Evening star., 1923-06-10

'che editor led the way into his
co3p OF an office.
What's the matter that you're
roofing around a country newspaper
Office all of sudden. hunting job
;,t country newspaper wages? he
demanded.
~rva left the pulp company because
I can't stand it another day. | want
10 start in here and forget l ever
knew anything about manufacturing.
Give me place. and you won't re-
gret it,
How much money were you draw
ing when Gates died?"
Five thousand a year"
Gee whiz! How old are you?'
Twenty nine
Sonny" said the old editor kindly,
you don't want a newspaper job;
you want month in a sanitarfum. A
young man who's mastered the pulp
business-or any business-so that
he's worth hundred a week at
twenty-nine in little town like
Paris. is either a fool or sick man
to confess himself beaten because a
bone-head like Bird has temporarily
secured control
But young Benedict only shook his
head.
"Ive soured On the pulp business"
he returned doggedly. Besides, Bird
was hired under contract and put in
down there by stockholders. They
ant get rid of him until his con-
tracts up. and. confidentially. that's
going to be too late to save the busi-
ness No. Give me job on
this paper; and I'll give you five
thousand-a-year ability for eighteen
a week. I'll guarantee to make good
in two weeks or you needn't pay me
cent"
But why not put the facts before
those stockholders"
They can't be called together. Old
Julius Templeton has gone to Italy.
He won't be back for a year. Since
he left. two of the directors have died
and Hastings has gone to Asia for the
Thorne Knitting Mills people. Bird
ran't be fired. The local stockholders
who are left are helpless. Besides,
they don't realize how fatally Birds
management is affecting the COM
pany.
You've got stock in the company,
haven't you?"
'T have-all my savings have gone
into it. But some people are going
to lose thousands where I'm going to
lose only hundreds
What sort of work do you want
to do around here?''
'.Adxertising. ! want to learn the
business end of newspaper publish
ing
Il l,cc,f limo 1n chs a n
Before the session with Sam was
over he had landed the job.
NN Monday morning of the week
" following George Benedict's af-
fliation with the Telegraph, young
woman opened the office at 1880. ran
I'D the window shades and hung her
hat on hook alongside the old green
safe. Then she pinned on a pair Of
paper cuffs and started through a pile
of correspondence which had accumu-
lated on her fat-topped desk during
her absence
She had been working but few
moments when the latch click ed and
she raised her clear gray eyes to be-
hold young man. He nodded to her
and passed through to Sam Hod's
room as though he had right in
there.
rs there something ] can do for
you?" the girl asked,
Il work here" the man replied.
You work here"r she gasped.
I'm Benedict-George Benedict.
I'm looking after the advertising"
But you're the man who ran the
pulp company"
We'll. what of it@'
The girl gaped at him blankly.
"You're--not going to buy the
Telegraph" she faltered.
NO" he laughed bitterly I'm
here working for wages-like all the
Others"
What's the matter with your the
girl blurted.
The young man WINGED.
II lost my place down at the pulp
company. So I had to begin at the
bottom again somewhere else"
June Farley had ceme to us from
the high school over in North Fox
Eoro. Her father still ran q little
farm somewhere back in the Green
mountains.
As the days grew into weeks
. .Iune's interest and sympathy ripened
into a pathetic, one-sided affection,
from which we older heads in the
office believed no good could possibly
come.
All of this bored Benedict. He was
one of those chaps who mature
carly: woman had cut her pound
Of flesh from his heart. and the
wound had never healed.
On independence day June Farley
went down to visit an aunt who
lived in Rutland, and returned on the
last train. The day coach was
crowded. She wandered down the
long aisle looking for a, seat. The
only place available in which she
might ride in comfort back to Paris
was a half-seat toward the forward
end OF the car. The other half OF thai
seat was occupied by George Bene'
as.
May I-share this seat with your
she asked, flushing as she recognized
him.
4 He nodded curtly. He had a news
paper and read it industrfously. The
train started and turned up through
the cool, fragrant ravines of the
Green mountains.
June was hardly the type of girl II
throw herself at a man, but perhaps
she sensed his need and longing tele
pathically.
Il. II take it you've been spending th'
day in Rutland also" she declared II
: a pitiful attempt at conversation.
Yes" he answered, in a tone whicl
implied that it couldn't possibly b.