The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-04

Ezra met him in the main office and
pointed to his private room
I'm there, sir" he observed tim
orously.
Who? What do you mean?"
"The prize-winning graduate, sir"
responded Ezra, and halted.
Dacre entered his private Office,
tossed his hat on top of his desk and
turned around, intent on making short
work of his visitor. Then he drew
back after an embarrassing stare.
Seated beside his desk, smiling, pref
ty and blushing like a fresh June
rose. was a young girl. He was the
respectful, considerable gentleman at
once.
81 hope l will do" she spoke; land
oh, sir! I want to thank you SO much.
The money means a great deal to me.
for you know l am an orphan and
Aunt Lefty is poor. But the position!
II only my shorthand is quick enough,
for you"
The hard business lines softened
down in the face of the master of the
plant. He did not reply at once, A
flashing memory of a woman who
had won his regard and deceived him
four years agone opened wide the gates
to dreams of a new ideal Of truth and
loveliness, closed rightly after the one
bitter disappointment of his life.
Then all that was yearning and ten
| dnr u hsa ao,,I ryonf 4,,t 20 fhn AMOR.
faced, innocent girl before him. too
artless to conceal her joy at being
placed in business life.
Il shall have to speak with my
b~ookkeeper. Miss" began Dacre
laundering and off his balance like
some bashful schoolboy.
Eva, sir-Eva Morris"
"Just wait a moment, Miss Morris
please. What the thunder" he
burst forth upon the shrinking Ezra
in the outer room. mot a female in
the place! l thought it was a boy
Yes, sir; but, you see, a girl bea'
them all to first place this year
You wouldn't give me time to tell 20,
about it. She's a little model of in
dustry, Mr.. Dacre. "Iil vouch for he
there. AS to having a girl around
why, sir, it will make it more cheer
full" and then the old rascal chuckle'
as Dacre went off, reading in his EN-
ployer's face a decided leaning towards
an innovation in the system Of tn,
place.
Eva did finely. There was not
great deal of stenographic work to dc
She vas bright, smart, n excellen
correspondent. She liked her employ
er, she was the pet of the workmen.
Dacre was called away for a mont
on important business. He was SUI
fprised and pleased when he returned
Somehow, things looked brightene
up. In the outer Office the clerica
force now had their hats and coat
hung up in an orderly way on hooks
where before they had been fun
carelessly about. The private offic
was neat as a pin. The old ragge
shades had been reversed and turned
A vase filled with flowers ornamente
his desk.
For the first time in it's history tn
Mushroom of the working hands col
tanned clean roll towels. The sight {
brush and comb in a homemade carr
board case, trimmed with a bit of blu
ribbon, made Dacre smile at the il
congruity, and yet somehow thrille
his heart with pleasure.
And from these minor invasions {
the grim rules of the works, Eva b
gan to advance along more materii
lines. Dacre was amazed at many
practical suggestion she made in col
sonance with hts material business il
terests.
More than ever he felt the vast vol
in his being craving for sympath
= and interested companionship. tn
O sweet, pretty girl at his side, alway
a smiling, accommodating and grateful
seemed to have woven an irresistibl
charm about his heart.
!, "Dictation," he said one day, comm
a into the office, a mighty resolve in h
mind, and the ready hand OF h
stenographer touched the keyboard.
Miss Eva Norris" dictated Dacl
tersely, Il love you-wil you be N
wife?"
, The fair head dropped, the will
q rose blush on the beautiful fat
deepened. He watched her tremblir
n hand b~reathlessly as a slender. shap
ly finger delivered three radiant note
r. clicking rapidly into his longing sou
YES"
e Copyright. 1915. by w. G. %Chapman.)
II