Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

oo THE pretty stubborn old party, and he also likes to make out he’s very liberal-minded. _ ‘When we got to discussing you at the club, as I told you, most of us said frankly that, however sorry we felt for you, we wouldn’t dare take a chance on having you around our offices in view of the prejudices of our clients and your bent for publicity. Matthews got off a lot of high-sounding stuff about charity and the helping-hand, so I took him up and offered to bet him a hundred that he wouldn’t take you in him- self if you applied to him. He was in so far that he had to take the bet, but I’ll warrant he’s been praying ever since that he wouldn’t be put to the test.” ‘So I’m a sort of a sporting proposition to the lawyers of Buffalo!” Bradwell re- marked a little resentfully. ‘“‘ Well, you strike me as a pretty good sport yourself. Your feelings ought not to be hurt very badly. I’d call it a piece of good luck and let it go at that if I were you,” Foster concluded. CHAPTER V. LOADED DICE. UT though the sporting instincts of the head of the firm had won Bradwell his place, it became quickly evident that the office in general did not propose to follow it up by giving him a sporting chance to make good. The little managing clerk from the start spent his days devising disagreeable jobs for him. The rest of the underlings, clerks, stenographers, and office boys took their cue from the manager, and snubbed him consistently. ' Though Matthews continued outwardly cordial to a sickening degree, Bradwell had an instinctive feeling that he at least tacitly abetted this baiting. He felt sure that under the pretext of being a good sport the old man played with loaded dice. Bradwell, who was an essentially social being, found this ostracism corroding to his disposition. As time went on his natural buoyancy began to flatten out under the strain. He had taken a room at the Y. M. C. A., but had not yet made any acquain- tances there who were congenial to one of ARGOSY. his temperament. His resolution to keep away from the speedier night life of the city might have weakened had he possessed. money enough to feed his appetite for galety. As it was he was driven within himself, and to forestall too much brooding, he spent his evenings with his law books. He studied as he had never supposed before that it was possible for him to study. And then, in a manner as strange and unexpected as his employment by Mat- thews, he formed an acquaintance that bade fair to develop into a friendship. He was starting for luncheon one day after a particularly disheartening forenoon when he was accosted by a young man at the exit of the building. He recognized him at once as a caller who had spent some time that morning in low-toned conversation with Chester, the managing clerk. ‘‘ Good morning, Mr. Bradwell,” he said. ‘Worden is my name, of Guthrie, Sandford and Pierson. I’ve seen you in Matthews’s office. Chester was telling me about you this morning.”’ The débonair, friendly face and manner of the stranger won Bradwell at once, and he cordially acknowledged the self- introduction. Then a second thought chilled him. ‘““ Are you another of the bunch of giddy sports who seem to be monkeying with my destiny? I don’t just swallow the notion that the kind of ‘ Who’s Who’ my old pal Chester ’d lay before you would make you long for my acquaintance for my simple worth alone. That boy loves me almost as much as an old maid loves snakes.” Worden laughed heartily. _‘*T haven’t any delusions about Chester’s size-up of a man,’ he protested. “‘ The little shrimp has skimmed milk in his veins and sweetbreads for brains. From the knocking he gave you I decided you must have something to you. Besides, I liked your looks, and the facts about you that I boiled out of Chester’s drool interested me. No, I haven’t made a bet with anybody on your case. I heard how old Matthews got caught.” ‘Yes, I’m with him only because he hasn’t the face to fire me just now. I GOMIIGIOO S (CO