Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-04-11
THE SECRETARY
.
BY MILDRED WHITE.

W0oQ JOnn stewart 1odTu0U That
the great magnate would be unable to
leave his home his ambitious heart
quickened in triumph that he had been
chosen to carry on in the magnate's
home that successful mans confden-
tial work. Conscientiously had John
labored for promotion in the big con-
Germ where he had humbly begun as
Office boy. He whistled as merrily
as that Office boy while he caught up
a bag of business papers and hurried
over to the mansion.
The man who admitted him led the
way down a passage and opened the
door to a large room at its end. This
room was Mr.. Kennedy's home office.
Before a mahogany desk girl arose
to greet him.
II am here" she explained, ito take
your dictation, acting as private sec
rotary"
AS he unfastened the bag John
Stewart cast a second look at the girl
who was back in the Office chair adj
justing her tipping machine. She was
such a slim little creature, the child
ish naturalness of her bearing seem
ing inadequate to the Importance OF
her position. He could not but admire
the simplicity Of her attire, the broad
white turned-down collar giving the
girl an almost boyish air.
From beneath her softly parted hair
she glanced at John Stewart diff
IDENTIFY.
Sim not very rapid" she confessed.
81 hope you think slowly"
.'Begin, please" the chosen one said
calmly, and John began.
Presently, flushed and laughing, she
looked back at him.
"Oh! will you wait noment?' she
begged. IT have to correct another
misspelled word"
John wanted to frown; he desired
very much to tell this happily uncon-
cerned young person that the purpOrt
Of his message was no joking matter,
and that his own heavily pressed time
was not to be squandered. But the
magnate's secretary was not to be
reprimanded; also there was an ap-
pealing expression in the violet eyes
raised to his which baffied reproof.
The manager leaned back in his
chair and his Impotence changed to
amusement at the girls own merry
remarks over her failures.
II wanted to go to business college"
she lamented, "but had to give 1t
up"
sIf your services are satisfactory
otherwise" John suggested, ''it might
pay Mr.. Kennedy to spare you for a
term Of teaching"
$50 told him." she said, a dimple
showing at the corner of her demure
mouth. "Mr. Kennedy insists that I
suit him very well as I am"
The girl must have other valuable
business qualities, John reflected, or
old Kennedy would not be so tolerant.
The young manager grew more toll
Grant too; in fact, he realized in dis
may disinclination to hurt the ste
nographer's feelings, which caused
himself much secret embarrassment.
1t required diplomacy to linger after
the few hours daily duty was con-
summated in order to get possession
secretly of some impossibly typed let
ter, which, stamped and ready to mail,
must not be allowed to reach its des-
tanation. John was never permitted
to see his employer, all the confiden-
tfal business being transacted through
his incapable though trusted stenogra-
pher. And it was, strangely enough,
with sinking heart that he learned
of the great mans rapid recovery.
John had sincerely admired his kind
employer, but his return to the city
office would mean a cessation OF
Johns visits to the home, and these
visits had become the nucleus around
which his daily life conferred. John
acknowledged the bewildering fact
love had found him, love for happily
inconsequent little creature with vio-
let eyes and white linen collar.
AS the desolation Of her absence
came upon him John desperately de-
cided to put his case before her.
Though he knew that she would not
return to her desk that day a great
longing came upon him to be in a
place at least that had known her
presence.
He rang the bell of the great house
door and was admitted by the famil-
lar maid. This time she. babe him
wait in the reception hall, and when
the door opened again John gasped in
surprise. For it was the little stenog-
rapher who entered surely not
the stenographer. For though the
same violet eyes gazed from beneath
the soft hair the girl who met him
wore velvet gown with real violets
at her belt.
s'Miss Lee" he murmured confus-
edly.
''Not Miss Lee she replied, 'that is
merely what / thought best to have
you call me. Ny name is Lee Ken
nedy." She came wistfully closer.
"Will you forgive the deception
When father was taken i'll | begged
to be Of use to him and he consented.
After all a name really makes no diff
ference
John Stewards face was very white.
'Difference!" he breathed, ''it just
makes all the hard difference in the
world to me-"
And as they stood facing each other
with tragic eyes the girl suddenly put
c1,.tI@ a ,11oo Jivor bond