The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-09-30
Wins a Raise and
a Bride
Bv DOROTHY WHITCOMB
%. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)

"Lovingly,' did you say. Mr..
StevensY' she asked in surprise.
Surely you are not going to write
that to the Anderson Iron Foundry"
John P. Stevens took the slim white
hand which Miss Keith had laid upon
the back of her chair and pressed 1t
between his own. mo, my dear. 1
meant it for you," he said. END the
letter in the usual way"
Miss Keith smiled and hammered
out the letter upon her typewriter in
a couple Of minutes.
"One moment, Lucy" said Stevens.
"What would you say to a little sup
per somewhere tonight? I've a couple
Of theater tickets which might come
in handy afterward."
Miss Keith shook her head deter
minedly. II couldn't" she answered.
"Why not?" demanded the a
blandly.
Somebody might see us together
who-who-"
"Yes?"
"Who knows your wife"
my wife," said Stevens, "has not
seen me for nearly a year and
wouldn't care. During five years
of welded life l think l can say that
she has thoroughly tired of me. Come,
Lucy, what's the odds" he continued.
He saw the agitation which she
could not hide. Her hands were
trembling as she put on her hat. "Out-
side the Hotel Sheffield at severn" he
whispered, and she nodded hastily and
hurried away.
Six months before, when she had
come to work for him In her first po-
sition, she had been a prim, innocent
eyed country girl Of whom he had
been almost afraid. Somehow she re-
minded him of Mary, his wife, who
had left him not long before when she
had discovered certain matters in his
life. Yet he had really loved Mary.
Perhaps If he had gone humbly to her
. He puffed Out a cloud Of
smoke. Well, for all his money he
was down and out so far as decent
friendships were concerned. All their
friends had sided with Mary. Stevens
had been through a whirl Of dissipa-
ton since that time.
Stevens looked up to see his book
keeper, Henry Austin, standing at the
door of his private Office. The young
fellow had been in his employment
some two years; he worked, for a pit
lance Of eighty dollars a month, in the
dimly lighted stock % at the Op-
posite end of the floor.
"Well, Austin, what is it," he asked.
II want to give you a weeks notice
to leave, Mr.. Stevens" answered the
young fellow.
"Want your salary raised?" asked
Stevens.
mo, sir, it isn't that. I'm perfectly
satisfied"
"Best tell me what's the trouble
Stevens said.
II WILL" Austin blurted out. "If
you were my own size and willing to
fight I'd just about kill you. Miss
Keith and I were-we were going to
be married as soon as l got a raise to
fifty. She's from my home town. And
now-yOu-"
$50 that's the trouble, ehY" said
Stevens, nodding Understandings.
"You think I've cut you out in her
affections, eh? Why, didn't you know
that Pm married?"
Eyes, damn you," shouted Austin
"Ill get out this evening"
mo you won't, AUSTIN" said Ste
vens, with sudden emphasis. Nov
way; do you think she'd marry you
Do you think that if l raised you to
well, a hundred, say, you'd be mar
enough not to be satisfied with every
thing and to keep her at home to lool
after your house, and to try to make
something Of yourself?"
Austin stared at him, his lips slight
ly parted, astounded by this unex
pected turn.
my son." said the manufacturer
you blame me-but that's wher,
you're wrong. Here's your chance
will you take it?"
"You bet l WILL" answered the book
keeper breathlessly.
Stevens tOok a street car up to tn
rendezvous and waited inside he he
tel.
He saw his stenographer's trim fe
ure pass slowly before the revolving
glass door, and, throwing his cigar
he went outside.
"Good evening, Miss Keith" h
said, raising his hat. Run ava
home, little GIN" he said. "Tv
changed my mind. And say" he cor
tinued, "you needn't report to me tt
morrow OF ever again. I'm going t
get a business woman for my ster
ographer next time, and not you
kind"
He turned and left her, speeches
with Indignation. He e back int
the hotel and sat for a long time i
the smoking His features ha
softened out of their habitual har
lines.
II WONDER" he said meditativel,
II wonder if Mary would give me al
other chance?"
Maybe Not.