Middletown transcript., 1918-05-04


upon his stenographer now and then.
When she was seated, Bush took up
a sheaf of letters. and dictated replies.
Though rapid, his enunciati0n was per-
fectly clear, and Hazel found herself
getting his words with greater ease
than she expected.
That's oil, Miss Weir" ne said.
when he reached the last letter. Bring
those in for verificati0n and signature
as soon as you can get them done"
In the course of time she completed
the letters and took them back. Bush
glanced over each. and appended his
signature.
That's all, Miss Weir" he said po-
litely. "Thank you"
And Hazel went back to her ma
chine, wondering why she had been
requested to do those letters when
Nelly Morrison had nothing better to
do than sit picking at her type faces
with a toothpick.
She learned the significance of it the
next morning. however. when the Of
flee boy told her that she was wanted
by Mr.. Bush. This time when she en-
tered Nelly Morrison's place was va
cant. Bush was going through his
mail. He waved her to chair.
"Just minute" he said.
Presently he wheeled from the desk
and regarded her with disconcerting
frankness-as If he were appraising
her. point by point. so to speak.
-ah-dictation to you yesterday
was in the nature of try-out, Miss
Weir" he finally volunteered. Miss
Morrison has asked to be transferred
to our Midland branch. Mr.. Allan
recommended you. The work will not
be hard, but l must have someone de-
pendable and discreet, and careful to
avoid errors. l think you will manage
it very nicely if yOu-ah-have no OBJ
lection to giving up the more general
work of the Office for this. The salary
will be considerably more"
IF you consider that my work will
be satisfactory" Miss Weir began.
II don't think there's any doubt on
that score. You have a good record in
the Office" he interrupted smilingly.
"Now let us get to work and clean up
this correspondence"
Thus her new duties began. There
was an air of quiet in the private Of
fee, greater luxury of appointment,
which suited Miss Hazel Weir to
nicely. The work was no more diff
cult than she had been accustomed to
more exacting in attention to detail,
and necessarily more confidential. for
Mr.. Andrew Bush had his finger tips
on the pulsing heart of big business.
The size Of the check which Hazel
received in her weekly envelope was
increased far beyond her expectations.
Nelly Morrison had drawn twenty dol
lars week. Miss Hazel Weir drew
twenty-five substantial increase
over what she had received in the ship
ping department. With that extra
money there were plenty of little
things she could get for the home she
and Jack Barrow had planned.
Things moved along in routine chan
nels for two months or more before
Hazel became actively aware that
subtle change was growing manifest in
the ordinary manner of Mr.. Andrew
Bush. She shrugged her shoulders at
the idea at first. But she was wOm-
an moreover, q woman of intelligence,
her perceptive faculties naturally
keen.
The first symptom was flowers, dain-
ty bouquets Of which began to appear
on his desk. Coincident with this Mr..
Bush evinced an inclination to drift
into talk on subjects nowise related
to business. Hazel accepted the trib-
ute to her sex reluctantly, giving him
no encouragement to overstep the nor
NAL bounds of cordiality. She was alb
sOlutely sure of herself and of her love
for Jack Barrow. Furthermore, Mr..
Andrew Bush, though well preserved,
was drawing close to f1fty-and she was
twenty-five. That in itself treasured
her.
Thus the third month Of her tenure
drifted by, and beyond the telltale
glances aforesaid, Mr.. Bush remained
tentatively friendly and nothing more.
Hazel spent her Sundays as she had
spent them for year past-with Jack
Barrow; sometimes rambling afoot in
the country or in the park, sometimes
indulging in the luxury of a hired
buggy for drive.
But Mr.. Bush took her breath away
ut tim and in q manner totally I'M
expected. He finished debating a
batch of letters one afternoon, and sat
tapping on his desk with a pencil. Ha-
eel waited second or two, expecting
him to continue, her eyes on her notes,
and at the unbrOken silence she looked
up, to find him staring fixedly at her.
There was no mistaking the express
sion on his face. Hazel flushed and
shrank back involuntarily. She had
hoped to avoid that. It could not be
anything but unpleasant.
She had small chance to indulge In
reflection, for at her first self-conscious
move he reached swiftly and caught
her hand.
"Hazel," he said bluntly, will you
marry met"
Miss Weir gasped. Coming without
warning, it dumfounded her. And
while her first natural impulse was
to answer q blunt NO." she was flus-
tered, and so took refuge behind
show of dignity.
"Mr. Bush!" she protested, and tried
to release her hand.
But Mr.. Bush had no intention of
allowing her to do that.
"Tm in deadly earnest" he said.