The Washington herald., 1921-05-08

spirits sank still further over the next
definition. "A personal being; a person"
If old Haskins thought he, G. Montgom-
cry. wasn't a personals breath caught
sharply. Here it was. He had been
right after all: Quality of relating to q
particular person. especially disparaging-
ly or rohtilely." TIL, ha! He was getting
at it now. There was no question that
in discussing him Haskins had been both
"disparaging" and hostile" And. yes.
here the rest of it: "as. vulgar per-
sonalty."
Young Gage closed the dictionary with
a deep sigh He decided that his hazy
impression had been correct. but the re-
fection brought him comfort. 1t was
. impossible to settle down to work. As a
cover for his continued abstraction he
seized a pad and pencil. wrote down some
figures. and apparently pored over them
absorbedly. 1t was not his habit to do
this sort of thing. He could not remem-
ber ever having done it before. But he
had had an awful joIt-that was the cold
truth of it. How the deuce could a fell
low get to work right after hearing the
boss say he was colorIess and lacked
personality?
The hand of G. Montgomery Gage crept
toward the dictionary and found the
word "coIorless." Perhaps that would
help him with some example of his ap-
plication to human beings. With alb
sorbed interest his gray eyes followed
the brief definitions:
"COlorless: without color"
Under his breath, but with deep feel
ing. G. Montgomery Gage uttered rude
word A lot of help that sort of thing
gave man. Well. he'd see what color
was His brain reeled as he wrestled
mentally with the information Mr.. Web
ster handed out to him: "A property of
visible phenomena Strictly excluding
black and white paint
pigment a national flag. ensign
outward semblancc, especially such as
hides the real character. E"
Young Gage groaned and hurriedly
turned the groan into a cough Did the
boss want him to hide his real character?
Tone scheme or harmony of color in a
painting. the free use of words"
Gage breathed a little better. He was
using words very freely by this time,
though with the caution necessitated by
his environment. Perhaps, after ALL there
was more color in him than he had real
lied. But the final definition sent him to
the mat:
- Acoustics: timbre: clang."
He sighed again, closed the dictionary
back in his chair. looked around the big
counting room. Was there any one there
who could help him-any one. to put it
briefly who knew more than the die
tionary? Certainly there was more in
the words of the boss than Mr.. Webster
had given him His eyes fell on Bradley,
whose usually smooth brow was knit
into an intricate pattern OF cross stitch
ing as he bent over his work. Clearly
Bradley was annoyed. Gage wondered IL
Bradley had known what the boss meant
Probably not. but he had undoubtedly
beaten Gage to the decision that lay
coiIed in their misunderstanding decis-
ion that Gage not up to the nav job
because he lacked color" and person
ality."
smooth. brown head bent over a desk
across the room. Resting there, they
frightened. Hope Strong was a mighty
intelligent girl. She was confidential
secretary to young Thorne, the junior
member of the firm. 1t was believed in
the office that she did all Thorne's work
and most of his thinking-young Thorne
himself being addicted to golf 1t was
rumored that she read much and that, as
she belonged to prominent but nnan-
cislly reduced family, she moved In su-
perior social circles. Gage rose, crossed
the room to Miss strongs dosk, and,
helping himself~to a chair dropped into
IL with an effect of decision.
Can you spare me a moment" he
asked. rather formally. He was always