When Jimmy reached his office after his unforeseen call upon Zoie, his

subsequent encounter with Alfred, and his enforced luncheon at home

with Aggie, he found his mail, his 'phone calls, and his neglected

appointments in a state of hopeless congestion, and try as he would, he

could not concentrate upon their disentanglement. Growing more and more

furious with the long legged secretary who stood at the corner of his

desk, looking down upon him expectantly, and waiting for his tardy

instructions, Jimmy rose and looked out of the window. He could feel

Andrew's reproachful eyes following him.

"Shall Miss Perkins take your letters now?" asked Andrew, and he

Advertisement..

wondered how late the office staff would be kept to-night to make up for

the time that was now being wasted.

Coming after repeated wounds from his nearest and dearest, Andrew's

implied reproach was too much for Jimmy's overwrought nerves. "Get out!"

he answered unceremoniously. And when Andrew could assure himself that

he had heard aright, he stalked out of the door with his head high in

the air.

Jimmy looked after his departing secretary with positive hatred. It was

apparent to him that the whole world was against him. He had been

too easy he decided. His family, friends, and business associates

had undoubtedly lost all respect for him. From this day forth he was

determined to show himself to be a man of strong mettle.

Having made this important decision and having convinced himself that he

was about to start on a new life, Jimmy strode to the door of the office

and, without disturbing the injured Andrew, he called sharply to Miss

Perkins to come at once and take his letters.

Poor Jimmy! Again he tried in vain to concentrate upon the details of

the "cut-glass" industry. Invariably his mind would wander back to the

unexpected incidents of the morning. Stopping suddenly in the middle of

a letter to a competing firm, he began pacing hurriedly up and down the

room.

Had she not feared that her chief might misconstrue any suggestion from

her as an act of impertinence, Miss Perkins, having learned all the

company's cut-glass quotations by rote, could easily have supplied the

remainder of the letter. As it was, she waited impatiently, tapping the

corner of the desk with her idle pencil. Jimmy turned at the sound, and

glanced at the pencil with unmistakable disapproval. Miss Perkins waited

in silence. After one or two more uneasy laps about the room, Jimmy went

to his 'phone and called his house number.

"It's undoubtedly domestic trouble," decided Miss Perkins, and she

wondered whether it would be delicate of her, under the circumstances,

to remain in the room.




Most Popular