Oh, he's cute, Benny is; but the bashfullest forty-four fat that ever
carried a cane, a reg'lar Mr. Shy Ann kind of a duck. He has a lisp
when he talks too, and that makes him seem cuter'n ever.

About twice a week he drifts up to the brass gate and says to me, "Thay,
thonny, whereth Bob?" Makes my mouth pucker up like I'd been suckin' a
lemon, just to hear him. And if he sees one of the girls lookin'
sideways at him he'll dodge behind a post.

There he was, though, and there was Mildred pilin' in alongside of him.
She didn't give any sign of backin' out, and it was too late for me to
hedge; so I ups and does the honors.

"Mr. Benny," says I, "Miss Morgan."

"Oh, I--I thay," splutters Benny, makin' a move to bolt, "perhapth I'd
better----"

"Forget it!" says I, slammin' the door. "Ding, ding, Louie! Get a move
on! If you don't fetch back here by five-thirt' you lose your job. See?"

Frenchy didn't need any urgin', though, and he has the wheels goin'
round in no time at all. I watched the car for a couple of blocks and
didn't see anything of Benny jumpin' out of the window; so I reckons
that he's too scared to make the break. I had a picture of him,
squeezin' himself up against the side of the tonneau, lookin' at his
thumbs, and turnin' all kinds of colors.

"If it don't give him apoplexy, maybe it'll do him good," thinks I.

It was funny while it lasted; but when I thinks of what Mr. Robert'll
say when the tale is doped out to him. I has a chill. First off I
thought I'd go up and write out my resignation; but then I remembers how
long it is since I've had the sport of bein' fired, and I makes up my
mind to see the thing through.

I was lookin' to be called up on the carpet first thing next mornin',
but it don't come. Mr. Robert never says a word all day long, nor the
next, and by that time the thing was gettin' on my nerves. Then Benny
bobs up, as usual. I has my eye peeled from the minute he opens the
door. He don't look warlike or anything; but you never can tell about
these fat men, so when he hits the gate I dodges behind the water
cooler.

"Wha--w'ath the matter, thonny?" says he.

"G'wan!" says I.

"Ithn't Bob in?" says he.

"Go on in and tell Mr. Robert, if you want to," says I; "but don't look
for any openin' to sit on me. No pancake act for mine!"

He just grins at that; but goes on into the office without makin' a
single pass at me. Course, I was sure the riot act was due inside of an
hour. B