Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-03-23


and honest In fact, l have no fault
to find save that the office has no sys-
ten whatever, and l can never ind
anything when I want it. Got thatE
eyes, sir" Smithers replied dazedly.
Now, sir, you admit you are wear
ing a plaster. How do l know thIt
those securities are not concealed
within your plaster, huhY' Mr.. Ord
looked from his astonished clerk to
the red bound volumes Of Sherlock
Holmes adventures and. patted his
chest knowingly. How do | know,
sirT' he repeated.
Really, | couldn't say. Mr.. Ord" be-
gan Smithers. and then, as If the real
meaning of his employers insinuation
had pierced some sensitive spot at last
he added forcibly, But l wouldn't do
such a thing. YOU know, Mr. Ord, beg.
ging your pardon"
You wouldn't. Ell? How do you
know you wouldn'ty
Il couldn't. sir" protested Smithers
warmly. You see the plaster I'm
wearing is bunion plaster, and
COuiun get the securities
Mr.. Ord raised a fat forehnger. Il
didn't ask you for details regarding
your personal ailments. Mr.. Smithers,"
be said Jelly. There was silence for a
few moments while his little eyes
roamed from his three foot shelf Of
wisdom to Smithers' now agitated
countenance He pulled the ticker
tape toward him and studied the fig-
ures as they slipped through his nm
gers. He had made rather fool or
himself and the l.. d. bonds were as
far from discovery as ever. once more
he turned to his clerk.
Did YOU mention to anybody that
those bonds were in the vautF
Not a soul knew of their presence
there except yourself ana me. sir.
Did you check over all the other
securities in my boXE'
YES. sir. and every other security In
the vault" returned Smithers earnest
". Begging your pardon. Mr.. ord,
you might recollect that in every other
instance of loss Of papers, they We're
aftcrward found to have been misaid
either 10y Mr. Carson or yourself.
Enough said ord sternly. Il have
no such recollection. young man!
Now" pointing an accusing finger in
the face of his uncomfortable clerk,
be continued with measured accents;
those bonds bore q date stamp i'm
pressed with purple ink. How did
purple ink come TO be on your hands
and face. Mr.. SmthersE' Mr.. Ord shot
glance at his bookshelf and then his
eyes cane back to the face of his
clerk.
For the first time Smithers' face
wrinkled into a faint smile Il was as
sisting Miss Fem TO adjust new rib
bon in her type machine he said
primly. Before | had time to remove
these stains you called me-
rs it one Of the duties Of my chief
clerk to assist the stenographers with
such duties?" Numbered Mr.. Ord fierce
ly "What do | hire Office boys for,
eh?'
In Mr. Smithers' opinion Office boys
were hired to loaf around the CORR
doris and discuss baseball topics He
merely cracked another deprecating
smile and did not answer the Ques-
ton
"Euh don't approve Of counting
in the Office Mr.. Smithcrs' remarked
Mr. Ord his critical eye still on his
employees pink face He pressed a
button beside his desk. and the door
opened promptly, admitting a tall. slen-
der girl whose black hair was twisted
in the latest fashion ana whose bright
brown eyes seemed to take in every
detail of the situation in one swift
penetrating glance Her gaze swept
her employers desk and then came to
attention at Mr. Ords curt accents.
"St down, Miss Fem"
She did SO, tapping open a notebook
and posing her pencil
II don't wish to dictate Have you
seen or heard anything of the l.. d.
bonds since they were put in the
vaults day before Yesterday"
Miss Fem nodded "Why, yes, Mr.
Ord. Don't you remember You sent
me to the vault for them this morning
after you talked with Mr.. Hughes over
the telephone? You were reading when
/ came back, and you used the bonds
as a boOkmark as you closed the book
to resume debating. Why, there they
are!' She picked up a red covered
book from under his nose and removed
several beautifully engraved ccrtih-
Gates from between the pages of The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"
There was a sicsly smile of enllghteu.
ment on Mr. Ords face.
Thank You, Miss Fem; YOU may
80 now, he said, With an effort. When
the door had closed behind her trim
figure Mr. Ord recovered his self pos
session. re picked his hat ont of the
basket placed it on his head. compared
his watch with the clock, nodded ap-
prevail az the hour Of - ana drew the
telephone receiver across the desk
BY the way, SmithcrS' he said gen
Tally without turning his head. Il
suppose il you're going TO get married
youll need a little more money. eh?"
II really couldn't say that ia thought
about It, Mr. Ord" said the clerk
mcCkly
Well, just toll the cashier to add