The Press., 1919-04-03

living room. But male stenographets were simply not to be had. There was still the idea of sharing the apartment left, and simply because 1t was the only possible solution Brad- ley decided he would have to marry his stenographer and share his quarters with her or make a stenographer of a wife. He had come home to decide the best method of procedure. He drew a coin from his pocket and then Tipped 1t and leaned over to see how fate had decided for him.
 He had settled that if it came up heads he would ask Molly Drew in his home town to consider the proposition. She wasn't a stenographer, but she had learned to type in school and she could take care of his correspondence.
 He f1attered himself that the idea of becoming Mrs. Blake might not be en- tirely distasteful to her. The coin came up tails. That meant that he should make his selection according to the ability of the young woman as a secretary, and then, somehow, throw in the marrying idea. Yes, the coin had come up tails; but after Bradley had pocketed 1t again he decided to ask Molly Drew, anyway.
 That is why he took the eleven o'clock train back to the home town and by nine o'clock the next morning had telephoned to Molly to tell her that he had something important to say to her. By ten he was at the Drew house Then he and Molly started walking in the autumn air.
 It was very difficult to say what he had to say in tactful way, and per haps he bungled it. At any rate, ten minutes after he had begun with, Molly, I have something important to ask you," he realized that he was walk ing beside a rather irate young wom- an, who kept her face turned from him and he was making silent VOWS to himself that after that he would obey the dictates of Tipped coin.
 "You never thought of asking me be- fore" he remembered that she had said. 'Now that I can be of use to you, now that can earn my own living and help you besides, you ask me-"
 Bradford took the afternoon train back to Hilton, and, on the train, at first tried to dodge and then rather welcomed the society of Maud Gaston, an old schOolmate of his. She was going to Hilton. She had heard that there were all sorts of rare opI,'rt,lni- ties there for stenographers, and she was tired to death of earning her pal try fifteen a week in her uncle's law office. So she had packed her belong ings and was running off to Hilton and would let the people back home know us soon as she reached there. Brad ford listened attentively, and from time to time looked with considerable stead mess at Maud's well-formed features. She wasn't at all bad looking, and he had heard that she was rattling good stenOgrapher. Then she asked him if he could help her get job. It was apparently his cue. The fates had sent 1t.
 'I know there are jobs enough" he said. ''In fact, I have a job in mind. It pays pretty we'll, but-well, that is. the pay wouldn't be of the slightest importance. Of course, you under stand that-and, and you would know that I had long been, been-you know, Maud, we used to be mighty good pals in school, didn't wei"
 The car was rumbling noisily, and perhaps Maud did not hear all of Brad fords incoherent remarks. At any rate, she evinced no concern for his sanity, but when they left she told him cheerfully that when he got ready to