The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1919-06-13
THE SECRETARY
BY MILDRED WHITE.

he great magnate would be unable (,
ave his home his ambitious hear
( luickened In triumph that he had beer
'hosen to carry on in the magnate's
home that successful mans coniiden
tlal work. Conscientiously had John
abOred for promotion in the big con
'ern where he had humbly begun as
office boy. He whistled as merrily
rs 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 large room at its end. This
foon was Mr.. Kennedy's home office.
Before mahogany desk girl arose
TO greet him.
81 am here" she explained, ito take
your dictation. acting as private Sec
I'etary."
AS he unfastened the bag John
Stewart cast a second look at the girl
who was back in the office chair adj
iusting 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
dently.
"I'm not very rapid" she confessed.
II 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 moment? she
begged. 81 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-
pcaling expression in the violet eyes
raised to his which ba11led reproof
The manager leaned back in his
chair and. his, imEpatience, changed to
amusement at the girls own merry
remarks over her failures.
81 wanted to go to business college,"
she lamented, "but 1 had to give 1t
up"
"If your services are satisfactory
otherwise" John suggested, lit might
pay Mr.. Kennedy to spare you for a
term of teaching"
$50 told him." she said, dimple
showing at the corner of her demure
mouth "Mr. Kennedy insists that
suit him very well as l 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
HAY d uISlllCllIstilO1 W illA I1AC nIO
nographer's feelings, which caused
himself much secret embarrassment.
1t required diplomacy to linger after
the few hours daily duty was con-
secretly of some impossibly typed let
ter. which, stamped and ready to mail,
must rot be allowed to reach its des-
tination. John was never permitted
to see his employer, all the confiden
tial business being transacted through
his incapable though trusted stenogra-
pher And it was, strangely enough, !
With a sinking heart that he learned
Of the great mans rapid recovery.
John had sincerely admired his kind
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 centered. John
the oewildering fact
love had found him, love for happily
little creature with VIC
cl eyes anu Il NllltS IlitSii COIol"
AS the desolation of her absence
came upon him John desperately de-
,ided to put his case before her.
Though he knew that she would not
'eturn to her desk that day great
onging came upon him to be in
place at least that had known her
presence.
He rang the bell Of the great house
loor and was admitted by the famil,
ar maid This time she babe him
Wait in the reception hall, and when
he door opened again John gasped in
For it was the little stenog-
'apher who entered-yet surely not
he Stenographer. For though the
;ame violet eyes gazed from beneath
he soft hair the girl who met him
wore velvet gown with real violets .
It her belt. ,,
Miss Lee" he murmured confus- .
dly
Not Miss Lee" she replied, "that is :
merely what l thought best to have .
-ou call me. My name is Lee Ken, :
ledy" She came wlstfully closer.
Will you forgive the deception?
When father was taken i'll l begged :
o he of use to him and he consented.
after all name really makes no diff =.
erence."
FL r. I.