The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-12-16
EGIN HERE ID


JOHN w. BROOKE. widower
and hardware magnate, mr.
ranges with n firm of efficiency
engineers to manage his home.
for two months while he Is out
of town. His three grown chill
dren. Constance, Billy and
Alice. nre unaware of this mr.
rangement. Not until
III. HEDGE. efficiency cngf-
neer, appears on the scene do
they renlfze the enormity of
their fathers depression. Hedge
hns cut on Bfliy's allowance be-
cause he refuses to work; he
has reinstnted Constance be-
cause she Inns finally decided to
become his secretary; Alice is
on the payroll because she is
still going to school.
Among the many "Unbeara-
b1e' things accomplished by
Hedge WAS the prevention of al
eIopement with Constance md
Tommy TreadweII the princi-
pal motors. Constance seems to
be using entirely successful tao
tics In boarding the efficiency
bug. Today she succeeded I'm
getting his personal attendance
and approval In the purchase of
n long list of wearing apparel.
GO ON WITH THE STORY
the library, after dinner, that
night, Hedge was so unsociable
that Constance presently drifted
into the mushroom. where she
for an hour or So. The eff
man sat at the big desk work
ing furiuosly over books and reports.
He did not once send for his secre-
tary
When finally he reached the mat
ter of accounts he took his memoir
andum-book from his pocket and be-
gan a swift tabulation.
The result astonished him so that
he checked it up twice, only to be.
come annoyed at the time wasted
in verifying a simple sum of addi-
Economy, just the same ne NUT
tered, scowling at the figures. ut
was a matter of need. / made that
perfectly clear to her. There is no
possibility that she misunderstood. If
find she did I'll not fail % make it
absolutely plain"
He chewed an unlighted cigar for
several minutes, still scowling.
Its just possible she got the
he said, that money was be-
ing spent in the same old reckless
fashion. She won't have it long. I'll
get it out of her head. I'll do it
nowi''
He arose with decision and STROBE
across the hall in the direction of
the mushroom.
Constance was still sitting at the
piano, her back toward him. The
efficiency man halted on the TIRES
hold, listening and watching. She
was quite unconscious of his pres
ence. What she played he did not
know. 1t was alternately lively and
melancholy.
Her body swayed slightly with the
rhythmically, ~buoyantly,
sometimes droopingly, as though she
were a part of the melody itself. H.
Hedge swayed likewise, although he
lid not know it.
Then, after a little, as the music
to quaver and die. away, the
efficiency man turned noiselessly and
back to the library.
I'm tell her tomorrow" he said.
Constanc', occasionally smiling to
at a Renaissance, was spend
ng a busy morning in the library.
Hedge was soemwhere else. This
save her unmolested o~0portunity to
examine the bills from ...e shops, 0
,ne thing. Their dimensions gratified
Ter. Yet even the bills did not oc-
chief place in her thoughts.
was reserved for the efficiency
nan.
.I-e's not nearly so efficient as l..
.hought-poor thing" she muir
nured as she took UP a pile of report
why, even Tommy Tread
veil"
Now, as Constance busted herself
hus. with all the outward appear
nee of a secretary rather than a
,chemer, she CHANGED to notice that
he bottom drawer on the right-hand
ide of the desk was open about two
inches. This was unusual, because
he efieiency man had a habit of
ieeping this drawer locked. Just