White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-05-12

thought of Edith's going in on the
train with him every morning under
the eyes of his more prosperous &C
quaintances whose daughters didn't
have to 60 to work. He had had in
the back Of his mind, even while Julia
talked, the whimsical explanation he
would make to Mariner when he told
him who the new stenographer was
going to be.
He'd always said that snobbery was
a specialized form of cowardice. He
wasn't a coward-was he?
Mariner looked a bit blank when
Edward told him of Edith's plan and
his own tentative agreement to it, but
he offered no overt objections. She'd
find it pretty dull way Of spending
her days, he thought, but of course
she wouldn't have to stay if she found
it SO.
II don't believe she'll find it dull"
Edward said. 1T will take her week
or so to get the hang of it, and it may
prove too much for her, but If it
does I'll let her go and get some one
else. It's to be plain businesslike
arrangement. Well pay her fair
salary-and see that she earns it. It's
her own idea, from the first, but it will
be material help to me if it works."
Mariner said, "Oh, that's all right,
of course" and apparently forgot all
about it. He was in queer sort Of
mood, these days, anyhow. It was
hard to be sure you had his attention,
for anything.
Upon Edward, Edith's presence was
profoundly disturbing. 1t gave the
day a different color and texture from
any that had gone before. 1t made
the office different place.
That sort of electrical Jingle which
her presence put in the air couldn't be
permanent thing, could it? How
long would it last? Why, it would
last, Edward found himself deciding,
exactly as long as he could play up to
it. On the day she saw him slack,
respondent, frightened, ready to quit,
the spell would be broken.
There had been nothing aggressively
virtuous about her manner. She'd just
been natural. Once, indeed, she'd
mildly shocked him by uttering per-
fectly audible "d-n' over some mis-
take in her tipping, and once when
she'd bent over his desk to see some
correction he was pointing out to her,
she'd forgotten she wasn't at home
and rumpled his hair.
No, she was all right. She'd keep
it up as long as he did; as long as he
remained the person she wanted him
to be. She wouldn't be critical; she'd
take him for granted as long as she
could. What she couldn't do was be
sorry for him, encourage him, pull him
up when she saw he was down. She
could pull him up wonderfully as long
as she didn't know it was necessary.
That was what it came to, then. He
must never give himself away.
They got into the doldrums. The
impetus that their business had got
from the automobile show in January
had abent ITSELF Nobody now took
any interest in his car. The accessory
game was alternating. There'd be
nothing much doing until spring, or at
least until a few fine days gave
hint that it was coming. A real adver
Using campaign was the only thing
that could possibly wake them up,
right now. This was the burden of
the salesmen's complaints.
Edward did his best-and it was
better best than he would have been
capable of a month ago-to inspirit
them and keep them up to their work.
He admitted it was a handicap that
they weren't better supported by ad-
vertising, but real campaign was out
of the question. The financial re-
sources Of the business didn't run
to it.
Edward had an out of-town customer
on his hands one day and took him to
lunch. When he got back to the office,
about three o'clock, he found the city
salesman debating letter to Edith.
The glimpse he got of the man
through the glass door, before he
opened it, offended him. The fellow
was leaning over her closer than nee
essary, and his acknowledgements
face wore fatuous smile. He looked
around with perceptible start as his
employer opened the door, Strengthened
up, and said with completely changed
manner, "That's all. Yours very
truly"
He seemed suddenly, too, in great
hurry to get out on his rounds. He
| had lot of people to see, he told
| Edward, between now and.six o'clock.
Almost against his will and aware
that his voice didn't sound as casual
as he meant it to, Edward asked, us
that a business letter, Edith?"
The girl laughed. II should say
not!' She turned around to him with
! nothing in her face but a grin Of per-
| fectly spontaneous amusement. Its
the silliest stuff you ever saw It's
| letter to girl. He is sort Of a
| washout, isn't he dad?"
Edward sighed. I'm inclined te
| think ho ia" ha said The sigh was