The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1915-03-12

Dirty blackmail; that's what IL as:
he exploded. But steer away from
the courts and the newspapers! Com
promise with her, somehow. I'll have
:. to pay it all II she stands pat, ! sup
pose; but see If she won't listen to
reason-say about i've thousand dol.
lars"
I'll see her this afternoon" nodded
Stuart. He made a gesture towards
the door through which Gertrude Mey!
er had gone. Has that one an aunt.
too?"
"Now look here Stuart, drop that
tone!" Scott was very nearly permit
ting himself to become angry. Just
because l made one mistake is no rea-
son to banter me with 1t. This girl Is
seventeen years old-and she's under
my protection" A.t.s,r., e.s...s,..... -
so it was a-mistake-about the
Ellis girl, eh?" queried Stuart sarcas-
tically.
1T was her own fault She encour-
aged it. Business life Is full of that
kind. They step in with their eyes
open and then they shrek to high
heaven. You know, Stuart, believe
there are lot OF pretty little pirates
running around from one job to an
other just hoping that some man will
try to hold their hand or something so
that they can trot into a courtroom
and tell their tale Of woe to jury
Of shoe clerks and ice-wagon drivers
that beat their own wives at home but
get gallant over some little working
girls sniffles and find a ten-thousand-
dollar verdict with a straight face
when they couldn't go out and earn
a dime. tell you the systems all
wrong. The man always gets the
worst of it-he hasn't any protection
at ALL" His voice had wall of gen.
uine selfpity in it at the end. One
would have thought he was about to
weep over the sorry plight of the poor
too generally.
Stuart laughed in his face.
Don't despair; I'll protect you!" he
encouraged only don't pick another
one under age. That makes it rotten
to handle. That new ones a good
looking kid"
Scott became angry.
Il asked you to leave her out Of thi,
will you please! If she behaves
she's as safe as in Gods pocket"
"As safe as in a den Of lions" re
marked Stuart. He went to the door
As he opened it and went out, he
turned to Scott and said with hard
smile: Your life is just one damr
stenographer after another!"
Scott glared after him for moment
then returned to his desk.
He pressed the button fof Crane.
The bookkeeper entered.
"Where's the girl-the stenogra
pher?" asked Scott Grossly.
I'm very sorry. sir" said Crane
apologetically. but she is quite in
competent"
That's my affair"
but, sir. she cannot take the sim
plest dictation!" persisted Crane.
well teach her. She Is smart
willing girl"
But have taken the liberty. sir
Crane continued, timidly. The re
ports had to be written. There wa,
one woman who didn't get q hearing
very competent woman. sir. yer!
competent"
well, what about herr" snappe,
Scott. "
she Is writing the reports. sir"
What! Who's hiring the he'll
here?" Scott rose to his feet. trans
fixing his underling with a glare O
wrath. you didn't let that girl out?
mo, sir: she Is still In there: bu
Che other ore. sir. she"
y don't want any other one. AS
her In here"
"Yes, sir. thank you. sir"
Thank you"
The new stenoeraphe- entered SLOW
~.
Let's &c: to businesc," said Scot
shortly, reseeting himself at his Ges
and burvow;ng into pile Of letters
sNow, If you'll COM here I'll give yo
some dictation."
Tho girl got her pencil ana pad. an
coming nervously to his desk. "a
down, waiting fer him to begin.