The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-07-05

AS the Office door closed behind the
retreating form of Homer Dickson the
stout stenographer sighed relievedly
and drew n magazine from her desk
II thought he'd never go" she said.
The dapper bOokkeeper took silver
quarter from his pocket and dipped 1t |
toward the office boy Peanuts" he /
said succipctly as he spread the morn |
ing paper over his ledger and turned |
to the market report.
81 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. 81
guess he's gotI for the day"
80 he said" agreed the bookkeeper,
cracking shells and tossing them over
his shoulder into the waste paper bas
ket with admirable dexterity. IF you
want the afternoon off. Miss Porter,
you can have it," he said. with q
smile.
The stenographer smiled lazily as
she reached for another peanut This
suits me-" she murmured. turning the
pages of her magazine.
Suddenly the outer door opened and
precipitated confusion uron the trio
A tall man. middle aged with a
strong. clean cut face and piercing
dark eyes glanced from one to the
other.
Mr. Dickson imp he asked sharply
"Out," said the bOokkeeper CURLY,
thrusting the newspaper into draw
er and dipping pen into the ink well.
when will he return?" asked the
stranger quietly
HE didn't say. | think he's gone
for the day" replied the clerk ungra-
ciously as he bent above his ledger.
"I'll wait awhile" remarked the Wis
itor seating himself in chair and
opening notebook.
Bray, the bookkeeper. shrugged his
narrow shoulders and applied himself
to his neglected work. Miss Porter
laid aside her magazine and thumped
nolsily 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.
Mice weather for crops" remarked
Bray, with slight wink toward the
stenographer.
Miss Porter rufiled her flaxen pompa
/ dour and giggled
I'VE got our hay all in" said Jimmy
nasally. as he scuttled past the stran
ger on business intent.
"You re'clect our old black henT
went on Bray facetiously. WAL, by
gum, she laid egg yesterday most as
big as a grapefruit. reckon on send
ing 1t to the county fair"
Did Mr. Dickson mention having
an appointment with MT Penworth
this morning?" asked the rustic.
A leaden silence settled on the office
Bray broke it at last.
"Penworth!' he gasped. with a sick
ly smile. ~ Augustus Penworthr
The stranger nodded impatientiy and
glanced at his watch did Mr. Dick
son mention having an engagement
with me?'
mo. sir" returned the bookkeepei
respectfully II think he must be de
tanned somewhere I'll try to trace
him by phone. Jimmy. give Mr. Pen
worth seat In Mr. Dickson's office
Bray disappeared within the telephone
booth with agitated countenance
Tell that idiot to keep away from
the telephone. ri wait till Mr.. Dick
son comes in" growled the visitor Sc
savagely that Jimmy skipped to obey
The brutal message. conveyed verba
tim, Mr.. Bray emerged from the booth
with a very red face and returned to
his ledger. while Mr.. Penworth &C
copied comfortable Turkish rocker
in the private office and lighted a long
black cigar
81. Augustus Penworth. Multimil
lionaire and King of Finance" So the
special article In Bray's Sunday news
paper had capitalized him. His name
was as well known as that of the pres
ident Of the republic. and the entire
OhINC lOitC nav OpCbiy Ut
Bray writhed on his high stool as he
looked at the back of the milllonaire's
; gray head. and he cursed his own bad
manners In ridicHling the stranger
Bray was ambitious. and Penwortt
was known to be especially interested
in young men and II he knew them &c
be capable and willing to work could
always find places for them in his nu
merous industrial plants. The book
keeper had read the article In the Sun
day paper. and his Imagination had
been fired with the possibilities that
I would open out if he should ever cross
the path of the great man
Here he was-J. Augustus Penworth
and Bray had ridiculed him It was
too much to bear calmly, yet the book
keeper solaced himself with the
thought that perhaps the millionaire
had been too much absorbed in bis
notebook to heed the idle ehatterins
of the office force Bray's usual alert