Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-12
Too Much Efficiency
by j. E. Rath.

Avenue shops that resemble nothing
SO much as a palatial private home.
Half an hour later, truly dazed, Con
stance emerged with a silver fox Skin
around her neck and great muff that
matched it. Furtively she pinched her
self to make sure 1t was not fantasy
of the brain.
What it cost she had not the least
idea; t was a matter between the
efficiency man and the furrier. While
'she knew it was splendid triumph
for the campaign. she was somewhat
troubled about it. She wondered II
there was counter campaign under
way, conducted by H. Hedge. She
made a. mental memorandum to be
careful watchful. always cautious.
ITS five o'clock" announced the ef
fciency man. Shall we drive in the
park or take tea?"
You decide she murmured.
We'll drive"
II would have seemed logical, after
his amazing afternoons record. that
the efficiency man should be in gay
and trifling mood. He was not. He in
dulged in long silences. broken only by
monosyllables. yet marked by frequent
and disconcerting inspections of Con.
stance. Sometimes he glowered at the
bundles on the front seat. There was
something grim in his mood.
Once he turned to her abruptly and
said almost sharply:
Il wish you would wear blue more
frequently"
Constance widened her eyes, then
stsmmered:
"Wh-why?'
Suits you"
"And-and do you like 1t, Mr.
Hedge?"
He did not appear to hear. having
relapsed into another of his silences.
The number OF parcels which were
removed from the car as it stopped at
last in front of the Brooke mansion
caused Horace to display surprise
that is inexcusable in any experienced
butler H. Hedge did not notice this,
however
He walked directly to the library
and began going through the after
noon mail. Constance hurried to hef
rooms, where she soon had Matilda
bringing out for inspection every din.
ner gown that she possessed
She chose blue one.
The efficiency man had little to say
during the evening meal He did not
fail to observe the gown, but he made
no comment. as Constance rather hop
ed he would. He was unnaturally pre-
occupied, so that he forgot to tell
Horace that he took seven unneces-
tofa {,,
board to the table.
In the library, after dinner, Hedge
was so unsociable that Constance pres
emily drifted into the MUSHROOM,
where she played for an hour or SO.
The efficiency man sat at the big desk
working furiously over books and re-
ports. He did not once send for his sec
rotary.
When finally he reached the matter
of accounts he took his memorandum.
book from his pocket and began n
swift tabulation.
The result astonished him so that he
checked 1t up twice, only to become
annoyed at the time wasted In verify
ing simple sum In addition.
ECONOMY. just the same" he NUT
tered. scowling at the figures. 1T was
a matter Of need. made that perfectly
clear to her. There is no possibility
that she misunderstood If find she
did I'll not fail to make 1t absolutely
plain
He chewed an unlightel cigar for
several minutes. still scowling,
Its just possible she got the idea
he said, "that moaey was being spent
in the same old reckless fashion. She
won't have 1t long. I'll get It out of her
head. I'll do 1t now!"
He arose with decision and strobe
across the hall in the direction OF the
mushroom.
Constance was still sitting at the
piano. her back toward him. The ef-
ficiency man halted on the threshold.
listening and watching She was quite
unconscious Of his presence. What she
played he did not know. 1t was altern-
ately lively and melancholy.
Her body swayed slightly with the
music. rhythmicaliy. buoyantly, some
times droopingly. although he did not
know it. Then. after little. as the
music began to quaver and die away,
the eff cheney man turned noiselessly
and tiptoed back to the library.
''Ill tell her tomorrow" he said.