The Lambertville record., 1923-09-21
rsredy sf everything; and though she

Ihe uArk, ne knew exactly TO Wnlcn
emotions she was giving form and
body.
Perhaps, with his slight assistance.
she might mount in dazzling arc to
stardom In the sky. He wasn't, he
felt. mean; but. aside from the already
comparatively large cost Of his family.
there was the greatest need now to
turn everything possible back into his
| business II could be counted
on to make, when all was considered.
| tremendous returns. In three years.
it might be, they could easily send
Eldreda to the South seas. and he
! said so, aloud.
81 suppose" her voice answered out
of the gloom, "you chose the South
| seas SOS you wouldn't have to buy me
any clothes"
"0n the contrary" he replied ex-
plicitly. 81 was trying to think of the
farthest and most expensive place I
could. II seems like, with you and
your mamma. a person is always mis-
understood.
Don't pick continual on Eldreda. I
won't have t." her mamma put In.
you can't seem TO learn that FL
dreda's delicate. She's not pot but
fine vase easily shattered"
WELL" he replied pacifeally, "its
too nice an evening for ructlohs.
Things ls going too smooth for that
| The smoothness OF things" brought
Miss Conifee back to mind; and. after
a moments forced hopeful considera-
ton, he spoke of her to his family.
"Now, take Miss Conlfee-"
Who's she7" Nanine demanded.
That's his stenographer," Eldreda
explained.
"She Is more than that, Eldreda,"
he patiently corrected her: Miss Con-
flee Is good half Of our business.
She's been with me now for fourteen
years, and In the first month after
got her she near to paid for all she's
had since. Taste! That's where she's
valuable, that's what she is; we're
small house, but tell you our works
been complimented by big people. We
are going, not coming. What ] am
getting at is this, and know he
hesitated shortly, and then began
again with rush. II know you'll
both back me up. Miss Conifee's been
with me, us. for fourteen years now.
and she's part of the place. The truth
Is she can't work any more without
me than can her. If anything hap
pened to that she'd be gone. It's her
mother and her honesty both together: :
her mothers got kind of expensive
sickness and Miss Conifee won't take
anything from me but doggoned mod
crate salary. She won't have a penny
more, after all she's given us: but with
your help, with your approval. I've
thought OF way to make her safe.
when I pass on TO my California. It's
this-we will give her an interest in
the business, make her q small partner
like"
He waited, on the mark Of an op-
tImlstic interrogation, through the
deep silence that followed, n silence
finally shattered with an unqualified
derision.
Partner" said Nanine. partner,
her. stenographer7 You're mad,
amt you !"
His momentary unwarranted expec-
tations, like glass, fell swiftly, shat
,ering, on the hard ground OF reality.
EIdreda giggled:
"You don't know the hest, because
you haven't seen her-why, she's a
million and looks like an old wisk
broom with most OF the straws out.
I'll tell the street Pas got some taste
himself, I'll say So"
"You ought to be ashamed OF your
self" Lewis Beitleman's wife told him,
trying that on us. You must think
we never see anything of life, What
makes me mad is your speaking It
right out to us. before your daughter" "
"What do you mean?' he demanded,
vaguely trying to face them both.
Take 1t to the freplug," this was
Edreda.
"How long has this been going onf'
Nanine asked,
Drawn rigIdly upon the edge of his
chair, with his face burning, he was,
at FIRST unable to reply to either.
When he spoke Il was In repressed,
hard tone. 81 told you" he said, Il
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 under
stand-while Eldreda and YOU have
been setting sitting. nj home reading
moving picture magazines, Miss Con
flee and ! were in II 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 useless
ness of any attempted explanation
smothered his determined effort. and
fresh silence fell upon them.
Don't you give her a Christmas
present?' Nanine asked. 81 said, don't
you give her a present at Christmas"
"Yes," he replied. finally.
"Well, then--T
Lewis Beltleman laughed, sorry
variety OF mlrth. "I'll tell what" he
proclaimed TO the dark; I'm going TO
bring Miss Conifee right home to sup
per and let you see for yourselves.
He was doubtful about the wisdom
of this later; going to the office he
revolved 1t again and again in his
mind, but, confident that Miss Conf
fees splendid qualities must be clear
even TO his family, he asked her. very
formally, to supper at his home. She
was ob+iously startled, almost dis
tressed, and instinctlvely she declined
the invitation. Nonsense" he replied,
back on his customary footing with
her; "of course you'll come. Ny wife
said very particularly" Tint latter