The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-01
Chapter 50
AT II Again

TT SURPRISED Brenda to find
that old Mr.. Hopkins was not
elderly. He was on the sunny side
Of fifty, as a matter of fact.
~Must be the son of his oldest
brother" Brenda murmured.
II beg your pardon?"
Brenda colored; then, feeling
herself at a disadvantage, she
brought out the entire battery of
her dimples. Mr.. Hopkins blinked.
Twill you please read this? Just
the part I've folded over?" She
put the New York letter into his
hand. "And now look at the letter.
head. And the signature"
Dazedly he obeyed her. If she
had come for a subscription to
some charity, these were new tao
tics indeed. Perhaps the name Of
the big store manager was in
tended to be her credentials.
'You see its Wilkinson? Mark
Wilkinson of InSley's?" she told
him sternly.
81 see. The man he's writing
about must be good, I should
think. Wilkinson's repute dly
hard-boiled."
"He is good; very good indeed"
She leaned an arm on the desk and
spoke with austerity. $50 good
that his friends find it difficult to
believe you're taking his job away
from himl"
The startled Mr.. II o kin S
stabbed himself with a beautifully
cared for forefnger.
T-take his job away from
himI"
"You," said the implacable
young thing who was leaning on
his desk. "It's Dion MacKelvey
Mr.. Wilkinson's writing about. /
sent him one of Macs layouts. The
one you used for your last clear
ance sale"
Hopkins face frightened. MAC
had some good ideas on that lay
out We got results from it, too"
I'm glad you admit it,"
The round, somewhat stolid
face confronting her again became
overcast by beWilderment.
Look here, Miss-I don't be-
Heve I-oh, yes, BurnhamI Miss
Burnham. / don't believe ! under
stand what this is all about. If you
could be a little more definite"
Brenda smiled coldly. "Tll be
very definite. You're firing a good
advertising man, an experienced
one, one you yourself say gets re-
suits. Aside from the purely
ethical point of view. do you think
that's good business? I have no
doubt your nephew is a very bril-
liant young man"-her tone i'm
piled that she had every doubt
''but it's impossible for him to
have had Mac'S-Mr. MacKelvey's
experience. Do you -"
Listen" he implored her,
aghast at this flow of eloouence.
"MiSs Burnham. please listen just
a moment. What ever gave you
the idea Mac is fired? Why. I'd
double his salary before I'd let
Mac 60. As matter of fact | gave
him quite substantial raise at the
beginning of the year. Fired?" He
shook his head.
The pink was ebbing rapidly
from Brenda's cheeks. but she
made one more attempt.
"Your nephew was told on
good authority that you'd brought
your nephew here to succeed Mr..
MacKelvey!"
Forgive My Meddling'
A SPARK of amusement, not un-
1 4 touched by malice. began to
dawn In the disgruntled managers
eyes.
'You weren't told that by Mac.
I'll beti l don't know who your
informant is, but he's made sew
eral rather serious mistakes. My
nephew is here. yes: he wanted to
work under Mac for the expert
ence. let him come because
thought Mac was overworking;
not looking just the thing these
? days"
She stood up, her face so white
that involuntarily he put out a
hand to steady her.
''Pm all right, thank you," she
said chokingly. 'That is-as right
as can be- knowing what-what
I've done. Please try to forgive
me, Mr.. Hopkins, for-for med
ding. It's a habit l thought I was
cured of. see now ! had only
what doctors call a remission of
my-malady."
He smiled down at her kindly.
mo harm done at all. my dear