Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

THE BIG IDEA. cause his sister seemed to be her only real girl friend. ‘““Can you keep a secret, Estelle?” The girl nodded. ‘“‘ Honest?”? Mr. Cooper’s manner was as boyish with her as it was stern and authori- tative toward his office employees. “* Yes—surely.” “He and I have been working on it to- gether, and—it’s going through!” said the office manager impressively. “What does father say?” Estelle was thrilled more by the solemnity of Mr. Cooper’s manner than by his words, for she had no idea what it was Jimmy proposed doing. “That’s why it’s a secret, Estelle. We haven’t put it up to him yet. But we’ve got it all ready—as near as we can with- out having broached it to any one in the “company. And we’re going to spring it in a day or two.” The office manager was already sorry he had told the girl this much, and he hastened to add: “You'll be careful not to mention it, won’t you, Estelle? Not to any one. It wouldn’t be very nice to have it get to your father before we tell it to him our- selves.” } Estelle frowned. ‘“ I told you I wouldn’t say anything. I’m not a child.” “ Don’t,” said Mr. Cooper briefly; and then changing suddenly, gaily asked her when she was going to let him take her to the theater again. ‘Next Tuesday or Wednesday, if you like,” she replied. Then, as another thought came to her, she added slowly: “‘’To-morrow’s our night at the Metropol- itan. Father said I could have all six seats. I thought, perhaps, you and Marion would like to-go with me?” ‘“ Fine,” agreed Mr. Cooper cordially. Estelle hesitated. “And if you say Marion likes this Mr. Rand, it might be all right to take him, too. He would probably enjoy it.” The unconscious patronage in her tone was not lost on Mr. Cooper. “I'll ask him if you want me to,” he said with a smile. “He would enjoy going, I’m sure.” ‘“‘ And J’ll ask two others,” said Estelle. 43 “It’s ‘ Bohéme ’ to-morrow night—it ought to be good.” CHAPTER VI. TWO DISCOVERIES. ME: LEFFINGWELL HOPE, passing down the corridor this same Friday morning, saw Mr. Cooper escorting the president’s daughter to the elevator. It so happened that Jimmy, with a sheaf of papers in his hand, came through a near-by door at the same moment. The office manager, with a heartiness of manner that surprised Mr. Hope greatly, introduced Jimmy to the girl. The secre- tary was too far away to hear what was said, but the friendliness of the girl’s greet- ing was only too apparent. Mr. Hope turned abruptly and reentered the main office.. With this veal evidence of the firm standing in the company that Jimmy Rand had reached, Mr. Leffingwell Hope cursed himself for a fool. He should never have let that boy get a job with them in the first place. It had seemed all right then; he had never supposed that a kid like that from the country would last in business. And his having been around the office’ would have been a good alibi. Mr. Hope had always been convinced that something would turn up to eliminate him —he would prove inefficient and be fired or something. But that was just what Jimmy had not done—or been. On the contrary, he had made good. He was still answering correspondence—but it was the more im- portant things that were given him now. And he had a way of poking his head into every department of the organization. Even Mr. Hope had noticed that. In late September Jimmy had been able to arrange a trip to one of the company’s near-by factories, which was something Mr. Hope did not learn until afterward. And he never knew that the real reason why Jimmy went was so he could investigate the conditions under which glass was made and apply them to some of the theories he and George Cooper had worked out. The secretary was furious with himself cComicoooks (©