Evening star., 1915-04-04
1 /

EYES, Sir-yes, SIR said the attendant eagerly and
opened the brass gate. Syde he knew, the roads
largest stockhoder. What the factor said, went.
Along the walls of this outer Office were ranged
leatherseated chairs their backs elaboratey carved
with the initials of the company To the left the
entrance to the presidents ofce to the right, that
to the board room.
The old factor seated himself on the chair nearest to
the halfopen door of the board He could hear
the murmurng voices of the dummy directors, who
in session. Snatches of frivolous conversation
came to the of the waiting nancier, diversified
times by hearty laughter.
Slyde burning with curiosity to learn what the irres-
ponsible dummies were up to, placed his attach
ment where it would do the most good. He could
distinguish broken phrases that carried a pregnant
meaning to his mnd, ,-"The Blank estate-proxes-
Smatters & Company"
Him, h'm!' muttered the factor. "Smart boys smart
boys While we've been asleep they've been securing
Wall Street for proxies. l wonder how many they've
got?'
Then he distinguished Wheeer's voice: "Gorton
thinks he has the stock vote Of the Kennedy estate
$4,000 shares. the estate manager today, and he
promised to support ticket We've beaten Gortons
supposed majority"
There was another peal of laughter from the board
of dummies, accompanied by handclapping.
"Hm m, hm!' murmured the factor straning his aural
organs to the utmost. "Wheeer is a fox!"
"Move adj notwithstanding adjourned
through the half-open door.
Slyde settled himself back in his chair attitude
of somnoent abstraction The voices in the adjoining
assembly died away the directors returned to
their respective offices. After waiting a reasonable
time the aged hnancier crossed the anteroom and
entered the presidents private Office
XIHENmore than halfway across the green expanse
~ of velvet carpet the old factor came to realize
that President Wheeler seated at his broad mahogany
desk, engaged in highly confidential talk with
his secretary young woman with fluff of auburn
hair. Being discreet and unobserved the old
a1,,r
The secretary, he noticed, ndustrously inter-
weaving the taper fingers of two dmpled hands. The
president engaged in what the old factor not
rightly determined species unprecedented converse.
"Miss Evans said the dummy president in gentle
tones, ae the duties of your office as secretary to
the head Of this company becoming too onerous and
oppressive?'
The factor, now sraining his sight and his hearing
two curtains with long black rnges ascend above
two dangerously deep blue wells, which seemed so
absorb the mental processes of the young president that
all his plots concerning the stock vote at the coming
annual meeting must have flown away.
ooh, no." responded the presidents secretary in a
low and liquid voice ut isn't that; but, you see
Old Addison Slyde decided that the contemplation Of
the twin pouts of rosy flesh must prove trouble
the dummy president than the recollection
of the Gorton stock control
The urn-haired girl continued "Well may as
well tell you Eddie Wheeler It's just like this Here,
all of us, just month ago, were stenographers
together-and look what's happened There's
Billy rotten vice president of the company, Ned Web
ster secretary, and you-why, you're way up presi
dent And-and look at me! What chance have
poor girls to get anywhere in this word?"
There break in the limpid voice, and the two
brimming wells dangerously to inunda-
ton which facts appeared to be of much to the
dummy president; for after ALL he only romantic
boy, and girls glance still meant to him than all
the railroad battles in the universe.
The factor mechanically awaited the next words in
kind of stupor
"All the offices filled, Miss Evans" he heard the