Evening star., 1935-02-24
February -, 1885

iiho tWCCuo w a untty uOuDt-DIcdSteu due
suit with white stripe faint as maiden's
dream. a button-on stiff linen collar, an Old
Etonian tie, black shoes and cIeam-colored
spats
That's class!" reflected Cordwood. but
l wonder why he wears the CATERS Maybe
he catches cold easy in the ankles"
Supper done, Cordwood invited Percy to
smoke with him in his suite, and a wink
hinted that, safe from the piety of Widow
Tinkerbun. there might be something stronger
than cigar with which to Joy themselves.
He wished that he could really utilize the
splendor of his six-room suite, but unless he
sat in one bedroom and Percy in another, he
could see no way, and that would not be
very convenient for conversation. They sat
in his principal bedroom, Cord on the bed
and Percy in the slightly lopsided 1901 Morris
chair. Crhe room also contained golden oak
bureau, pine kitchen table covered with
pansy- embroidered brocade, and depletion
of a stag at bay.)
Cordwood poured out two bolts of forty
rod corn, and limited. well, suppose you're
going to have another big job, bank cashier
or something. in Seattle"
Percy ooughed. looked at the glass of corn
in hurt surprise that it could do such thing
to him, then laughed with gallant show of
frankness.
Il have no idea. Mr.. McGash. Pure spec
Look here. The hometown boys like to believe
that I've been at least vice-Nesident in Mil
waukee. wasn't. was private secretary and
date-fixer and general cook and bottle
washer to the president. And l was let out
No fault Of mine - they were cutting
expenses - I'm a good secretary. can run
anything from conference of directors to a
charity bazaar or trip to China. But I'm
no coming Andy Mellon!"
Coriwood liked that. If he had guide and
counsellor like Percy! The 100000
that he had swallowed churned yeastily
within him.
Him. Suppose if you got another SEC
retary job what would you expect1"
Eleven thousand five hundred dollars a
year."
Now if Percy had said 5000. Cordwood
would have dismissed him as not really
touched with the magic gold of Milwaukee,
New York, and Paris. If it had been $50, 600,
he would have rejected such excess.
'Suh-uh-spoee you were to kind of stay
around here for a while and kind of steer me
a little" he said, with what he felt to be
tremendous oaftiness.
Little fish. struggle no longer!
On his third day as secretary to MIR. Cord
wood McGash, Percy suggested, Look. sir.
I've been thinking: You're not really COM
Portable here. Why not take the McMullen
Mansionr'
Too big! Couldn't face furnishing it."
"l'll furnish it for you. Did the Big Chiefs
fiat, in Milwaukee,"
Couldn't desert Mrs. Tinkerbun. She
depends
Take her along as housekeeper And we'll
get a good cook and two maids and a
chauffeur"
Three hired sirise Besides Sister Tin
ke1bunl"
Then you can have parties every night.
Private bar. Play cards. Open house for all
your friends. And have the chaps you knew
in the lumber country come stay with you -
weeks at a time if you feel like it."
That wouldn't be 50 bad" unused the
victim Of freedom and of Sister Tinkerbun's
geologic mattresses. He felt like child who
has just been asked whether he could con-
veniently try some ice cream.
The McMullen Mansion was the largest
house in town. 1t had been built by the owner
of lumber mills now gone with the passing
oflumbering. and it had been deserted for ten
years. 1t had sixteen rooms, which made it,
for Jackrabbit Creek, rather larger than
Windsor Castle.
Cofdwood rented it. He wanted to buy it,
but Percy said. laughing merrily, Try it first.
Who knows? Year from now, we may be on
the Riviera" And such was Percy's power,