Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

A LETTER OF DiISCRKEDIT. “No. He merely said he had talked about me with you and others at your club, and that he felt sure you would have a place for me.” , ‘““H-m! To be sure! Quite so! H-m! I’m very glad indeed to help a young man who’s been—ah—unfortunate and sees his mistake and—ah—proposes to reform; very glad indeed. This letter of yours—most unusual. Very commendable of you, too, I may add, and augurs well for your good intentions and sincerity. You want it back, of course. Now let me introduce you to my managing clerk. He will acquaint you with your duties.” Bradwell followed him to the outer office, rather dazed at the suddenness and mystery ef this ending of his quest, and uncertain whether or not to feel gratified at it. “This old boy sounds a little hollow to me,” he thought. The managing clerk was a nervous, apologetic, middle-aged little man, whose face betrayed his surprise and disapproval when his chief introduced the new office member. | ‘““ Mr. Chester, this is Mr. Bradwell, who is to read law with us and make himself generally useful. You may put him on the pay-roll for ten dollars a week and arrange a desk for him.” With this brief explanation Matthews left him. “* Well—well!” fussed the little clerk. ‘This is unexpected! I didn’t know Mr. Matthews was planning an addition to the staff. We really hadn’t a vacancy. We have two young men in that capacity already. I don’t know where we'll find a desk for you. But pardon me! That’s neither here nor there! What Mr. Mat- thews says goes, of course. Dare say we can give you something to do. Where were you employed before, Mr. Bradwell?” This perfunctorily polite question showed that the fussy Mr. Chester did not yet know he had acquired an ex-convict as an under- study. Bradwell’s familiar imp at once as- serted itself. ‘‘ My last job was in Auburn prison,” he replied. Chester looked doubtful. ‘“* Ah, you were a State employee?” of ‘No; a State guest.” Still there was bewilderment. ‘““T see you haven’t seen the letter that got me the job,” Bradwell elucidated, hand- ing him the letter of discredit. The other read it with amazement and | horror. “Do you mean to say you showed this letter to Mr. Matthews? You're not a practical joker, are you?” ‘TI did, and I’m not,” replied Bradwell succinctly. Chester, letter in hand, fluttered into Matthews’s office and was gone many minutes. When he returned his face was flushed angrily. He was still nervous and fussy, but he was no longer apologetic. In- deed, from that morhent on, as long as Bradwell stayed with the firm, the manag- ing clerk was barely polite to him, and made it clear in many ways that he dealt with him only under protest. Bradwell was greatly curious as to why he had been so promptly employed in an office which apparently had no use for him, and whose members seemed to find him personally distasteful. So he determined that when he telephoned Mr. Foster, as he had promised, he would demand an expla- nation. Before returning from luncheon he calied up his sponsor from a public booth. ‘* Took you, did he? I had a feeling old Matthews wouldn’t make good,” Foster ex- claimed, when Bradwell told him the news. ‘“Y thought he’d back down on the pinch. I] hope you make good, though.” ‘“ Thank you, Mr. Foster, I'll do my best,” he replied. know is why he did it. The old man made a great show of being cordial, but underneath it I could see he didn’t take to the idea a little bit. And as for that man Chester, his managing clerk, he can’t see me for a minute. The thing looks a little phoney to me. How about it?” _ * Well, my boy, I don’t like to hurt your feelings, but I'll tell you as long as you insist, and I hope you won’t let it make any difference to you. As a matter of fact, the old man had to take you to save his face, and incidentally to win a little bet he was forced into the other night. Matthews is a comicloool. “But what I want to