Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-03-19
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CHAPTER I

THERE might have been occa.
sions when the offices of Stuckev
& Stuckey, solicitors, received the
illustrations of charwoman: but
if so, no living soul could testify to
this of his own knowledge. There
had been suspicious from time to
time; AS, for example, when Mr.
Joseph Bells. the managing clerk
had arrived one morning in an I'M
usually observant mood and mad
noticed that the square foot on mis-
desk which he somehow MANAGED
TO keep clear Of documents was of
a slightly different shade of dinei-
ness from what he knew to be its
normal color. There was, too,
ground for suspicion that the win
dow behind Mr.. Bells office chair
was letting in more light than
usual; but this implied such an un-
thinkable supposition that he at
once concluded the spring sunshine
was a little stronger than usual
ard proceeded to draw the blind
farther down.
Mr.. Bells was not a lover Of
strong light; it made his small. al
most colorlesS eyes blink under the
powerful lenses of his steel-rimmed
spectacles; there may also have
been a subconscious realization
that the activities Of the firm of
lawyers which was housed in these
dingy two rooms on the ground
floor of the building known as
274a, River Street, Rotherhithe.
were Of the kind upon which it was
not desirable that the full glare of
daylight should be thrown.
The tall, thin, gloomy-looking
clerk sat in his office chair one
bright morning in early spring and
almost fumed as he glanced at his
watch, which indicated that the
only other employee of the firm,
the lady stenographer, was already
twenty minutes late.
Presently he heard footsteps, and
8 girl slouched rather than walked
through the office door, hung her
coat and hat negligently on dusty
peg, strolled to a chair in front of
typewriter, stretched herself and
yawned as one who has had insult
fcient sleep, and Topped into the
seat with a gesture Of infinite
WEAKNESS. Taking from her large
and ornate handbag her powder
puff and mirror, she commenced
to atone for any cleans
ing deficiencies of her toilet with
a liberal coating of the face powder
which, to her, was modern chem
istry's greatest gift to women.
Presently:
Miss Harringay" called Mr..
Bells.
She did not reply, being absorbed
just then in retouching with her
lipstick the still discernible outline
of a rather wobbly Cupid's bow
drawn with considerable pains the
previous evening.
Miss Harringay" he said again,
a little more loudly this time and |
with peremptory note.
With a shrug she swung slowly
round to face the managing clerk. |
"Oh, good morning, Mr.. Bells"
she said.
Are you aware, Miss Harrin-
gay, that this Office opens at nine |
o'clock and it's now twenty-three
past?"
She stifled another yawn.
I'm terribly sorry" she drawled. |
You see, I went out last night |
with such a nice boy, Mr.. Bells,
and we-er-well, we were rather |
late getting home. You know what |
it is, don't you?" She smiled with |
a lot Of teeth into the elderly
clerks face.
I'm glad to say I DON'T" said |
the man shortly. "When I was
your age I spent my leisure hours
in trying to improve my mind"
She Uttered.
Such a waste Of timew
He frowned.
II beg your pardon, Miss Har-
She waved hand round the Of
fee.
We'll, look what it's brought
you tor !