The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-28

ranged it, To-day 1 am just studying
! the room and taking measures. PER-
haps you cannot see it, but there are
actually possibilities even in an ugly
place like this
Mr.. Tracy would have explained, as
he at first intended to do that he con-
sfdered her presence an intrusion;
that his office was quite satisfactory
as it was and that he would see Mr..
Tildenham about having her work dis
continued had it not been that as she
had turned to make her explanation
she had leveled upon him eyes as blue
as sapphires appealing, self
confident and young. So he simply
followed the example of the office boy
and for the next five minutes stood
rather vacantly following the opera
tions of the girl on the ladder.
Then he sat down at his desk, rang
for his grapher-there were no
women stenographers at Tildenham's
and tried to concentrate his atten-
ton on answering the days mail But
the girl on the ladder proved more
| engrossing and Morgan Tracy, usually
answering in his power of concen-
tration, had to abandon that task till
another day.
All of the time the girl welded
yardstick, taking notes the while in a
red leather note book that hung from
a cord at her waist Quite clearly
she was having no difficulty in con-
done and she left with the explanation
| to Mr.. Tracy that she would resume
her work before his arrival the next
morning.
And Mr.. Tracy" she said by way of
parting, ''as you usually lock your
desk at night, l must ask you to leave
the key with the cashier on your way
out tonight, so that when l come in
the morning 1 can have everything
| moved from this desk to the new one
a m n
transformation over night. When you
come in at nine I think everything
will be done"
| Morgan Tracy, in all his fifteen
years office exerience in the house of
Tildenham & CO., had never been
spoken to with such cool disregard for
that intangible something in his ma
ture that made those who came in
contact with him instinctively show
Difference to his habits and whims
She was going to cnange the entire
appearance of his office, she was go
ing to come in contact with the papers
in his desk and she had not even
asked his permission.
Morgan Tracy meant to object
strongly. But again he caught the
sapphire blue of her eyes and merely
looked annoyed. He babe her good
evening and went home. Still. he felt
that he had been rude to her. He
recalled the picture of the girl as he
the grace with which she had welded
the yard stick, the bright golden
bronze highlightS on her hair as she
stood before the window, delightfully."-
oblivious of the fact that she was
keeping the light from his range of
vision-and instead of feeling resent
ment at her intrusion he felt as if he
owed her an apology.
So it was that when, just as Miss
Grey had returned from hasty din
ner in nearby restaurant and was
busy directing the paper hangers in
their hurried task of redecorating the
office and at the same time unpacking
a case full of small office furnishings
that had been sent by special mes
senger from an uptown furniture
dealers, Mr.. Tracy appeared on the
scene But it was Mr.. Tracy without
his usual dictatorial manner.
81 didn't like the idea of having you
here alone in this deserted office" he
said. $50 I have come to wait here
till you are through and, if you will
permit it and have no other escort, to
take you to your home" -.' - g
Miss Grey did not attempt to con-
ceal her obvious satisfaction at this
courtesy. You are very good" she
said, and then, holding up some of the
treasures from the case she was I'M
packing: See, Mr.. Tracy, isn't this
a better wall calendar than that
dreadful colored Autograph of a fire
that you had from the insurance COM
pany? These brown tones will go
very well with the new paper and it
is certainly businesslike and quite
large enough, 1 am sure. And these
new brown blotters will be a relief to
you after those frightfuI pink ones.
know you can't get them at downtown
dealers, but 1t is worth the difference
to have to order them specially And
then 1 ordered some bronze desk fit
tings that will be SO much better than
those frightful pressed glass and
cheap brass things
But Tracy did not heed very closely
what she was saying-he was only
wondering and marve1ing at the mu-
steal quality of her voice and asking
himself whether eyes had ever before
been so blue.
That night when he escorted her
home she insisted on being left at the
corner. She had not permitted him
to take her home in a taxi, and now
she was not even going to let him
know where she lived The next
morning Mr.. Tracy found her at in
his office. The change was marvellous.
From dull, uninteresting room, de-
void of character, it had been trans
formed to a room of distinction-not
in the least less businesslike and man
/; ~ because it had been moulded under
the trained eye and skillful hand of a
woman
81 never knew in what a wilderness
1 had lived before" he admitted. 81
really do not think I have such afro
cious taste. I always knew that my
| office was uncouth l disliked that
fire insurance calendar as much as
you did. But L didn't know how to
change it. It's the same way with my
apartment. 1 have spent enough
money on it and still it doesn't satisfy
me. Perhaps you would undertake TO
transform that, too-unless you con-
fine YOUR skill to offices"
Miss Grey laughed in a way that
was tanta1izing and simply said: per
. haps." Then she got into her coat and
adjusted her hat at the mirror that
, hung in screened corner of the new
. ly arranged office.
Just at present" she said, Tets go
and see Mr.. Tildenham. He was ex-
| nected in this morning L heIie,,a