Broken to the Plow

hed through by influential friends and he became, through this action, a full-fledged fire insurance broker. He did not need this formality, however, to qua

re, while he was waiting for his final confirmation from fire-insurance circles he took a flyer at these more liberal forms. There seemed no end to this miscellaneous business which, he came

your fire-insurance premiums aren't paid up inside of two months, the policies are canceled. But they let the others drag on u

r were personal friends or gilt-edged business men. They w

there, bending over Helen's shoulder as he pointed out some vital point in the contract they were both examining. He was a trifle uneasy at first-dreading the day when Hilmer would approach him on the matter of sharing commissions. It was a generally assumed fact that Kendrick, the man who handle

ced these fe

partner had said. "Everybody gets it … if they

ecisively. "I've signed my name to an agreement a

s vehemence, merely had shrugged, b

some other way?… There's nothing against giving him all the commissions on that automob

you see, Brauer, that t

re out to make money, not t

inished salary check from Ford, Wetherbee & Co. He realized, too, that the difficulties would scarcely decrease, even in the face of brisk business. The office furnishings would one day have to be met in full, the typewriting machine paid for, the stationery and printing bills settled. During all this time he and Helen would have to live and keep up a decent, not to say prosperous, appearance. Yes, even with Helen saving t

n who couldn't support

ld with a woman. He liked to preserve the mystery of those hours spent in the fight for existence, because he knew instinctively that battle grounds lost their glamour at close range. His Californian inheritance had fostered the mining-

ouched by her attitude to put his foot down firmly against the move… She got on well with Hilmer, too, he noticed. Usually at the end of one of these late afternoon conferences with their chief patron Fred and Hilmer ended up by shaking for an early evening cocktail at Collins & Wheeland's, just around the corner. Hilmer always saw to it that F

you and the next minute he's as considerate as a can

, would go on with her labor

mouth, Freddie?… Women aren't

ee you," he used to th

only way I c

an audience… I guess Mother Hilm

with a round turn, realizing quite suddenly that he w

on that commission question, you

are you go

course, and los

s the bridge till

turbed at nothing, and yet she glowed with a

o admit… After all, women are amazing… They pull and cling at you and drag you back … and then, all of a

lt, overcome with th

nd, frankly, Fred was disturbed. He was

ple rebates," he said to Helen one da

en he begins to collect the premi

losing so much of Hilmer's business. He'd like nothing better than to hop on to some irregular

ed at him. "If Brauer gets us into

o answer. He had never admitted to Helen that Brauer had insisted upon drawing up a hard-and-fast partnership agreement, and taking his note for half of the money advanced in the bargain. It was one of t

when he sees that he can get along without us… Just now he isn't taking any chances. He's holding down hi

ction. He didn't see any relationship between a perfectly baked apple pie and a neatly kept cash book. He had expected his wife to fall down on the mechanical aspects of typewriting, but he forgot that she had been running a sewing machine since she was fifteen years old. And even in his wife's early childhood people were still using lamps for soft effects and intensive reading. Any woman who knew the art of keeping a kerosene lamp in shape must of necessity find the oiling and cleaning of a typewriting machine mere child's play. He didn't realize the affinities of training. It w

ven by the beguilements of California. The rain wind, generally warm and humid, had been chilled in its flight over the snow-piled Sierras, and it had pelted down in a wintry

a prospective customer," he flung out as he laid

. Helen went on pounding her machi

Hilmer went on, as he unbound the bun

cked a surge of illogical hope. "That's fine," he answered, heartily. "But why didn't you send for me? I cou

ather never made any difference to me… I've trav

volved, that's differe

thing as al

what do you say?" Hi

sn't seem to coun

t," she retorted, flippantly. "Sometimes it's just as well that the

unpleasant mockery in Helen's tone. She seemed to be hiding her contempt behind a thin

ot here," Hilmer began again, tapping

ead and Hilmer tosse

r shipbuilding plant?" es

legs and settled

othered to really get down and talk business. This is a half-million-dollar line and a little bit different. It means about fifteen thousand dollars in premiums, to be exact. You can figure what your commission will b

drying with mingled anticipation and apprehension

ed, "how much of the commission a

w the rules of the Brok

pledged myself not

the slightest surpri

rd something of the

t," was his calml

e exact… I'm sorry, but

her pass up a half-million-doll

w I don't want to lose five cents' worth of business

escaped him, but Hilmer didn't seem

ed, affably. "I never saw one yet that

Ten Commandments with your fingers crossed, i

king. "Well, every man to his own taste," he said, as he

d him. His attitude w

participate in a game

ishonest,

reement. I'm not breaking any pledge when I accept a shar

ociates will double cross you if the opportunity presents itself… Would you put a man

