ie and I was havin' a little confab on some important
business matter--such as whether the Corrugated ought to stand for the
new demands of the window cleaners, or cut the contract to twice a month
instead of once a week. Mr. Piddie would like to take things like that
straight to Old Hickory himself, but he don't quite dare, so he holds me
up and asks what I think Mr. Ellins would rule in such a case. I was
just giving him some josh or other when he notices Hartley standin'
there patient.

"Well?" says Piddie, in his snappiest office-manager style.

"Pardon me, sir," says Hartley, "but several weeks ago I put in a
request for an increase in salary, to take effect this month."

"Oh, did you?" says Piddie, springin' that sarcastic smile of his. "Do I
understand that it was an ultimatum?"

"Why--er--I hadn't thought of putting it in that form, sir," says
Hartley, blinkin' something like an owl that's been poked off his nest.

"Then I may as well tell you, young man," says Piddie, "that it seems
inadvisable for us to grant your request at this time."

Hartley indulges in a couple more blinks and then adds: "I trust that I
made it clear, Mr. Piddie, how important such an increase was to me?"

"No doubt you did," says Piddie, "but you don't get it."

"That is--er--final, is it?" asks Hartley.

"Quite," says Piddie. "For the present you will continue at the same
salary."

"I'll see you eternally cursed if I do," observes Hartley, without
changin' his tone a note.

"Eh?" gasps Piddie.

"Oh, go to thunder, you pin-head!" says Hartley, startin' back for the
bond room to collect his eye-shade, cuff protectors and other tools of
his trade.

"You--you're discharged, young man!" Piddie gurgles out throaty.

"Very well," Hartley throws over his shoulder. "Have it that way if you
like."

Which is where I gets Piddie's goat still further on the rampage by
lettin' out a chuckle.

"The young whipper-snapper!" growls Piddie.

"Oh, all of that!" says I. "What you going to do besides fire him?
Couldn't have him indicted under the Lever act, could you?"

Piddie just glares and stalks off. Having been called a pin-head by a
bond room cub he's in no mood to be kidded. So I follows in for a few
words with Hartley. You see, I could appreciate the situation even
better than Piddie, for I knew more of the facts in the case than he
did. For instance, I had happened to be in Old Hickory's private office
when old man Tyler, who'