Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-24
Third of q Series of Short Stories ON Morrit
By the Best American <x

sitting beyond the arm extension Of his
desk, listening, as usual, with her gaze
concentrated on a pencil turning in her
thin fingers, he had been half conscious
Of something disturbing in her appear
ance This impression had left him, been
absorbed in the immediate subject Of his
address, but it had returned in time for
him to bring her to a stop at the door.
"Miss Conifee," he said.
She came halfway back, her brow
marked by query in which there was
a trace of impatience. What I wanted
to say was--' he began; but this dis
pleased him. 81 was thinking lately
he went ahead more directly. chat
you've had too much to do. Now this
last matter is disposed of, you might as
we'll take rest. The shores nice late
In May: you'd better run down for a
week or So"
"But this last isn't done,' she replied.
sharply: 1--WE don't know as we can get
q leather that will suit our purpose; the
prices'll have to be lower than any we're
quoted on frst-class material; and we
amt right certain how many jobs 1t
would take to bring US out"
"Details" he replied, dismissing them
with a waved hand. "No. I'm set on
you getting rest. You've been going it
too hard at the Office again."
A slightly deepened color answered
his solicitude. "No more than usual
she answered him. II can take day
or two later. when things are fixed" In
reply he asked how her mother was.
"well enough" she replied almost de-
family.
"You work yourself to death for me
here, and the same at home for your
mother" Lewis Beitleman grew excited,
angry. "The fact is" he exclaimed.
''that you ought to have an interest in
this Office. If the world was run right
you would have, too; you'd own so per
cent of this business today. 1t would
have been nothing without you" She
tried to stop his speech, but it swept her
rernonstrance aside. you've been with
me fourteen years in all; and, since
Swope died, you and me have been 1t.
You've seen it come right along from
. half-dead carriage repository to a
pretty lively little automobile accessory
concern. You brought it up as much as
any one, that's what you did; yes, sir,
and more. You gave it taste, you gave
our Jobs tone; and that's what sold them.
And now won't have you working
family"
Suddenly Lewis Beitleman's energy
suffered a collapse. II want you to take
a holiday" he added impotently.
"Is that all, Mr.. Beitleman?" she de-
manded.
He wouldn't answer her nor glance up,
and, after a moment, he heard the soft
impact Of the door. "Hell," he swore,
silently fidgeting. All that he had said
to Miss Conifee was true; 1t was. rather
than an exaggeration, an underestimate.
She had been invaluable. AS it was in
the last year-the worst Of years-he
had made $4,000. This year, and it
was only May, it was clear that the
profits would be sixteen or better. Or
better! Miss Conifee, that was the
answer.
He wondered how old she was-near
to forty, certainly, not good-looking
woman, nothing like as pretty as Nanine,
his wife, had been; and, of course, not
within sight of Eldreda, his daughter.
Miss Conifee was too thin, too small; and
L. L,t. nor ~ color
She wore glasses of an unbecoming pat
tern, that little magnitied her very
earnest onyx-brown eyes; and her
clothes--to save his life, after being with
her day and day for fourteen years, he
couldn't remember detail Of her dress;
inexpensive, it would be that. The care
of her mother must absorb most of her
salary.
He had spoken Of her good taste, exer-
cised in the direction Of speciafties for
automobiles; that was splendid, but it
wasn't her best quality; she was prin-
cipally remarkable for the energy of her
mind, her energy and quality of deter
mination, of--of courage. But, at last,
she was showing the effects of this; or,
as he had said, perhaps she was only
tired. He would make her take rest;
he'd shut the office, close 1t down, he
tuouSnt eStTdNdSdHtiy, IL iiS Souidii SSI
her away by other means.
Lewis Beitleman smiled; but, at the
same time he was annoyed-all women
were so Internally set, Miss Conifee and
Nanine and Eldreda. Following indi-
rectly this fact, he wondered what
Nanine would say to proposal of giving
Miss Conifee something more; enough,
in a necessarily limited way, to make
her future safe. Not half, but fifth,
q sixth of the business.
As it was, he paid Miss Conifee as
much as he could get her to accept. She
had positively refused further raise.
He wished. vainly, that Nanine and Miss
Conifee might be closer to each other,
rs close as possible-but on Nanine's
account. This desire suddenly recalled
to him the startling fact that Miss Conf
fee, except once when he had been ILL.,,
to take dictation, had never been in his
house. The Conifees, mother and daugh-
ter, had rooms in the congested city, but