El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-14
CHAPTER XVI.


My those who love their work,
or are very conscientious, are
~ careful to do their best in
position from which they wish to es-
cape and which they feel they need no
longer retain.
SO Fanny Hedden, UncOnsciousIy even
to herself, moved about the beauty
parlors with an Indifferent manner ana
with a lack of energy that did not
escape Madame RidettPs critical eve.
She, however, attributed the air of non
Chalance to another cause than the cor
rect one.
she thinks her place here is sure"
she unused, Just because her pretty
face and big eyes have attracted the
attention of a man! Little fOOli II a
girl who happened to be prettier than
She is came to work here the man
would give Fanny the gO-by, Just as
he has given it to Henrietta. Probably
Fanny made eyes at him. 1 don't trust
these quiet girls. She needn't take on
any airs with me-
Yet Madame Ridetti did not speak
out her thought. To be sure, she did
suggest tartly to Fanny that she hurry
up" when called to attend to Gus
toner. But she was careful not to give
the offender an opportunity to practice
on regular and lucrative patrons of the
parlOr. Since the girl was evidently
Indifferent. it would not be wise to
risk having her make some error that
would injure the standing of the estab-
lishment in the eyes of those who now
patrOnized it.
Fanny was suddenly brought to an
appreciation of madame's present pol
icy by Overhearing scrap of converse
ton between Josie Smythe and Henri
eta Burns as the pair stood outside of
one of the hairdressing compartments
in which Fanny was washing out some
brushes.
I saw" Henrietta remarked. Mad
70 ~ efaawfncr a
toners in Carrot Tops direction any
more, does she?'
NO. laughed the other. Il hope
she's playing a game Of freeze-Out' on
Fanny starts to Do Little Serious
Thinking.
Then they moved on and Fanny was
left to ponder upon their remarks. 50
that was what madame was doing, was
it? Yet her better judgment told her
that the girls might have been mis-
taken; even that they had suspected
her proximity and had uttered their
opinion in the hope of making the un-
seen listener uncomfortable. she would
wait until she had chance to be sure.
The experience had the salutary ef-
feet of bringing her out OF her care
less mood and Of causing hsr TO think
the she was perhaps 1n1ur1ng her
chances of securing another position.
Suppose madame should be so discon-
tented with her as to discharge her
what could the girl say if she was asked
at some other place for a reference from
her last employer? Mr.. CrandalIs in
fluence might not be strong enough to
secure her the coveted "jOb" in the bar
ber's shop unless she had some ere
dentials A sudden panic seized her.
She must do better. She must show
more interest in her work.
To this end she hurried about her
various tasks as she had not hurried
for the past few days carrying to other
operators the articles which Emma was
too busy to bring. The two girls which
she had learned to fear watched her
and cast meaning glances at each other
=glances which Fanny saw and re-
sented
1t was late afternoon, when Henri
eta, who was shampOOing a woman,
called to Emma. the cOlOred maid, to
bring her some clean towels. The maid
did not hear the order, and Henrietta
addressed Fanny, who happened at the
moment to be passing the door of the
cabinet in which the shampOoing was
being conducted
Here" said the operator insolently.
but in a tone so low that madame did
not hear her, bring me some more
towels I told the colOred girl to get
them-but I guess you'll do as we'll"
Fanny came to a standstill, and her
eyes flashed. She did not raise her
voice, but every word was distinct to
the girl to whom her remarks were ad-
dressed.
I refuse to get them for your she
retorted 4 refuse ever to take orders