Three Little Women's Success Part 7

"Oh, that's all O. K. All in the family, you see. Kit won't dare kick; she ain't the kickin' kind-not with _me_, anyhow. She knows too well which side her bread's b.u.t.tered to kick. _I'm_ the head of things down yonder in our house, and as long as I can earn the pile and put up the cash for 'em Ma and Kit can toe the mark. But I don't see no reason why they shouldn't add some to the pile. We ain't, so-to-speak, _rich_ yet, but we ain't _poor_; oh, no-siree, we ain't poor. That savings bank next door knows we ain't poor no more, and it knows we're goin' to be--"

"Yes, Charles, I need you," interrupted Constance, for un.o.bserved by her visitor old Charles had drawn near, and now stood just behind Sniffins, and had heard a good portion of his senseless boasting.

"Yas, Mist'ess, I's right hyer fer ter sarve yo'."

Sniffins turned quickly.

"h.e.l.lo, old stager, where did you come from?"

Charles paid no more attention to him than he would have paid to a stray dog-not as much.

"Will you please remain at the counter a few moments, Charles. When your sister returns she may call here to see me, Mr. Sniffins. Good-morning."

And without another glance at the man Constance walked quickly away from the counter, and down to the 'phone booth, where she called a number.

Sniffins' eyes followed her. When she disappeared he turned to Charles and, with an unpleasant sneer, remarked: "Workin' for her livin' an'

tryin' ter play the big-bug, too, ain't she?"

"Does yo' wish fer ter purchase some of dis hyer candy, sah?" asked Charles, icily.

"No, I don't, an' if I did I ain't takin' it from n.i.g.g.e.rs."

"No, sah, I don' reckon yo' is, kase-Mor'in', Ma.s.sa Po'tah, I'se right glad fer ter see a _gemmen_, sah. Dey's mighty skurse sometimes. How kin I sarve yo', sah?"

"Morning, Charles. Where is my little girl this morning? Gone to the telephone booth? Be back pretty quick, won't she? I want to speak to her a moment."

"She'll return, sah, when de air's better fer her ter breve; it got sort o' foul-like, an' if you'se no objections I'se gwine raise de winder jist a trifle."

"Do, by all means. Must keep the air pure and sweet for that little lady."

"Yas, sir: Yas, sir: Dat's percis'ly what I's amin' ter do. _Dat's_ why I'se always on han'."

"Good! We'll watch out for her, won't we? h.e.l.lo, Sniffins. How about that big deal you were going to put through for me? I haven't heard much about it lately."

"Oh, you'll hear from that all right, all right. Trouble is you expect a man to do in two weeks somethin' most men needs two months to do."

"Well if _you_ take two months to settle that matter for me, the other fellow, _who can_ do it in two weeks, will win out, you mark my word. So you'd better not take time to buy candy at ten A. M. on Monday mornings," for in some way Mr. Porter had gathered from Charles the true situation, and had given this broad hint. Sniffins was not given to taking hints, but he dared not go counter to Mr. Porter's implied wish that he leave the Candy Arch. Still, he was bound to have his last shot, and, with what he intended to be a telling glance, he said:

"You tell Miss Carruth that my sister will take that position, and I'll call 'round later to arrange about her salary."

"It will not be necessary for you to do so, Mr. Sniffins; I have just 'phoned to someone else." Constance had returned so quietly that no one was aware of her approach.

"How do you do, Mr. Porter? I am glad to see you. What can I do for you?

Come into my sanctum."

She led the way to the rear of the Arch, where a little inclosure held her desk and two chairs. Sniffins turned to leave the Arch. At the entrance he came face to face with Hadyn Stuyvesant. The look which accompanied the nod Sniffins gave him was not pleasant. Hadyn did not know him at all, and looked at him in surprise, believing him to have mistaken him for someone else. But Sniffins knew Hadyn.

"So _he's_ on there, too, is he? Guess he can see through a millstone most as far as other folks can. If that girl keeps on she's goin' to be rich, _rich_. That business has growed-ah, grown-like a-a-well, it's _grown_. 'For' long she's goin' to have a big thing in it. Wake up, Sniffins, my boy. You're got as good a chance as any other fellow, an'

you're no sloach on looks, neither. Get busy and spruce up more'n ever.

