The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-25
NOW READ ON

1n1S mouse Is 1ull OF ears.
! Nov I can have the number
two boy that Kin says we should
have, because master is the
great tai-pan!" exclaimed Hes
ter, hardly noticing. Eyes, and
q second coolie-"
Stephen put the letter into
his pocket. 1T means they like
what I've done up here" he
said.
Strange" thought Hester, as
he went away. 1T wasn't the
increase he cared about, it was
the company's approval" But
for the first time in her life
she contemplated the value of
money for the power it gave
her.
The next morning, passing
for moment through the but.
1er's pantry, she was attracted
by a letter lying on the morn.
ing tea.tray. Opening it, she
saw it was the letter telling of
Stephens increase. How had it
come here? Had Stephen care
lessly dropped it that morning
and Kin picked it up? Odd that
it should have been this particu-
lar letter, that had fallen into
Kin's hands. Odd and a little
disturbing. When she gave the
letter to Stephen, for a moment
he was angry.
Damn KIM" he said. "He
must have got it out of my
pocket when he arranged my
clothes this morning"
The little heat" was passed;
the great heat" drew on toward
it's fulness. Day after day no
rain fell, and the second rice
began to turn yellow before its
time.
A Common Fear
Stephen. walking daily
through the city, watched the
money market grow tight, the
price of rice go up. In many
small shops men sat idle. It
startled him to see how small
was the margin on which the
people of the valley bought;
how quickly it was wiped out.
In his offices, although they
had wages and would not starve,
clerk, junkman and coolle
squeezed as they had never
squeezed before. They seemed
to partake of the common fear.
Stephen tried to keep from
Hester that there was danger
of famine. But her magma
ton seemed to come alive. She
craved activity, she knew not
what, and when Kin came, say
ing a white pedlar stood out
side with bundle greatly big"
she welcomed the diversion.
It was a Russian, tall and
gaunt, who entered at Kin's bid
ding. Kneeling by his pack, he
took from it rugs glowing IN
color, soft as silk. Hester, GOV"
citing the most beautiful OF the
rugs, began bargaining, seeing
in the mans eagernesS the de-
sire to sell at any price.
She had just completed her
bargain when Stephen came at
her summons to pay the man.
He looked at Hester, vivid with
the excitement of possession,
bright spots in her cheeks.
Famine at the doors-and Hes
ter buying a costly rug!
Hester, we don't need it. The
hong's full of company rugs"
But they're so ugly, Stephen.
Look at this one on the floor.
It's got two darns in it. The
new one would look lovely in
this room"
1--WE can't, Hester"
why not?" she demanded,
feeling resentment over his
unwillingness, remembering his
substantial increase.
Because there's famine"
The pent-up strain under
which Stephen had been labor
ing broke its bounds. when
there's famine, the people can't
buy. This is my first manager
ship. I haven't made good yet.
My whole future is built on
sales. I don't know yet how
bad the famine will be, how far
it's going to spread, maybe over
the whole province. Suppose
the sales drop instead OF in
creaSing? The company sees
no extenuating circumstances
either I win or lose. Suppose
] lose"
Hester sat back on her heels.
mo. not if that's the case. But
] didn't know, Stephen"
He was angry with himself.
he had mt wantAd IN Shatter