第7章 ONLY THREE YEARS(1)

When, at last, the owner of the store entered the office, his face showed extreme irritation.He did not vouchsafe any greeting to the secretary, who regarded him with an accurate perception of his mood.With a diplomacy born of long experience, in her first speech Sarah afforded an agreeable diversion to her employer's line of thought.

"Mr.Hastings, of the Empire store, called you up, Mr.Gilder, and asked me to let him know when you returned.Shall I get him on the wire?"The man's face lightened instantly, and there was even the beginning of a smile on his lips as he seated himself at the great mahogany desk.

"Yes, yes!" he exclaimed, with evident enthusiasm.The smile grew in the short interval before the connection was made.When, finally, he addressed his friend over the telephone, his tones were of the cheerfulest.

"Oh, good morning.Yes, certainly.Four will suit me admirably....Sunday? Yes, if you like.We can go out after church, and have luncheon at the country club." After listening a moment, he laughed in a pleased fashion that had in it a suggestion of conscious superiority."My dear fellow," he declared briskly, "you couldn't beat me in a thousand years.

Why, I made the eighteen holes in ninety-two only last week." He laughed again at the answer over the wire, then hung up the receiver and pushed the telephone aside, as he turned his attention to the papers neatly arranged on the desk ready to his hand.

The curiosity of the secretary could not be longer delayed.

"What did they do with the Turner girl?" she inquired in an elaborately casual manner.

Gilder did not look up from the heap of papers, but answered rather harshly, while once again his expression grew forbidding.

"I don't know--I couldn't wait," he said.He made a petulant gesture as he went on: "I don't see why Judge Lawlor bothered me about the matter.He is the one to impose sentence, not I.I am hours behind with my work now."For a few minutes he gave himself up to the routine of business, distributing the correspondence and other various papers for the action of subordinates, and speaking his orders occasionally to the attentive secretary with a quickness and precision that proclaimed the capable executive.The observer would have realized at once that here was a man obviously fitted to the control of large affairs.The ability that marches inevitably to success showed unmistakably in the face and form, and in the fashion of speech.Edward Gilder was a big man physically, plainly the possessor of that abundant vital energy which is a prime requisite for achievement in the ordering of modern business concerns.Force was, indeed, the dominant quality of the man.His tall figure was proportionately broad, and he was heavily fleshed.In fact, the body was too ponderous.Perhaps, in that characteristic might be found a clue to the chief fault in his nature.For he was ponderous, spiritually and mentally, as well as materially.The fact was displayed suggestively in the face, which was too heavy with its prominent jowls and aggressive chin and rather bulbous nose.But there was nothing flabby anywhere.The ample features showed no trace of weakness, only a rude, abounding strength.There was no lighter touch anywhere.Evidently a just man according to his own ideas, yet never one to temper justice with mercy.He appeared, and was, a very practical and most prosaic business man.He was not given to a humorous outlook on life.He took it and himself with the utmost seriousness.He was almost entirely lacking in imagination, that faculty which is essential to sympathy.

"Take this," he directed presently, when he had disposed of the matters before him.Forthwith, he dictated the following letter, and now his voice took on a more unctuous note, as of one who is appreciative of his own excellent generosity.

"THE EDITOR,"The New York Herald.

"DEAR SIR: Inclosed please find my check for a thousand dollars for your free-ice fund.It is going to be a very hard summer for the poor, and I hope by thus starting the contributions for your fine charity at this early day that you will be able to accomplish even more good than usually.

"Very truly yours."

He turned an inquiring glance toward Sarah.

"That's what I usually give, isn't it?"

The secretary nodded energetically.

"Yes," she agreed in her brisk manner, "that's what you have given every year for the last ten years."The statement impressed Gilder pleasantly.His voice was more mellow as he made comment.His heavy face was radiant, and he smiled complacently.

"Ten thousand dollars to this one charity alone!" he exclaimed.

"Well, it is pleasant to be able to help those less fortunate than ourselves." He paused, evidently expectant of laudatory corroboration from the secretary.

But Sarah, though she could be tactful enough on occasion, did not choose to meet her employer's anticipations just now.For that matter, her intimate services permitted on her part some degree of familiarity with the august head of the establishment.

Besides, she did not stand in awe of Gilder, as did the others in his service.No man is a hero to his valet, or to his secretary.

Intimate association is hostile to hero-worship.So, now, Sarah spoke nonchalantly, to the indignation of the philanthropist:

"Oh, yes, sir.Specially when you make so much that you don't miss it."Gilder's thick gray brows drew down in a frown of displeasure, while his eyes opened slightly in sheer surprise over the secretary's unexpected remark.He hesitated for only an instant before replying with an air of great dignity, in which was a distinct note of rebuke for the girl's presumption.