The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 118: what you’re looking at

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112 bustle. Regular guard details were pro- vided, and the sentries, relieved from Cap- tain Soames’s domination, were allowed more liberty when off duty. Trent found himself at leisure about five o’clock one afternoon, and he decided to call at the Iveses’ apartment. Jack Ives had said nothing to him at the armory about the trouble with Buckingham, and probably knew nothing about it, so Trent wished to learn if Edith had been subjected to any further annoyance. She was alone wffen he arrived, and he knew by her appearance that she had lately been crying. ‘““No, I haven’t seen Mr. Buckingham,” she said, in answer to his cautiously worded inquiry; “I wouldn’t see him again, you know. I have had letters from him every day, though, and telegrams. He has apolo- gized and threatened, alternately, over and over. him that I would never see him again.” ‘“‘T hope that your troubles are over,” said Trent. She laughed bitterly and shrugged her shoulders. “The troubles that are over are giving piace to others,” she said. ‘I am in rather low spirits to-night, Mr. Trent. It is hard for me to believe that I have lost my posi- tion. It was a good position, and I’m airaid that I shall hardly find another like it.” “ You mean—that Buckingham—” Trent faltered, in his astonishment. ‘“‘ That is it, of course,” she said dejected- ly. “ My employer, Mr. Andrews, has al- ways liked my work, and he has raised my salary twice, so you can imagine my aston- ishment when he told me to-day that he had promised my place to some one else. ‘“ You remember when you got the posi- tion there in the office,’ she continued, ‘and lost it the next day; you remember that Mr. Andrews was a quick, nervous sort of aman. Well, when I begged him for an explanation of my dismissal, he seemed ir- ritated and he refused to discuss the matter. The secret of it is, that-he manages some of Mr. Buckingham’s real estate for him, and 1 suppose Mr. Buckingham ordered him to discharge me.” oe I wrote him one letter, and I told. THE ARGOSY. “And your brother,” said Trent: “ does he krow anything about it yet?” “IT didn’t tell him what happened the other nignt.” she answered; “‘ I have dread- ed to let him know. He has noticed my nervousness, but he attributes it to over- work. I suppose he will be glad that I am now forced to take a rest, but I am afraid to tell him of the circumstances.” A key rattled in the lock, the door opened slowly, and the habitually buoyant Jack Ives slouched heavily into the room and sat down. “Hello, Trent,” he said duily, showing little interest in Trent’s presence. “Jack!” cried his sister, “ are you ill?” ‘“A heap worse than that,” was the an- swer: “ I’ve lost my job! I have been fired —after making good, at that. I was ex- pecting to be promoted again—if I didn’t go to war—and they fired me to-day as they would fire the office boy!” “I’m mighty sorry, Jack,” Trent said feelingly. Edith went to her brother and put her arms around his neck. ‘Never mind, Jackie,” she said soothing- ly, “‘ we shall manage to keep alive.” ‘“* You haven’t heard the werst of it yet!” Jack muttered. ‘ That sneaking, fat-faced, yellow pup of a Buckingham is the cause of it all! I swear I can’t believe it’s true, but the man that fired me said that Mr. Buck- ingham, one of the largest stockholders, re- quested my dismissal. And he said, Edith, that I owed my job and my advancement to Buckingham.” “Tm afraid that most of it is true,” the sister groaned. “ Did you have to beg jobs and promo- tion for me? Am I as much of a dead one as that?” . ‘Mr. Trent will tell you how hard it is to find employment,” she said. “I never asked Mr. Buckingham to help you, but he did it as a favor and I was grateful to him for your sake.” “But what’s the matter? anything to make him sore? he want them to fire me?” ‘ Because we couldn’t afford to accept his friendship any longer, Jack. His favors are insults to any one that has self-respect.” Have I done Why should oO comicbool< CO