Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-24

chair, with his face burning, he was, at
first, unable to reply to either. When
he spoke it was in repressed hard tone.
"I told you," he said, II told you Miss
Conifee had been with me fourteen years
and told you, too, that we had her to
thank for half of our success. What
was trying to find out was could she
hope for little kindness from you SOS
she could look easy at any future. Do
you understand-while Eldreda and you
hAye been setting, sitting, at home read
ing movinS-picture magazines, Miss
Conifee and I were in it with our last
breath keeping roof over your heads
and wondering where we'd all be next
year. She's helped to make every deal
we've pulled out on-those nights was
SO late we were sitting up figuring in
dimes"
A desolating feeling of the uselessness
Of any attempted explanation smothered
his determined effort, and fresh silence
fell upon them.
Don't you give her Christmas
PRESENT." Nanine asked. ~ said don't
you give her a present at Christmas
"Yes," he replied, finally.
"Well them"
"Now, if she was young" Eldreda
spoke speculatively, "if she was young
and beautiful, with violet eyes and
mass of hair gold in the sun, and you
were different if you were
rich and distinguished looking and had
wife that didn't understand you
and your secretary secretly
was the daughter of a man your father
had ruined, who was seeking revenge,
and your wife was in love with-with
man who was plotting to get your
secretary in his power, and-and-well,
if it had any class it would be different"
However did you think of all that,
Eldreda?" her mother demanded. "It's
as good as a picture"
Lewis Beitleman laughed, sorry va
riety of mirth, "Ill tell you what" he
proclaimed to the dark: "I'm going to
bring Miss Conifee right home to supper
and let you see for yourselves"
He was doubtful about the wisdom of
this later. Going to the Office he re-
volved 1t again and again in his mind ;
but, confident that Miss Conifee's splen-
did qualities must be clear even to his
family, he asked her, very formally, to
supper at his home. She was obviously
startled, almost distressed, and in
stinctively she declined the invitation.
Nonsense" he replied, back on his Gus
tomary footing with her, "of course
you'll come. My wife said very par
ticularly." That latter, he felt, since it
was absolutely necessary, was justified.
Well, she'd think; Miss Conifee didn't
have thing suitable to wear; the gray
voile-that was Thursday, and, finally,
it was arranged that she should go out
with Lewis Beitleman, for an evening
at his home, on Monday.
"Isn't it ridiculous we never thought
of this BEFORE" he said to her on the
train.
NEITHER his wife nor Eldreda was
4 visible when, with Miss Conifee, he
reached the porch Of his home. "Nanine," ,"
he called through the open door, "here
we are" There was no answer, and he
was placing Miss Conifee in comfort
able chair when Eldreda appeared. Her
manner, he recognized, was that of the
EarPs daughter greeting the faithful
retainers from the castle terrace--there
was quick smile, widening of the
notable eyes, followed by a congealing
Of every human aspect.
Lewis Beitlemap knew ,&his posture
well. and II specially irritatH him. Z
Mamma she said, ahat touch Of