Buy some new clothes, old man; you'll find 'em a good investment, I tell you. Get Kit down there _somehow_; that's your best wedge for gettin'

into the swell set up yonder. Kit's half-way good-lookin', and ain't got the s.p.u.n.k of a mouse to do any way except the way _I_ tell her."

By the time this monologue came to an end Sniffins had turned into his office on State Street, and there found his sister awaiting him. She had returned to South Riveredge nearly frightened to death by his telegram.

"Ah, cut it out! What's the use whooping things up for nothing?" was his short ordering. "n.o.body's dead nor dyin', but I want you to get down to the Arcade and _get this job_, see? Don't come back here whinin' that you _can't_. You're _got_ to get it, or you can dust out o' South Riveredge an' your happy home. Now listen to what I'm tellin' you: Don't you let on _who_ you _are_. If you do the jig's up, for that high and mighty sprig down there ain't got no sort o' use for _me_. But I'll _tame_ her. I ain't seen the girl yet I couldn't tame. But I want you there 'cause I want to keep track of the revenue, do you see? and if your head's worth half a muttonhead you can't _help_ gettin' a good idea of what that business is worth, and that's what I mean to know. She don't know you from a hole in the ground, and you ain't goin' to let her--"

"But she will know my name, Lige."

"How will she know your name if you don't _tell_ her your name? You've got a middle name, ain't you? Well, what's the matter with that?

Katherine Boggs is all right, ain't it? You haven't _got_ to tack on the Sniffins."

"Oh, I'd forget, and people would know me, and I'd be scared to death to do it, Lige."

"Now see here: You'll be scared to death if you _don't_ do it, let me tell you, for I'll scare you myself. Now get down there and do the job right up to the mark."

About half an hour later a sweet-faced, timid girl presented herself at Constance's Arch. She seemed unduly agitated, and her hands trembled as she rested them on the counter, to ask if Miss Carruth was to be seen.

"I think she can be," answered Constance, smiling encouragingly at the perturbed little figure before her, for Constance was too much her mother's child not to feel the deepest sympathy for such a girl.

"Is she in?" ventured her visitor.

"I am Miss Carruth. What can I do for you?"

"Oh! Why, you want a girl, a clerk?"

"I do. Come into my little office; no one will interrupt us there. Sit down; you seem tired. Now tell me all about it. I've had such a pile of letters that I hardly know which to answer. By the way, I have just 'phoned to one who gave me her number but not her name. I asked her to call at once. I wonder if you can be No. 795?" Constance paused with a most encouraging smile upon her lips and light in her eyes.

"Yes-oh-no; I mean--"

"Why are you so nervous? It will not be a very difficult undertaking, I'm sure, just to sit here and sell boxes of candy, and I'm not _half_ as formidable a young woman as you must have pictured me. The hours are not so very long, and there will be a good many spare moments. The salary is seven dollars a week. Do you care to consider it, Miss--?"

"S-Boggs, I mean Miss Boggs. Yes, I'll take it, I want it very much, I'll try to please you--"

Constance looked at the girl. What ailed her? Why this feverish eagerness to secure the position, and why a degree of nervousness which almost amounted to a panic?

"Will you please give me your address? And"-Constance hesitated. She was upon the point of asking for references, but sympathy for the girl withheld her from doing so.

The girl gave an address in a distant part of the town, and rose to go.

Constance's look held her. There was nothing alarming in the quiet gaze of those deep brown eyes; on the contrary, it was soothing, if compelling.

"Do you mind telling me why you are so agitated? I can see no cause for it, yet there may be one which I do not guess, and if I can help remove it I shall be glad to do so. It troubles me to see you disturbed.

Perhaps a good deal depends upon your securing a situation at once, and if that is the cause of your trouble we have removed it, haven't we? for you are already engaged."

"Oh, yes, I know I'm very foolish; I do want the situation; I've _got_ to take it; I'll do my very, very best; I truly will. Please excuse me.

When must I come?"

"Can you come this afternoon? I am very anxious to get back to my duties in my candy kitchen, and if you can arrange to come here after luncheon, I shall have time to show you the little things you would like to learn, and to-morrow morning you can get along without me."

"Yes, I'll come. I'll be here at two o'clock, and I'll try so hard to please you, Miss Carruth." For a moment a smile lighted up the girl's face and quite transformed it.

She was a plain, colorless little thing, but something in her smile made her very attractive.