The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-03
Miss Dane,


swung around sharply in his swivel
chair.
What on earth can be the matter
with Jim this morning." he asked,
half aloud.
AS if in answer to his question,
the phone bell rang shrilly. A mo-
ment later he hung up the receiver
with a bang.
"Confound it," he muttered, cit
never rains but it pours. Here I've
got to take that deposition this morn
ing, and Jim had to get sick. WE'LL
he continued, swinging back to his
desk again, I've just got to get it
out to-day, so III have to hunt a
stenographer for the time being
and. reaching for the telephone di-
rectory he started to look for a pub
lie stenographer neal at hand.
,"Why under the sun didn't I think
of her before?" he asked, as his eye
lighted upon the legend:
Dane, Miss, public stenographer
and typewriter"
"She's right on the floor below.
I've seen her sign coming up in the
lift" Hurrying out of his Office, he
signaled the elevator. In a moment
he was standing before a door OF
which the lettering read: Miss
Dane, public stenographer."
AS he caught a glimpse Of the pub
lie stenographer he started just a
little. He had expected to see a staid
woman of at least thirty or thirty
five years, but the girl bending over
the typewriter could not possibly be
more than twenty-five at the most.
"A shade Of disappointment passed
over his face-his experience with
young women stenographers had been
unsatisfactory. But his countenance
cleared a little as he noted the rapa-
BILE lines around the mouth and the
rather steady gaze in the eyes Of
the sweet-faced girl before him. She
looked at him calmly, waiting for
him to state his business.
Miss Dane, I presume" he said, in
his most business-like tones, and in
response to a low Eyes. sir" he con-
tinued: my stenographer is sick
and I must take deposition to-day
without fail. If you are not other:
wise engaged I would like your SER
vices for the balance of the day"
What I was doing can wait" she
answered, in calm, even tones. How
long do you think it will rum" she
continued. with her hand upon a bun
die Of notebooks.
Better take plenty" answered
John Durham, and the girl dropped
a half-dozen into a green bag.
"How soon will you want me?"
she inquired.
"Ill telephone for my car imme-
diately," he replied. "It will be here
in half an hour. Will that be too
soon?"
mot at all! I am ready to start
at any moment she returned, and
leaving the room Durham made his
way to his own Office.
In a short time the car arrived. and
Durham ushered Miss Dane into the
elevator and through the corridor.
Then, handing her into the tonneau,
he gave some directions to the chauf-
feur and jumped in beside her. In
an instant they were whlzzing merri-
ly through the crowded thorough
fares.
Meanwhile John Durham painstak-
ingly explained the nature of the
business tc the girl beside him. The
ordeal was not a trying one, either,
for what man cannot talk with pleas
ure when a sweet-faced woman pays
strict attention to what he is saying?
The day wore on and the work was
finished. When it was transcribed
Durham was exceedingly pleased
with its style and neatness. He told
Miss Dane so. Also, he offered to
recommend her to his business
friends, and the influence of John
Durham was nc mean thing: so the
business of Miss Dane grew apace.
1t was, astonishing, too, how much
Dunham's need for extra help in
creased.
James Horton, Dunham's private
stenographer. was back at his post
the next day, and the Office routine
went or for a time as usual. But
when it became necessary for Dun
ham to take a stenographer to vaci-
Gus places with him, instead of TAX
ing Horton, as formerly, he would
give him an extra amount of work to
do just before the trip was to be
made, and request Miss Dane to &C
company him.
For a young man. James Horton
had a rather good insight into human
nature. jOften, too. his gaze was re-
warded by seeing Durham and Miss
Dane drive off in the car; and then,
with a rather enigmatical smile on
his face, he would go back to his
work. Later in the day. when his
employer returned in nigh humor
and would tell him of some deal that
was about to be consummated, he
would chuckle softly to himself.
But the automobile trips did not
stop there. John Durham, rather
shyly, too, for a man Of such large
business affairs, had asked if he
might be allowed to call. Receiving
an affirmative answer, he availed
himself of it the next evening.
Thereafter he became L constant Wis
itor at the little home on Northwest