Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-05

mean tnIl SiarlNOyle o0Iue'tt
mean the strenuous life. They ar:
left to me on the conditions that
am my own house-agent, that I run
them myself. I've got to interview
proposed tenants. examine their stand
ing, their references and their leases;
I've got to see to all matters con-
nected with the upkeep of the Gar
dens. estimates. and contracts for re-
pairs. I've got to run those Gardens
ever so much more than my uncle
did himself"
Good. Excellent" cried Jack.
And l thought you were my
friend" 1 said again reproachfully.
do you all the good In the world y
said Jack. And II YOU fail to fulfil
the conditions. you lose the proper
ty?"
mo. that's where my uncle had
mo. There's no such provision. II
accept the bequest. It's left entirely
to my honor to fulfil the conditions
fuses twenty-five thousand year."
Hardly" said Jack.
Besides, I want money. It's been
the deuce Of a job to keep up the
title on Ave thousand a year: ana
hate having to let Garth Royal to
that Hamburg money lender"
Yes: that certainly is nuisance"
said Jack.
But taking the Gardens on these
los-round my neck for the rest OF
my life. I can't go of to the states
for six months. as did last year. !
can't go shooting in Uganda again.
not for long enough to be worth
while. You see. my uncle has shown
such utter confidence in me that
can't go back on him. Hard labor
is what it means for me-
You'll soon get used to work" said
Jack
shook my head. I'm very doubt
full about that" I said. Mine 10 an
untrammeled spirit. And there Is al
10 a terrible danger attached to the
bequest. My uncle's last words in the
document containing these conditions
were that he was sure should grow
as fond OF the Gardens as he waa
himself. That would be awful. It's
terrible danger. I might grow to talk
Of nothing else choke off my friends
one by one by boring them about tho
Gardens. and bring myself to an OLD
ago Of lonely desolation. Think OF ft!'
II can't" said Jack.
We'll. you see how things are: I'm
one Of the workers Of the world-in
for the strenuous life of the house.
agent. Now. what I want Is a right
hand man. I want you. I'll give you
q thousand year, and you'll give me
all the time you can spare from the
Bar"
Jacks eyes opened wide; and they
shone. He did brilliant things at OK
ford; but that period had como to an
end. and he was now in his oriehess
up. Then his face fell and he shook
his head
MY good Garth. It's very nice Of
you to make this offer. but It's absurd.
You can get clerk for q hundred
and fifty a year who will give you all
hi. time and do everything for you"
You're wrong" I said. "A clerk
can't do what want. want some
one to teach mo the work-to explain
everything to me from the beginning.
patiently. And above all want some
one to keep me up to my work. That's 8
the important thing. No clerk would
the trouble. You're the only man who
can really help me to carry out my
uncle's wishes: and must have you.
It's settled There's nothing more to
be said about IT.
Jack seemed to think that there
was more to be said about it: and he
said it for nearly an hour. But since
I was doomed to the strenuous life. I
thought might as we'll begin; and
I was strenuous with him. In fact.
wore him down to a compromise. He
agreed to become my right-hand man
on salary Of Ave hundred q year;
The next day I fully realized that
had burned my boats-for the first
time in my life had an occupation.
I settled down to prepare for 1t
gloomily. I moved from Mount street
to my uncle's house in Garthoyle Gar
dens Number 1s. AZ I have said, the
Gardens are triangle Of twenty-one
houses, seven houses on either side,
and seven at the base. They look on
triangular garden in tho middle. Of
have the USE Number 18 is in the
center Of the base Of the triangle; and
It affords good view Of the whole Of
it. My uncle had made the library on
the first floor his watch-tower: and I
am sorry to say that he carried his
vigilance to the point Of having two
pairs Of extremely powerful field
glasses on q little table beside the win
dow at which he used to sit. I SAY
that am sorry. because when pick
ed UP the largest pair and turned
lHelil Oh 1SuuoeF u, not OuIy got q
perfect view Of the Ludcingtons at
lunch, but also I got a perfect view
OF their being acrimonious with one
another. It Is hardly fair that one
should know SO much about ones ten
ants.
It was quite plain to me that to be a
real house-agent I must have an Of
fee: and It was also quite plain that
it must be in the house, 30 that
could always step into 1t without hav-
ing to make tresome journey. /
decided that would rot use tine lib
rary. az my uncle had done. but that
ground-foor. looking out on the gar
den at the back Of the house. as q
complete Office with desks, pigeon
! holes and q. safe. 7 dit not bother
. Jack about this; was paying him TO.
legal heip. I motored up into Oxford
stree: and along 1t TIL found q like
ly looking shop. and there I ordered
everything that seemed right When
the room had been fitted up, had ali
the books and documents connected
with the Gardens moved into 1t from
gett. who had acted as my uncles
house-agents.
When they had all been brought in
and put ddily away. and at last stood
in my own complete office, had 2
proud sense Of being truly one Of the
workers of the world Then it oc-
| CURED to me that needed some one
to work tho typewriter: I could not
do 1t myself-not properly. / tried.
Jack told me the best way to X
some one was to advertise; and ~
vertised for lady-typist. stenogra
pher and bookkeeper, as he suggest
cd. But ho was not at hand whan
wrote out that advertisement, and VIC
had not discussed the question of sal
ary. Therefore offered three zuineas
q week, which seemed to me fair tc
begin with. I got my first experience
Of what q hard life a house-a9ent'a IL