her
there. Persons he had engaged had
! a way of promising TO come back and
falling TO do SO, He knew that he
| was to blame for this, and he rather
glored in the thought. But here WAS
this strange girl at her place and look
ing as If she meant to stay there She
was a neat-looking girl. Her hair was
tidy and there was a bit of white
about her neck that softened the Of
feet of the black frock. And in a
( little vase in front of her was a flow
era red flower of some kinda flow
err he told himself. that looked
strangely on; of place in the dingy
| room.
And then the man suddenly stared
| about him. Both the windows were
| open and they were clean, and the
sunshine was streaming in. And there
was general air of freshness about
| the place that was quite amazing and
! the odor of cleanliness was fairly pun
! gent.
Good morning" said she sweetly
This girl was going altogether too
| far. What did she mean by taking
| such liberties? He would show her
| that he was not the sort of man that
| could be imposed upon. No doubt she
| had been spoiled in the office of her
| father-her dead father
He looked up, The girl was stand |
ing by the desk
The men from the telephone com |
pany will be here at ten o'clock TO |
arrange for moving the phone she |
said and the typewriter is being put |
in order DO you feel the drau2ht |
from the windows"
He growled an inarticulate word or
two and the girl turned away
oh" she said and turned back |
MARY, the woman who cleans, ASKED |
me to tell you that she wasn't IN amy
way responsible for the improved ap
pearance of the Office She said she /
was quite willing to let me take an /
the credit. 1t seems much nicer hcra,
doesn't it,"
Here was his chance to assert HIS
authority. But, strange to say, the
only form of expression his anger took
was another vicious slam of Inc much |
suffering private drawer.
The GIRL brought new methods into
the business, the labcrsaving anl |
time-saving devices he had despi8c3 |
And with the departure OF the old |
fashioned methods his old fashioned |
brusqueness seemed to depart too,
Customers who had been offended at
his irritability and plain speaking |
came back The business was in bet.
ter shape than ever
I'm losing my grip" he growod to
himself. Il don't know anybody who
fears me. And yet, confound It, the
old house seems to have a new lease
of prosperity If only Robert
He had been thinking a good deal
about his son. No doubt ii was an
other proof of his fatuous weakness
He arose suddenly and took the va
cant chair by the girls table.
Miss Morris" he abruptly said
I'm troubled"
Not about the business, Mr.. Thur
ber?"
No, the business is all right Per
haps, II II wasn't, | could keep my
thoughts on It. 1t is my son Robert
who bothers me"
Yes, Mr.. Thurber."
But you don't ask me WHY"
Il know something about the story,
sir You disagreed Your son felt
that you were treating him like a
child lie rebelled You drove him
away"
1T is all quite true" said the man.
TITS very hard for me TO think was
wrong. Robert was a good boy. Per
haps | forgot that he had grown to be
a man"
The girl leaned forward
mir. Thurber," he said. what is
my position here?"
He looked at her blankly.
Il hardly know" he answered IT
will have to think II out Is there
any special title you want?"
She smiled
Let me be your confidential adyis-
err for Just a moment or two" she
said You told Robert you would
never call him back"
Yes"
'Will You let me call him."
He stared at her
Let you call him. Do you think
he will Gomez
II am sure he will"
Then you know Robert"
Yes. knew him before came
here. | talk with him every day"
He drew his breath sharply. Is
k this a game?" he demanded