Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-08-10
Ole
Floor
A Case Where the Number Thirteen
Makes Good IT'S Reputation
BY CLARiSSA mACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

TttTta DHE FORM Oh hoLltE DlchSou tne
stout stenographer sighed relievedly
and drew "A magazine from her desk.
II thought he d never GO" she said
The dapper bOokkeeper took a silver
quarter from his pocket and dipped 1t
toward the Office boy Peanuts" he
said succipctIy as he spread the morn
ing paper over his ledger and turned
to the market report.
II saw Homer beatin' II for the fer
ry." remarked Jimmy when he return
ed with the peanuts and they had
been divided into three portions. II
guess he's good for the day"
$50 he said" agreed the bookkeeper,
| cracking shells and tossing them over
his shoulder into the waste paper has.
kct with admirable dexterity If you
want the afternoon off. Miss Porter,
you can have IT," he said. with a
smile
The stenographer smiled lazily as
she reached for another peanut This
suits me-" she murmured, turning the
pages of her magazine.
precipitated confusion upon the trio.
A tall man. middle aged, with a
strong, clean cut face and piercing
dark eyes glanced from one to the
| other.
mfr. Dickson inT' he asked sharply.
"Out." said the bookkeeper CURLY.
thrusting the newspaper into a draw
er and dipping pen into the ink well,
when will he rcturn?" asked the
stranger quietly.
He didn't say. think he's gone
for the day" replied the clerk ungra-
ciously rs he bent above his ledger.
"Ill wait awhile" remarked the Wis
flor, seating himself in n chair and
opening Il notebook.
Bray. the bookkeeper, shrugged his
narrow shoulders and applied himself
70 his neglected work. Miss Porter
laid aside her magazine and thumped
noisily upon the typewriter, while
Jimmy swept up the accumulation Of
peanut shells and filed letters with
brisk attention.
The stranger sat absorbed in his note
book, making calculations with a stub
by lead pencil
Nice weather for crops remarked
Bray, with a slight wink toward the
stenographer.
Miss Porter ruftled her flaxen pompa-
dour and giggled
I'VE got our hay all in" said Jimmy
nosally. ms he scuttled past the stran-
ger on business intent.
You recllect our old black henT
went on Bray facetiously. WAL. by
gum, she laid a egg yesterday most as
big rs Il grapefruit. reckon on send
ing il 10 IKE county fair
Did Mr. Dickson mention having
an appointment with Mr.. Penworth
| this moruingf" asked the rustic.
\ leaden silence settled on the office
Bray broke it at last.
'penworthr' he gasped with a sick
ly smile. - Augustus PenworthY
The stranger nodded impatiently and
glanced at his watch Did Mr. Dick
son mention having an engagement
with me?"
mo, sir" returned the bookkeeper
respectfully. II think he must he de.
tanned somewhere. I'll try to trace
him 10y phone. Jimmy give Mr. Pen
worth q seat in Mr. Dickson's Office
Bray disappeared within the telephone
booth with aeitutcd countenance
Tell that idiot 10 keep away from
the telephone IN wait till Mr. Dick
son comes in" growled the visitor so
sayagely that Jimmy skipped to obey.
The brutal message. conveyed yerba-
tim. MIR. Bray emerged from the booth
with "a very red face and returned TO
his ledger while Mr penworth ac-
cepted a comfortable Turkish rocker
in the private office and lighted long
black cigar
- Augustus Peuworth. Multimil-
lionairc and King of Finance" So the
special article i'm Bray'S sunday news
paper had capitalized him His name
was as well known rs that of the pres.
ideut Of the republic, and the entire
office force had laughed OPENLY NJ him
Bray vritncd ON his high stool as he
looked ut tHc back of the millionaires
gray head, and he cursed his own bad
MANNERS in ridicullng the stranger
Bray was ambitious ana peuworth
Nas known 90 he especially interested
IN young men and If be knew them 10
be capable and willing to work could
always find places for them in his mn
mcrous industrial plants The hook
keeper had read he article I'm the sun
day paper, and his Imagination had
been fred with the possibilities that
would open ont IL he should ever cross
The path ~ the great man
Here ne was-J. Augustus Penworth.
and Bray had ridiculed him, II was
too much 10 bear calmly vet the book
keeper solaced himself with the
thought that perhaps the millionaire
had been too much absorbed In his
notebook to heed the idle chatteriuC
OF the Office force. Bray's usual alert
manner and his courteous. almost
seryue demeanor toward his employ
er's customers would ordinarily at
tract the attention ~ n business man.
He welcomed 4 sudden aeceleradon
Of business now lie transacted trivial
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