have
Tetlow keep away from you. We don't want him nosing round."

"No, indeed," said she. "He is a nice man, but tiresome. And if I
encouraged him ever so little, he'd be sentimental. The most tiresome
thing in the world to a girl is a man who talks that sort of thing when
she doesn't want to hear it--from him."

He laughed. "Meaning me?" he suggested.

She nodded, much pleased. "Perhaps," she replied.

"Don't worry about that," mocked he.

"I shan't till I have to," she assured him. "And I don't think I'll have
to."

* * * * *

On the Monday morning following, Tetlow came in to see Norman as soon as
he arrived. "I want a two weeks' leave," he said. "I'm going to Bermuda
or down there somewhere."

"Why, what's the matter?" cried Norman. "You do look ill, old man."

"I saw her last night," replied the chief clerk, dropping an effort at
concealing his dejection. "She--she turned me down."

"Really? You?" Norman's tone of sympathetic surprise would not have
deceived half attentive ears. But Tetlow was securely absorbed. "Why,
Billy, she can't hope to make as good a match."

"That's what I told her--when I saw the game was going against me. But
it was no use."

Norman trifled nervously with the papers before him. Presently he said,
"Is it some one else?"

Tetlow shook his head.

"How do you know?"

"Because she said so," replied the head clerk.

"Oh--if she said so, that settles it," said Norman with raillery.

"She's given up work--thank God," pursued Tetlow. "She's getting more
beautiful all the time--Norman, if you had seen her last night, you'd
understand why I'm stark mad about her."

Norman's eyes were down. His hands, the muscles of his jaw were
clinched.

"But, I mustn't think of that," Tetlow went on. "As I was about to say,
if she were to stay on in the offices some one--some attractive man like
you, only with the heart of a scoundrel----"

Norman laughed cynically.

"Yes, a scoundrel!" reiterated the fat head-clerk. "Some scoundrel would
tempt her beyond her power to resist. Money and clothes and luxury will
do anything. We all get to be harlots here in New York. Some of us know
it, and some don't. But we all look it and act it. And she'd go the way
of the rest--with or without marriage. It's just as well she didn't
marry me. I know what'd have become of her."

Norman nodded.

Tetlow gave a weary sigh. "Anyhow, she's safe at home with her father.
He'