The state herald., 1920-03-05


CUISINES. .i.at,ers--cuuid look death In
the face without CULVER.
mot so long" he said. II felt ever
so much better when I came here
first; I thought I was really going to
be well again. But when found what
mistake I had made I began to wor-
ry, not for myself, you know, but the
boy, and worry Is just what my
trouble lives on. I have been work.
ing little. and boarding out, and the
boy Is going to school. But can't do
heavy work. and work OF any kind In
hard to get. find can't keep going
that way"
Merton looked with dreamy eyes
through the office window, while Dave
was turning over the hopelessness Of
his position and inwartlly cursing q
system which made such conditions
possible. Society protects the phys
ically weak from tha physically
strong; the physical hIghwayman usu-
ally gets his deserts; but the mental
highwayman preys upon the weak and
the inexperienced and the unorganIxed,
and Society votes him n good citizen
and u success.
II had plan." Merton continued.
half apologetically, as though his plan \
did him little credlt-"I had plan,
but 1t can't be worked out. ! have
been trying to raise little money on
my lots. hut the mortgage people Just
look Mt me-"
What Is your plan?" said Dave
kindly. ANY plan. no matter how
bad, Is always better than no plan."I
II thought" said Merton timldly-I
II thought II could build a lIttleI
shack on the lots l could live there
with the boy and we could raise a
very fine garden. The soil Ia very fer
tile and at least we should not starve.
And the gardening would be good for
me. and ] could perhaps keep some
chickens and work out at odd Jobs as
well. But It takes money to build
even q very small shack"
How much money! demanded
Dave.
IF I had 4 hundred dollars
Bring your title to me tomorrow;
to me personally. you understand. m
advance you i've hundred dollars"
Merton sprang up, and there was
more enthusiasm In his eyes than had
seemed possible. "You Wilt But
don't need that much"
Then use the surplus to live on"
So the Merton affuir wus straight.
ened away In q manner which left
Dave more at peace with his con.
science. But another event. much
more dramatic and far.reachlng In its
effects upon his life. was already ripe
for the enacting.
There were cases that could not
be turned away with a sharp answer.
Bert Morrison. for instance. Bert had
never mentioned her Investment
since the occasion already recorded.
She greeted Dave with the socIabiiity
due to their long-stnnding friendship;
md her calm avoidance OF the subject
hurt him more than the abuse 0f all
his irnte patrons.
Business conditions hnd necessItated
unwontcd economy In the office affairs
of Coward 4 Eldcn. as result Of
which many old employees had been
laid on and others had been replaced
by cheaper and less experienced labor.
Stenogrnphers who had been receiving
n hundred dollars month could not
readily bring themselves 10 accept
fifty. and some OF them had to make
way for new girls. fresh from the bust.
ness colleges. Such a new girl was
Gladys WardIn-pretty. lIkabie. inex.
perienced. Her country home had
offered no answer 10 her ambitions,
and she had come TO the city with
the most dangerous equipment young
woman can cnrry--an attractive face
and an unsophlstlcnted confidence In
the goodness Of humanity. Coward
had been responsible for her position
In the Office. and Dave hnd given little
thought to her except TO note that she
was willing worker and OF comeiy
appearance.
Returning to the once one Saturday
evening Dave found Miss Wsrdin mak.
Ing up bundle Of paper. pencils ind
carbon paper. She wns evidently In
high spirits. and he smiiingiy asked
u she Intended working at home over
Sunday.
"Oh. didn't NJ. Coward tell your"
she answered. - though surprised thu,
the good news had been kept . secret
He Is to spend day or two at one
Of the mountain hotels. and am to 60
along TO do his correspondence. Isn't
Il Just lovely, have so wanted to 20
to the mouninlns. but never felt that
] could afford II. And now can com.
binc business with pleasure"
The smile died out Of Dawes eyes.
and his face became more set and
stern than she had ever seen II.
"why. what's the matter. Mr.. III.
dcnf' she exclaimed. "Is anything
wrongi"
He found II hard TO meet her frank.
unsuspectIng eyes: hard TO drnw back
the curtains Of the world 30 much that