ks to know that you're playin' a straight game? It was a matter
of needin' a little time, wa'n't it, and bein' rushed off your feet when
you didn't expect the move? I could guess that much from the start. All
I want to ask is, how's the mine gettin' on, the Glory Be, you know?"

He looks at his feet for a second or so and kind of flushes. Then he
straightens up, looks me level between the eyes, and reaches out a hand
to give me the brotherhood grip.

"Torchy," says he, "there is a mine, and the last I heard it was still
there. Anyway, I'm dropping the investment business right here, and I'm
going out to see what our property looks like. I'll let you know." With
that he whirls and dashes off across the avenue.

"How is it," says Piddie when I gets back, "that it takes you an hour
and a quarter to go four blocks?"

"Hookworms, Piddie," says I, "hookworms. I had a sudden attack."

CHAPTER XI

RUNG IN WITH THE GOLD SPOONERS

On the level now, what's a he Cinderella? And if your boss called you a
name like that, would you resign, or throw out your chest and strike for
a raise? But, then, maybe it was only some of Mr. Robert's fancy
joshin'. Anyway, I'd stand in line waitin' for a thing like that to
happen again.

The way it begun was when I runs across this new girl in the filin' room
and finds her snifflin' over one of the index cases. She's bitin' her
lips to keep from doing it and she's red way up behind her ears; so I
knows she's more mad than sorry. I could guess what's happened; for I'd
just seen Piddie come out of there looking satisfied and important.

"Hello, sis!" says I. "Weepin' over your job so soon?"

"Shut up!" says she.

"Why, how pettish!" says I. "What was Piddie callin' you down for?"

"What's that to you?" says she. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Me?" says I. "Why, I'm the Corrugated's gen'ral grouch dispeller. I'm
the official little ray of sunshine. See?" and I bobs my head so she can
get a good view of my red thatch.

"Huh!" says she; but she can't help lettin' out a grin, so I sees the
cure has begun.

"Don't you mind Piddie," says I. "He don't dare tie the can to you
without reportin' higher up. He likes to make a noise like a watchdog,
that's all. Next time you give him the merry chuckle."

And, honest, I'd done the same if she'd been wall-eyed and
toggle-jointed, just for the sake of blockin' off his little game.

It wa'n't until a couple of days later, when she shoots over a