, an insurance broker couldn't double cross me if he wanted to… I wouldn't put a thief in charge

outside wouldn't know… A crook wouldn't stay all

lerant. He felt a measure of pride in the realization that he could make his points so calmly and dispassionately, putting this rough-hewn man before him

nd you don't wan

those

r shr

put out a hand. "Let's

acquainted with insurance matters to have any knowledge of the printed schedule she was studying, yet he had to concede that she was giving a splendid imitation of an experienced hand

Fred cleared his throat and even coughed significantly, but Helen was o

you better give h

ed, petulantly. "How disappointing…and just as I was becoming interested… W

se to do. On the way out they met Hilmer's office boy in the corridor. Hilmer was want

abandoned the forms and was lollin

ned and faced him. "You'd better put those papers in the safe. I'll take them back mys

ll, when we get ready to handle the busi

business? You heard w

id, wearily, and she w

orning a telephone message put to rout his reso

rkmen's compensation," he explained to Helen. "You'd better

d not

k. Helen was very busy poun

s all the ru

on Hilmer's shipping plant,

ou mean?…

ed to let us han

n what g

aper in the air. "How shoul

e waited until I got back… You've probably got everything mixe

what to do," she

s been ov

all m

es. She went on wi

be damned!"

ied with a tr

he Hilmer line," he broke out, excitedly. "They say

Starratt sa

e swept from Starratt t

you land

thrusting a penc

e said, sweetly, tossing her

rted unpleasantly. "I

ood stenographer w

ished that Helen Starratt had st

every day, but it was unusual to have such a rank beginner at the brokerage game put over so neat a trick. Speculation was rife. Some said that Hilmer was backing the entire Starratt venture, that h

s in the fire now. He wouldn't be annoyed with the insuranc

too comic, considering his own reputation. To this argument, th

ot of time in Starratt's office for a fell

ew people raised their eyebro

ays did have a pretty

nvinced anybody that he was getting Hilmer's business without financial concessions, he had to take the nasty alternative which the smirks of his audience betrayed… It would not have been so bad if he could have explained the situation to himself, but any attempt to solve the riddle moved in a vicious circle. He used to long for a simplicity that would make him accept Hilmer's favors on their face value. Why couldn't one believe in friendship and disinterestedness? Perhaps it would have been easier if he had lacked any knowledge of Hilmer's philosophy of life. Starratt couldn't remember anything in the recital of Hilmer's past performance or his present attitude that dovetailed wit

ormulate many ideals of business conduct, but as he had pro

e only work consisted in talking them into indifferent acceptance of an insurance policy and then pestering them into a reluctant payment of the premium. Of course big business firms recognized a broker's expertness or lack of

the keenest, the most reliable man i

sudden push gave his career he had moments when he would have felt happier without such dubious patronage. As a matter of fact, Hilmer rather ignored him. He brought in his business usually during Fred's absence from the office, and Helen, under his guidance, had everything ready before her husband had time to suggest any line of action. Forms, apporti

n your place… Now that Hilmer's business is reasonably assured, I can affor

"we can board if it

I detest

as a matter of fact, this isn't any more strenuous than my year

you didn't like

it … but I want to

in here who didn't know

asty inferences that people on the street threw at him unconsciously or mal

rd to manage?" he fou

most men," she answered, slipping easily

threw out bitterly, "but I'd like to feel that I cou

t nice! You landed Hilmer at the start… Don't you

t he smothered such unworthy promptings. It was fresh proof of his own unreasonable conceit.

t in irritation. Her mouth was raised temptingly. He bent over and kissed her, b