, 1919-01-02

mliieo mat II the paper coul0 De maze
entirely woman-run. the achievement
would be so novel that the Banner
would Immediately become a paper Of
nationwide distinction. Feminists
would be eager for 1t, 1t would be
watched and quoted, and even joked
about, but all that would help the cir
culation and the advertising. If Mr..
Fordyce looked favorably on the prop
osition. would he please discharge the
managing editor?
The young woman who was now the
city editor was really qualified for the
Job. The few remaining males who
now worked as office boys and ship
ping clerks could be easily replaced by
women and a new era would open for
the Banner-the Banner would become
famous the world over as a paper run
entirely by women.
Bennett Stokes read the letter twice,
then he looked ~intently at the begrimed
ceiling of his office and lighted his
pipe. Then he laughed a little grimly.
replaced the letter in its tori envelope,
put 1t in his pocket and stepped quiet
ly to the door. opened it and looked
first to the left then to the right. At
the right he encountered the eyes Of
Olive Claggett standing a few feet
away.
II couldn't help but see," she said.
MIR. Stokes. / didn't believe you were
capable of doing such a thing"
Then with a sudden courageousness
Bennett blocked the passage as Olive
tried to force her way by.
Good night" she said. Il hope when
you are quite through with Mr.. For
dyce's letter you will forward it to
him." BY this time Bennett had two
strong hands on Olives wrists and was
guiding her in spite of herself into the
room. Ee closed the doo behind them
and ordered her rather than asked her
to take a chair.
"Tm not going to discuss the letter
now" he said. 1.-THE ideas a good one,
but I'm thinking about something else.
Ever since you've been here, Miss Clag-
gett, you have avoided me and have
made me feel that you bore me a
grudge-and the funny thing is that
I've been e%uriously drawn to you. It's
one of those things that a man can't
help-that sort Of foreordained witch
cry of one woman. I'm not blaming
you-heaven knows you nave fought
against exerting 1t If you ever were
aware that you had 1t. I'm simply ask
Ing you to tell me the cause for your
antipathy."
But 1t wasn't my idea to ask for
your resignation" Olive said. In spite
of herself she felt hot tears yelling
into her eyes. "I shall miss you very,
very much-more than you can pos
sibly know. l wrote the letter because
l was delegated to do so. and l knew
my duty was first by the Banner. Be-
sides, there are bigger things for you
to do" And then the business mana
ger broke down completely, and, bury
ing her face first on the side of Ben
nett's desk and then, as he gently
raised it on the rough exterior Of the
shoulder of the editorial Office coat. she
said exactly what she had determined
v to admit-that she herself felt
a strange and compelling attraction to
Bennett.
And when that sort of attraction is
mutual there is only one thing to do"
Bennett was saying. There is no
longer any question as to the success
of the marriage"
There was a knock on the editorial
door and the voice of the city editor.
suggested as Benefits successor,c called
in impatient syllabIes: solve. 1
thought you were coming"
Olive quickly rose to go. with a look
Of a guilty schoolgirl.
"But what shall I tell them-about
Mr.. Fordyce and the letter."
"Oh, they might as well know" he
said. I'm Mr.. Fordyce. Running small
town papers is a foolish fad of mine.
Yes, tell them they Gun have 1t and
good luck to them--but they must
name a new business manager"