White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1937-07-29
MARIAN MARKHAM, a stenog.

ZION OF a friend, offered position
in the office of Holiday & Whip
pie as sort Of secretary to young
Robert Holiday, head Of the firm
now that his father had gone the
way of both brokers and the broke.
Marian''s father had always told her
that he had been financially ruined
by the villainy Of old Peleg Holli-
day who, upon the dissolution of the
firm Of Holiday & Markham, had
so juggled the accounts that the
senior member had come out rich
and the Junior member poor. Marian
scarcely remembered her mother;
but had, all her life, been devoted
to her father in the ups and downs
OF his vicissitudinous career. When
he died leaving her penniless she
had taken up stenography-and
done very we'll at it.
Marian considered. The job was
good one and she needed the sal
airy. Again, disagreeable as would
be daily association with one Of
the hated race Of Holiday, might
she not, by taking the offered posi-
ton, find out from the firms books
just how her father had been de-
frauded? Then what a triumph to
confront her employer with the evil
dence Of his fathers misdeeds and
demand her inherited rights.
"Too pretty to be Efficient"
thought Robert Holiday, when he
saw his new stenographer: but as
she soon proved her efficiency he
became reconciled to her good
looks. Marian started in with a
firm determination to hate Robert
intensely; and thought she was do
ing so until one day, about two
months after her advent into the
office, she realized with disnay that
she was beginning to have decided
liking for the young man. Oh hor-
ror! suppose-it was absurd, of
course, but suppose that she should
fall in love with her hereditary
enemy. Shades of the Capulets and
Montagues forbid!
p OBERT on his part, discovered,
~ with dismay as great as Ma
rams, that he was beginning to
feel an unusual interest in this new
member Of his Office force. Great
Scott! was he falling in love? What
would his lady-mother and his aris-
tocratic friends say If he married
his stenographer?
For two whole weeks they tried to
be as disagreeable and distant to
each other as possible-but made
rather bad job Of it. Robert had
no idea that the girl who was now
so much in his thoughts was the
daughter Of that Silas Markham
concerning whom his father had told
him many a tale. Then, one day,
Marian's conscience being in an I'M
usually uneasy and meddlesome
state, she took the decisive step;
told Robert who she was, why she
had accepted position in his office,
and related the wrongs Of her father
as she knew them.
The young man was startled at
first, but said mildly: Because our
fathers were enemies it is no reason
we should be. AS to those business
matters you speak OF let us 60 over
the books and accounts together.
assure you you shall have Justice"
From the records it was quite evil
dent that when the firm of Holiday
& Markham had been dissolved the
partners had shared equitably in
the assets. Marian was astounded.
What then had been the cause of
her fathers bitter hatred for Peleg
Holiday?
u OBERT knew well enough.
N Markham had taken the com.
pany's funds for private specuIa-
ton. He had replaced them; but
Holiday, finding it out, had refused