The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-21

ing her bridges now.
"Just playing with you" she re
peated. And your whole wonderful
system went to smash under it. And
you thought you were reforming me
1t was so easy to lead you. too. You
never even suspected. You were sc
sure that you wrote it all down, so it
could be put in a book. A booki !
think I'll write n myself. How
would you like to be the hero of my
book. MIR. Efficiency Man?D
Hedge made no answer.
well. why don't you say some
thing?" she demanded.
I'm waiting for you to get
through, Miss Brooke"
She made a sudden dash to the
table and seized the manuscript
notes in her hands. waving them
aloft with a hysterical gesture.
"Seer' she cried. Here's for your
bookr'
She tore the pages across and
tossed them into the open fire. An
instant later the diary followed them.
The efficiency man did not make an
| effort 10 stay uCI AdilttS.
For a full half-minute she faced
him, her bosom heaving, her eyes
alight with excitement.
There! That's the end of that
| she exclaimed. You'll never put
me in a book! IL"
Her voice broke abruptly, and she
was shaken by a tempest of weeping,
II. Hedge surveyed her quietly and
with no race of emotion.
Take a seat" he said sharply.
AS soon as you get through with
that sob stuff, I'm going to do the
talking. And it's going to be some
talk"
Constance seated herself. not be
| cause of any command from the elf
cheney man, but in response to a sud
den collapse of bclligerency. She
| was terrified at what she had done.
She had tossed another persons
treasures into the fire without so
much as asking leave or serving no.
tice; and the reaction was abrupt.
The ca1mness of II. Hedge frightened
her.
Leaning Imply forward in the
desk chair, She buried her face in
her arms and continued TO sob.
The efficiency man watched her
for Il moment, alternately frowninG
and smiling. He had promised her a
talk, but he was uncertain about the
beginning of it, even though he had
Il clear notion of the ending.
Miss Brooke he snapped.
She did not look up.
Are you listening, Miss Brooke
There was a faint nod, although
she did not raise her head from tho
desk.
You'd better listen" he said grim.
ly. Because everything is going to
eternal smash in the next ten min
utcs. This is Judgment Day, and
we are going to get what is coming
to both of u~s-pronto.',
Still she did not stir. But she was
listening in spite Of her sobs.
'Pronto means all-of-a-sudden," he
added.
There was a brief pause in which
he devoted more study to the coil
of brown hair.
"All bets arc off. Miss Brooke. Do
You hear that? Bets of-Miss
Brooke
She heard, but made no aknowl-
cdgement of the mystifying intelli-
gence.
You have known me as H. Hedge,
z. E." he continued. But here.
after there is no such person. He
has disappeared. So has Henry
Hedge. who was his immediate pre-
dccessor. Henry Hedge is abolished.
You are know looking upon II. Well
ington Hedge. without any L. L. or
other honorary degree tied to the
rear axle. I see you are not looking.
1t makes no difference; you are list
ching, which is sufficient for the i'm.
mediate present"
C~onstance's sobs were becoming
less frequent. Her ears caught every
word and her curiosity was rising
rapidly.
III. Wellington Hedge" he repeat.
ed i~ncisively. II have killed the
Henry and substituted an II You
viii presently understand why. I
have here in my card case certain
cards reading. H. Hedge. L. E.
There-they are in the fire. What
have you to say to that-M!ss
Brooke?"
She had nothing to say.
&rxr CuA pTEu. uodr. 49,