70 "Very well," said Mr. Truscott. "If you should change your mind my offer remains open until you leave—or until the place is filled." "Thank you," said Stella. The prospect of working constantly for and in the presence of the man who had ruined her father and robbed her mother had no attraction for her. Up to this time, the best thing she had seen about Wendell Truscott was his wish to retain her services.Butthat wasevidentlyapurelyimpersonal matter and a part of his general business excellence. She firmly made up her mind to leave the following day.Mr. Truscott could easily find a good stenographer among those who had answered his advertisement. XI. Stella wasslightly surprised about ten o'clock the next morning , to hear her mother's voice through the telephone. Mrs. Paxton rung Stella up from her office and then gave her place at the 'phone to Mrs. Merwin. "I'll see you at noon, Stella," said her mother. "I wish to talk to you. I'll meet you at the Women's Exchange at twelve o'clock sharp." Stella had manyletters to answerthis morning. Mr.Truscott had relapsed into his former humor, and did not even say "Good morning" when she entered his room. He dictated a good many letters, more rapidly than upon the last occasion; in fact, he kept perilously near the limit of Stella's speed. If he 7l had gone much faster she would more than once have been compelled to ask him to repeat his words. His letters, which shehad thought smoother in tone the daybefore, had resumed their harshness of the first day, and from those addressed to subordinates she could see that he was a hard taskmaster who mercilessly demanded his pound of flesh wherever it was due. This trait of Truscott's character was emphasized by an incident, trifling in itself, but valuable to Stella asconfirming her impressions. A beggar wandered into the office. Johnnie had gone away on an errand, and the visitor thereforeescaped his lynx-eyed vigilance, and penetrated as far as Truscott's room. Awhining, cringing, greasy mendicant, with one hand in a sling, aweek's growth of stubble on his face, bad teeth and blear eyes,he seemed to Stella a living embodiment of misery. She heard him, from her room, begin upon a harrowing tale of misfortune,when the buzzer sounded furiously. Therewas no response, Johnnie being absent. A second and third time the call sounded, with increasing vigor at each recurrence, the mendicant meanwhile pouring forth his tale of woe. Mr. Ross answered the last call, makinghis appearancewith some signs of haste. "Mr. Ross, put this man out, and notify the agent of the building that there is abeggar on this floor. It's an intolerable nuisance, and must not be permitted." The beggar slunk out, unaware of the sympathy that his case had excited in one heart, and of the indignation aroused in the same quarter by his summary ejectment.Stella slipped [35.171.182.239] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 09:33 GMT) 72 out into the hall and caught the man waiting bythe elevator. She thrust a coin into his hand and experienced a thrill of virtuous pleasure when he responded in hoarse accents— "Thank y',miss. Gawd bless yer!" Truscott said nothing further to Stella,during the morning, about her remaining. Shewassomewhat surprised that he had not answered the letters of application still cumbering his desk. It seemed a refinement of cruelty to leave these poor people in suspense. Such a consideration, however,she reflected, would hardly moveher employer. Stella met her mother at the Women's Exchange at five minutes past twelve. They found a small table in a secluded corner, where they could sit alone. The waitress took their order and went to get it filled. "Oh, Stella!"exclaimed her mother, plunging at once into the subject uppermost in her mind, "is it possible that you are working in WendellTruscott's office?" "Yes, mama, it is more than possible. It is an accomplished fact." "And how does he treat you? Has he manifestedanyuneasy consciousness?" "He treats me like ablock of wood. For most of the time he is utterly unconscious of my existence. My immediate predecessor wasa man who drank, and Mr.Truscott apparently did not discover for a dayor two that he wasgone." "Why, Stella! I should n't think he would ignore you, for with all his villainy, he has always been hypocritical enough...