The Argosy — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

h Five Thousand a Year. 235 make it better worth your while to stay with us: your salary shall be raised at once to twelve hundred a year. Reflect well before you reject it: a bird in the hand is worth half a dozen in the bush, remember.” “T thank you greatly, gentlemen. But I would not give up the pro- spects opening to me for twice twelve hundred.” “Take until next Monday to consider,” interposed Mr. Phelps. “ We do not insist upon your answer to-day.” ‘Tf you prefer to receive it then,” was the somewhat ungracious reply. ‘* But it will be the same.” ‘“‘ Understand one thing, Mr. Grainger,” said the chairman, in a sharp, decisive tone, for nothing vexed him hke obstinacy: ‘“‘we have gone from our usual course to give you this warning, out of regard to your late father ; any other than you would have received summary dismissal. Ii, after this, you do give up your situation in this house, you give it up for ever. Under no circumstances will you be permitted to enter it again. I pass you my word of that, as chairman of the board of directors.” “Sir,” returned Adam Grainger, ‘‘ what could induce me to wish to _ re-enter it? My fortune will be made.” ** Very well, sir. Our interview for to-day is over.” ‘“* Until Monday next,” added Mr. Phelps. ‘““ Margaret!” cried Mr. Grainger, bounding into his wife’s presence when he reached home, “it’s all done.” He spoke in an unusually joyous tone, and she looked brightly up, expecting, probably, that the first year’s five thousand pounds had arrived in a parcel. “Yes! What is it?” “Those old governors at the office have saved me the trouble of resigning. They called me in this morning, Gatherby and Phelps, to tell me they were ready to discharge me.” “Is that all?” said Margaret. ‘* suppose they knew you were getting above the situation—in fortune, I mean—and graciously released you.” “Oh did they, though! They are a couple of slow old tubs, who can't get beyond the jog-trot way of their foretathers. The sort of people you know, Margaret, who would rather jolt from here to York in the waggon than risk the railway. They gave me a lecture upon pru- dence,—as keen a one as ever! had from my father,—urged me to send the mines to the right-about, and remain with them.” ** Indeed !” “They would raise me to twelve hundred a year, they said, if I would have done with the Trebeddon. And if not i “What?” asked Mrs. Grainger. “There was the alternative of leaving them at once. By Monday next I must do one or the other. They need not ransack their brains. as to which it will be.” CoOnniclooolkKks (S©) am