The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-11-02
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fists. yet still legible. 1t said: =
H. HEDGE, E. e.
ut seems that each one has her
| own way of producing an impress
sion," unused the efficiency man. IN
admit I'm impressed
They made Alice do it. after din.
ner. A furtive inspection of the
efficiency man revealed no scars as a
result of his encounter with the
punching bag; he displayed no dis.
cernible sign of a grudge. The time
seemed as propitious as any. while
the need was dire and urgent.
Alice played that she was reading.
and presently looked up from her
magazine and murmured softly:
There's an article about poverty
here, Mr.. Hedge. 1t must be awful"
Sinful" he affirmed.
Were you ever poor?"
II? Indeed. yes" He looked at
her sharply.
But you're not poor now?" =,
"Not-exactly."
II am" said Alice, plaintively.
II. Hedge made an exclamation
with his eyes.
II don't own solitary buck
added Alice. Neither does Billy
And Connie has only two-seventy-
nine"
She paused impressively. then con.
tinued:
"But-this is pay day
PAY day." echoed II. Hedge,
wrinkling his forehead. "Whose?"
'Why-ours." Alice's gesture in.
cluded the other Brookes.
Constance was studiously observ.
ing the fire, while Billy continued
his artistic ramble. The keen ears iof
neither. however. missed a word.
II didn't know you had a. pay
day." remarked Hedge.
yes, indeed, Once month, you
know"
That's interesting, I'm sure. Who
pays YOU"
Father, of course. Who else
would?"
What for?''
"Why-why, just for being his
children, of course'
Alice stared at him uncasily, then
ventured a sidelong glance at Con
stance. That young lady's head was
turned away.
you mean that you get salaries
for being Mr.. Brookc's children?"
Allowance, 1 suppose you'd call
it." answered Alice with hesitant
smile.
oh" said the efficiency man, his
bewilderment vanishing. You mean
That each of you receives a stated
eratuity from your father
Billy glarcd blackiy at Hedge, who
failed to perceive the expression.
Constance. her head still averted.
was frowning.
"Ie never calls it that" faltered
Alice, angry,Nyet mindful of the end
rather than the means. "He-he
just pays it,
And what do YOU do in return for
it?"
we? Why, we just love him.
Constance cleared her throat osten.
tatiously. 1t was a signal. She did
not favor Alicc's flank attack: she
had counseled frontal assault.
boldly and swiftly executed. Be.
sides, Alice seemed about to commit
the family to an impossible policy.
II see" said the efficiency man
gravely And how much does he
pay you?"
Billy and Connie. two hundred
dollars a month. Me. one hundred.
I'm to be raised at my next birth.
day"
II. Hedge began to write figures
on pad.
And this added Alice, lis the
day that all the money is due"
Hedge continued to figure for
moment.
Il find from your statement he
said, looking up. that your father
tuities amounting in all to $4,000 an.
nually"
Really. so much as that?" asked
Alice deprecatingly. But you see.
it's only little at time. And
father has such a lot more"
Billy. who had strolled close TO
Constance. leaned over and said in a
growing whisper,
Coarse work. She's flummuxed'
Hush. Billy. Walt"
II suppose" the efficiency man
observed, that this is request for
me to continue distribution OF the
gratuities."
NEXT CHAPTER, Hedge die.
tntes terms