Torchy, Private Sec.

at all. No climbin' the ladder for me, not while they run express elevators

t the jump-end of the buzzer. I'm everybody's slave in general, and Piddie

toes could touch. Now my knees rub the under-side of the desk. Familiar with the place? Say, there are just seventeen floor cracks between me and the opposite w

me helped some. And the shave-oh, I was goin' it strong! No cut-price, closing-out, House-of-Smartheimer bargain, altered free to fit-not so, Lobelia! Why, I pawed over whole bales of stuff in a sure-enough Fifth-ave. tail

understand: just quiet and dignified and rich-like, same as any second vice or gen'ral manager wo

y lurid locks trimmed, and as Giuseppe quits shearin' and asks if ther

nything there to

hrough the motions

t hit you foolish the first time, though? I felt like everybody in the shop, includin' the brush boy and the battery of lady manic

m the hot towel, when I turns to see who it is has camped dow

'. "If it isn't Torchy!

havin' my eye teeth tested fo

out for the check. "This is on me the

nd later on, when I answers the buzzer, he makes me turn clear

he. "Whoever your tailor m

h, though," says I. "

own up. May I ask the occasion? Can it be that Miss Vero

I. "Bermuda. Go

goes on Mr. Robert,

worst," says I; "b

wish you luck." Then the twinkle fades out of his eyes and he turns serious. "I wish," he goes on, "that I could do more than jus

since Old Hickory's been down South takin' seven kinds of baths, and prob'ly cussin' out them resort doctors as they was never cussed before, Mr. Robert Ellins has been doin' a h

old girl does keep the bars up against an inoffensive party like me is something fierce! I tries to call Vee on the 'phone as soon as I've discovered wh

' at close range. It's an apartment hotel this time, and I hangs around the entrance, inspectin' the bay trees out front for

brunette Jamaican in the olive-gr

he; "but you can send up a call,

rb the operator," sa

aking her drive, Suh," sa

says I. "She'd be mighty sore on u

ays he, pulli

e. And this was a bum hunch on Aunty. Out? Why, she was propped up in an easy-chair with a sprained ankle, and had been

Well, young man, what i

shuffles my feet. "Sa

"that you have the impudence to try

Don't you ever take a sp

ls, and prepares to smear me on the spot; but I gives

ng? Say, where's the harm in me takin' Verona out for a half-hour walk along the Drive?

you quite certain, however, t

admits; "but by the latest dope I had on the s

ical, wilful girl at times, just as her poor mother was. Keeping u

fully, Ma'

tin' foxy at me, "you are employed

no

boy, still?

ybody that stays still very long

y. "Does my niece know just how humble a po

n't know as I've eve

sudden, like she'd been struck with a new idea. For a second or so she gazes blank over the top of my head, and then she comes to wi

rs to Aunty: she does it so neat and sudden! It must be like the sensation of havin' a flight of trick sta

had something up her sleeve; but what it is I can't dope out. So all I can do is keep my

of deductin' at the source goin' on, and Mr. Robert's grand scheme for dissolvin' the Corrugated-on paper-bein' worked out. Oh, sure, that's the easiest thing we do. We've split up into nineteen se

part of my job. If I didn't, I'd be towin' a grouchy bunch of minority kickers in where the reorganization board was c

vous and pawin' through pigeonholes, "ask Mr. Pi

sociated Develo

nks. And could you find out for me whe

waited for that Duluth delegation to

fifteenth! Has Marling of C

tions, won't he? But there's that four-eyed guy with th

card on his desk. "That Rowley pers

of something under one arm-crank p

rt. "I haven't time myself, though. Perh

ook at the old gink's round cuffs and

. Only remember this: My policy is to give everyone who has a proposition t

mooth stuff goes; and if we must spill

ime might be lost in actin' one way or the other? Inside of three minutes too, he has his papers spread out and is explainin' his by-product scheme for mill tailings, with me bus

in operation for a five-per-cent. royalty! I've been a mine superinte

wley," says I; "only we can't jump at these thi

r six months or a year," says he. "I've been through all

h obliged to you, Mr. Rowley, for givin' us first whack at it. We 're out for anything that looks good, and we always take c

, I glances over the spring-water bottle, to see M

orchy; the true Chesterfield spirit, if not the form. I am tempted to

while I'm on my battin' st

erchance two ladies." And he de

feelin' of my tie. "You ain't spring

, "that is the presumption. As a matter of fact, I've just b

ays I,

says Mr. Robert, "and I gather that she has been

" says I, "that our D.B

mple facts. But I haven't half an hour or more to devote to the process

be I could. But she's on

Robert. "She merely said, 'We sh

. So that was her game! It wa

says Mr.

ussed, too, at the prospect. "Excuse

thought this assignment mi

oxy old dame's comin' down here with Miss Vee, I'm-well, I don't stand for

ew lid too, when Mr. Ro

breach of office discipline?" says h

rima donna whim, do you? It's this plot to show me up t

lookin' puzzled. "Could y

a-week kids that's old enough to have work papers? I've been here goin' on four years now, and I ain't beefed much about it, have I? That's because I've been used white and the pay has been decent. Also I'm strong for you and Mr. Ellins. I expect you

e. However, just at this moment I have hardly time to-- By Jove!" Here he breaks off and glances at the clock. "Two-fifteen, and a general council of our attorneys called

bondroom b

and prime yourself with facts about those debentures, there is t

" says I, "I wa'n't planni

ng Company is-well, hardly in active business life. It is necessary that he be represented here in some nominal capacity.

salary, stage mon

certainly,

the guy,

ebentures come in your department

grinnin' once more, "I'd

ehind the ground-glass door, sittin' at a reg'lar roll-top, with a lot of file cases spread out, puzzli

Aunty and Vee. I wa'n't throwin' any bluff about tryin' to look busy, either.

unty as she pipes off who it is at the desk. My

ys I, snappin' my

, and waves away the seats. "Young man," says she, "

ey? Not affected by the reorganization, Ma'am. You see, i

lorgnette at me threatenin', "I prefer

ut as he's very bus

" snaps the old

ident of the Mutual Fu

w?" she

cretary, Ma

s too absurd of Mr. Robert-w

from one of them gray eyes is worth waitin' for! She follows Aunty through the door with a handkerchief stuffed in

session just before closin' time; ru

wing-chair, "it was some jolt you sli

sed your appointment an hour ago. Keep your

y eyes bugged. "Off th

hat the gate's loss will be

my breath. "Will it?" says I. "Say, just watch me!