The Belding banner-news., 1920-03-03

you will acceptf I'm afraid don't
mean to be unkind. but we may AZ
well be franklin afraid you won't
need help very long,"
Merton answered as one who has
made up his mind to the inevitable,
and Dave thought better Of him. This
little wreck Of a man--this child In
business matters-could look death In
the face without q culver.
'Not so long," he said. II felt ever
so much hetter when / came here
first: thought was really going to
be well again. But when found what
a mistake had made began to wor-
ry, not for myself, you know. but the
boy, and worry is just what my
trouble lives on. have been work
Ing little, and boarding out, and the
boy Is going to school. But can't do
heavy work, and work oe any kind is
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 inwardly cursing
system which made such conditions
possible. Society protects the phys
ically weak from the physically
strong; the physical highwayman usu-
ally gets his deserts; but the mental
highwayman preys upon the weak and
the inexperienced and the unorganized,
and Society votes him good citizen
and a success.
II had pIan." Merton continued,
half apologetically. as though his plan
did him little credit-"T had a plan.
but 1t can't be worked out. I have
been trying to raise a little money on
my lots, but 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"
II thought" said Merton timidly-
81 thought IL l could build little
shack on the lots / could live there
with the boy and we could raise a
very fine garden. The soil is very fer
tile and at least we should not starve.
And the gardening would be good for
me, and 1 could perhaps keep some
chickens and work out at odd jobs as
well. But it takes money TO build
even a very small shack"
"How much money!" demanded
Dave.
IF I had hundred dollars"
Bring your title to me tomorrow ;
to me personally, you understand. I'll
advance you five hundred dollars"
Merton sprang up, and there was
more enthusiasm in his eyes than had
seemed possible. 'You will? But !
don't need that much"
''Then use the surplus to live on"
So the Merton affair was straight
ened away In a manner which left
Dave more at peace with his con-
science. But another event. much
more dramatic and far-reaching In its
effects upon his life, was already ripe
for the enacting.
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 sociability
due TO their long-standing friendship
hurt him more than the abuse of all
his irate patrons.
Business conditions had necessitated
unwonted economy In the Office affairs
of Coward & Elden. as a result of
which many old employees had been
laid off and others had been replaced
by cheaper and less experienced labor.
Stenographers who had been receiving
hundred dollars month could not
readily bring themselves to accept
/ fifty. and some of them had to make
way for new girls, fresh from the bust
ness colleges. Such new girl was
Gladys Wardin-pretty, likable, mex.
perienced. Her country home had
offered no answer to her ambitions
nnd she had come to the city with
the most dangerous equipment a young
woman can carry-an attractive face
and an unsophisticated confidence In
the goodness of humanity. Coward
had been responsible for her position
in the Office, and Dave had given little
thought to her except to note that she
was willing worker and of comely
appearance.
Returning to the office one Saturday
evening Dave found Miss Wardin max
ing up bundle Of paper. pencils and
carbon paper. She was evidently In
high spirits, and he smilingly asked
II she intended working at home over
\ Sunday.
"Oh. didn't Mr.. Coward tell your
she answered. as though surprised that
tTo BE &C NTINUEDJ