Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 29: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MR. STOKES’ ACCOUNT. what would seem a rather attractive piece of business.” ‘““T know,” said Beth smoothly. “ It does sound like a nice account to have. Still, I’m afraid my mind is made up. I don’t wish to seem discourteous, and of course you think I’m unreasonable, but really, Mr. Stokes, I wish you wouldn’t urge me.” “ But why, Miss Benson, why?” Stokes leaned across the wide desk, his urbane face marred by the shadow of a frown; and the greenish gray eyes held no friendly light. ‘Well, Mr. Stokes, if I must be rude— if you really insist on my telling you why I won’t take your account, it is because I don’t think you or your firm of Stokes & Blanchard are the sort of people that should be encouraged to set up shop here in Tem- pleton.” ‘Meaning that you don’t believe we're on the level?” “T didn’t say that; but you may inter- pret my remarks to suit yourself.” “ Well,” snorted Stokes. “Well. That’s anew one onme. Blamed if it isn’t a brand new one!” He took himself off abruptly without the formality of even a ‘ good day.” By and by Garvin come in. “Say, Miss Benson, that Stokes was pretty sore. He went out breathing brim- stone. I kind of thought—” “You thought I’d take his business? Then why didn’t you take him, without bothering me?” Garvin grinned. “Oh, I guess I would, if this had been some banks I could mention. But I had a hunch I better let you have a look at him.” ‘“ Thanks,” said Beth. ‘I suppose now he’ll go over to the Sands County Trust & Savings.” ‘Where else can he go?” “Do you think Mr. French will pass him?” “ Will a duck swim, Miss Beth?” “Ves, Mr. Garvin, a duck certainly will swim—he’ll swim like—like a duck; every time.” “TY think you can depend on that, Miss Beth,” agreed Garvin, and went back to his. desk. If, curious reader, it be necessary to ac- count for the phenomenon observed in the fact of a young and pretty girl holding down the presidency of the Benson Bank, it may be explained that she had qualified for the job by hard work. Old Joe Benson would gladly have turned it over to young Joe, but the latter had reluctantly declined it; I say reluctantly, though his hesitancy had been due to no desire for the place, but solely to escape disappointing his father. The old man had to admit, nevertheless, that running the Benson Lumber Company was about all the commercial burden he ought to impose upon his book-loving, dreaming, botanizing namesake. So when Beth, by scouring the country- side for new accounts, by studying and sug- gesting and planning, by proving to her dad’s satisfaction that she possessed not only the capability but a real enthusiasm, was named by the directors at old Joe’s re- quest to assume the presidency, all Tem- pleton was first surprised, then good na- turedly tolerant and finally stirred with a proud consciousness of possessing, perhaps, the only lady bank president in the country. “T suppose,” she went on, “ a lot of peo- ple would think twice before declining a promising account like Mr. Stokes’s. But —well, father would have turned him down, I’m sure of that.” She went back contentedly to her calcu- lations. 3 II. On the other side of the street, though not quite facing the Benson, was Temple- ton’s newer bank, the Sands County Trust & Savings. Thither went Mr. Stokes. Al- most the first desk within view of the visi- tor was that of Mr. Edward Chesterton French, head of the institution. His official identity was made plain by the title “ Presi- dent” neatly lettered on a strip of glass and fastened to the end of his desk. Near by, and within the same railed inclosure, were located other officials. This ruthless display of its managing personnel is a part of the modern bank’s “‘ scenery.” ‘The doc- tor or lawyer can hive up in a sealed cubicle and maintain an armed guard if he likes— maybe that’s part of his scenery; but the Gomichbooks.com