Evening star., 1937-11-07
Mogozine Section

puDllc) constantly coming ana gong IN tne
offices; partly because young law student
knows he has grind cut out for himself fol
several years at best. A fellow with any ethics
couldn't expect a girl as happy slim and
sky-blue-eyed as Squinky to engage herself to
practically an animated law course.
The strident voices from MIR. Hughsons 8
office ceased. The rooms seemed unnaturally
quiet, heavenly quiet to Miss Squink. Every
one else had long since gone home. Soon the
day would be over. She heard a door yanked
open and closed forcibly. Heavy steps in the
lobby. then pudgy Mr.. Means strode out the
main entrance door followed closely by his
tall, legal counsel for all the world like long,
evil shadow. Mr.. Hughson's buzzer rang; it
was nearly six now, she hoped the letter would
be short. Then she would insist in maternal
fashion that Mr.. Pepperill - August, she
thought of him = should stop work and go
home
Mr.. Hughson strode up and down, dictat-
ing through a seething temper: Dear Mr.
Rhodes: This is in re Means VS.. Rhodes Here
is the file. Er = Regret to advise MIR.
Means not disposed to - cooperate In view
of circumstances . advisable remove your
building from his property avoid ex-
tended. er = expensive litigation :. un-
doubtedly upholding Means right to require
removal if he so desires. Price demanded in
lieu of removal of encroachment, prohibitive.
Suggest you at once begin operations to move
building :. that eternal crook, refused a
decent price Miss SQuink felt quite
sure Mr.. Hughson's sudden explosion was not
intended to go into the letter. She halted her
pen to listen sympathetically "A hold-up,"
snorted Mr.. Hughson. Nov Rhodes has to
hire contractor to take picks and chisels
and chip an inch off the concrete wall of his
building "a fifteen story building!"
Would it be good idea =" began
Miss Squink hesitantly.
"Yes. yes, Miss SQuink."
"a. to tell Mr.. Rhodes to take two
inches off his building?"
ITO be on the safe side? Yes. put it that
way, what is the difference while they are at
it. Chip the whole side off fifteen story wall
just because a skinfint . Will you get
that letter in the mail tonight, please. Sign
it for me. I'll 60 directly to court in the morn
ing on the Hazelton guardianship and won't
be in until after lunch. Good night"
"By the way. Miss Squink." Mr.. Hughson
halted with hand on the doorknob, Il re-
gret having to tell you this, but the fact is
. well, work has fallen off so greatly since
the flrst OF the year you can see
there isn't enough of my work any more to
keep both you and Miss Pippey busy. You
couldn't handle the work alone, and she has
been with me so long :. after the first of
next month if you will look around :. the
usual notice, of course i. anything l can
do to help you find another . competent
as you are, you will surely find another posi-
ton without delay uh Good
night"
Goodnight, Mr.. Hughson." The pleas
response of secretaries the world
over came smoothly from her smiling, whit
ened lips.
Miss Pippey fractured her arm COM
pound and complicated. Miss Squink was
truly sorry; but it did postpone her departure
from the office - and Mr.. Pepperill. To her
surprise she found that assuming the manage
ment of the office was not a great deal unlike
Miss Pippey's absence on vacations the previ-
ous years. She knew how to do = and had
been doing - everything there was to be
done. She even kept up the entries in Mr..
Hughson's books = heretofore sacred to Miss
Pippey.
From the window near her desk Miss -
Su11ink could see Mr. Rhodes building ACROSS