Evening star., 1925-08-16

A NDERTON was genuinely puzzled
"A by his own immediate reaction.
Instead of being crushed, he was re-
lieved. A certain tension had been
removed, and now they could all pro-
ceed on a basis of mutual adjust
ment. Granted that he had about
as little chance as three-legged
horse in steeplechase. Vet at least
he was admitted as a competitor un-
der prevailing odds. Therefore he
threw himself into the work of his
new department with unbounded en-
ergy and called at the Paines' quite
as regularly as before he had come
to his understanding with Elsa's
father
The Colonel used to say to him
jocosely: Well. boy. you didn't pick
up any million dollar bills in the
street today, did you?" But Elsa was
wonderful. She was so wonderful
that whenever he was with her he
forgot Blanchard entirely. He for
got the immensity of distance be-
tween them. he forgot the Colonel's
requirements. For Elsa said to him:
But why shouldn't we talk about
it, Bruce? It's much better than to
repress everything, isn't it? And if
you should happen TOTO do some
thing spectacular. the way father
did---why--'
Yet when he was alone in his own
room, and realized in cold blood how
monumental the odds against him
We're, he. shivered, and his recent
sense of relief wasn't quite so
prominent
And then. in flash of blue and
sunshine, it was Spring, and on
three memorable occasions, when the
Colonel hadn't commanded him for
gon, Anderton spent n whole Satur-
day afternoon with Elsa at Piping
Rock. The last of these precious
monopolies was in early June, just
as the Paines were about TO leave
for Seaward.
IF you've decided that I'm a hope
lessly bad bet" said Anderton sober
ly, I'D rather you'd tell me so now,
before you 60"
Things haven't altered" she said.
with some difficulty. II haven't de-
cioed anything. EXcept-that l wish
you'd write TO me-
fortunately. at this period, the
Stock Exchange Trust absorbed a
weakling bank from the Park Row
region, so that Andertons duties were
temporarily doubled. He blessed the
burden-it diminished his leisure and,
therefore. his introspection
In nlid-July his department head
drew a breath of satisfaction. We'll,
Bruce he said, that cleans I'D the
Park Row stuff. all but those old
credit reports from 1870 to 1890. And
they're so stale they aren't even
worth classifying. Just have 'em
stored"
IF you don't mind" said Anderton.
I'D rather like to go through them,
evenings, first" But when he was
praised for his conscientiousness he
became warm with guilt He was
merely seeking solace in labor. To
be sure. Elsa was writing TO him
and her letters were adorable even
if vaguely impersonal-but il was
only yesterday that Blanchard had
started on his vacation. He had gone
TO Seaward.
Through a merciless Summer An
derton Sweated over ancient credit
files. 1t was primarily to drug his
sentiments. but at the same time II
was mighty interesting to analyze
these old reports. for they were prac-
tically nothing but prophecies. There
was one investigator in particular
his signature was simply the initials
&C. G."-who had been nearly an
oracle.
In addition. &c c." was dramatic.
He rarely quoted statistics: he set
down Impressions. Anderton dog
gedly refusing to think of Elsa and
Blanchard under the Seaward stars,
counted his evening a multiple gain
If one of &c. G.s" memoranda turned
up to whet his imagination. And so
he continued, far into August, until
suddenly he sat back and caught his
breath involuntarily at the supreme
illustration of &C. G.'s' foresight.
Indeed, the report was such a STAR
Ting document that Anderton pro-
ceeded to copy it, verbatim, in long
hand.
:: :: = ::
TN the morning, which was Friday.
= he went TO his department head,
who regarded him critically. Bruce"
he said, "enough's enough, and too
much is plenty. No more of this
night work. Have those files taken