“Well, I guess you’re the bravest person I ever met.”
“Oh no,” said Margaret, drawing in a deep breath of the savory odor and picking up her spoon daintily, “I was never brave. When you have to do a thing, it isn’t brave. It’s just that you have to.”
“You are brave!” said Greg quietly as if that settled it.
They had finished the soup and the roast chicken with its accompaniments and were waiting now for the dessert that Greg had insisted on ordering against Margaret’s earnest protest that they had had already far more than was needful for one meal. Greg suddenly leaned forward.
“I think perhaps I should introduce myself,” he said seriously.
“There seems to be nobody else to do it, and we don’t want to have any more misunderstandings.”
Margaret looked up with a smile.
“My father died when I was a little kid,” he said. “He was a teacher, and there wasn’t much money left. Mother died just after I got through high school, and I went out west and took up some land. She was a good mother, and I’ve tried to stick to the principles she taught me. I had to work too hard, and was too far out away from everybody to get into much mischief anyway. I worked like a hyena and fought to keep my land. And then suddenly, just like a miracle, I struck oil on my land, sold out, and came east to try and live like other folks. This was my hometown. I was lonesome. I landed here a few minutes before I saw you fall off that park bench! I haven’t done much since but hunt you. That’s the story. Now, do you mind telling me where you were going after you parked your baggage at the station?”
Margaret flushed but gave him her steady, honest gaze.
“Well, I was going to hunt another job and then get a cheap room,” she owned.
“But you have a job,” he told her. “I’ve been waiting to get to work till you got back, and I want to start at once. Unless, of course, you don’t think I’m good enough to work for.”
“Oh!” said Margaret, her eyes filling with tears. “I think you’re wonderful! After all you have done for me, how could I think otherwise? Of course I’ll work for you if you’ve really got some genuine work for me to do.”
“I have!” said Greg with satisfaction. “I have an office, and I have work waiting. Some of it is parked on the floor ready to be taken care of right this minute, but the first thing that’s got to be done is to buy a desk and some fixings for the office.
It’s just a bare, empty room now.”
“We could use a box for a desk until you have time to buy the furniture,” said the girl, her eyes kindling with interest. “I’m used to working anywhere.”
“No, we’re going to do this thing right!” said Greg. “You’re going to make out a list of everything an office needs, everything down to typewriter, paper, and pens; and then you and I are going out to purchase them. That is, I’ll go along if you don’t mind. The picking them out is part of your work. I’m not up in those things yet. But first, you’re going to have a good night’s rest and get rid of those dark shadows under your eyes. Great Scott! I don’t see how you think you can work if you don’t take care of yourself!”
A shadow passed over the girl’s face.
“I did the best I could,” she said.
“Yes, I know,” said Greg hastily. “I’m sorry I said that. But now you’re going to have things so you can look out for yourself a little better. And just incidentally, you don’t need to look for a room unless you want to. Your room’s been engaged and a month’s rent paid in advance, dating from the day you lighted out from the hospital.”
“Oh!” said Margaret aghast. “How dreadful! You paying rent for nothing all that time!”
“Don’t worry about that. I wanted to make sure and hold it till you came to see if it suited you.”
“Suited me!” she exclaimed. “I’m not out trying to get suited!” she laughed with bitter gaiety.
“Well, will you go and look at it now? It’s the place Nurse Gowen told us about. It’s in the same house with the office and seemed quite attractive. I thought it would be easier for you than having to run out in the rain or snow. Mrs. Harris is a very nice little old lady, and everything is as clean as a pin. She will board you, too, and the nurse seemed to think that would be nice. You can try it out anyway, and if you don’t like it, you can find something better at your leisure.”
Margaret looked troubled.
“It isn’t a question of finding something better. It’s a question of being able to pay for anything,” she said. “If it’s nice, I’m sure I couldn’t afford it. And anyway, if it’s a nice place, I’m not fit to go to it. You can see just how shabby and disheveled I am. Any decent landlady wouldn’t take me in looking this way. I’m a perfect tramp!”
“You don’t look that way to me,” he said, “but I can get your point, and of course you know better than I. Equally, of course, you have got to be fittingly dressed. I had thought you might need some money just at the start, and I arranged to give your first month’s salary in advance. I brought it along.”
He put his hand in his pocket, brought out a roll of bills, and tossed it down on the table before her. To the poverty-stricken girl, it looked like a million dollars, a great roll! She drew back with almost anguish in her eyes.
“Oh, I can’t take money before I have earned it!” she exclaimed.
“But you’ve got to be prepared for your work. Call it an investment or a loan or whatever makes you feel most comfortable, but I thought salary was best. Then when the month is over, it’s all paid and you don’t have to think anything about it again.
“But I couldn’t possibly earn all that in a month!” said Margaret.
“Wait till you see!” said Greg. “It’s only what I offered you when you were in the hospital. You’ve got to pay your board, you know. I went around to the different places of business and asked about salaries for the different work I want you to do, and then I added them all together and divided by the number of activities, and this was the result. It’s the salary I’ve decided to pay to whoever becomes my secretary. If you can’t do the work right, I’ll promise to tell you, and if you want to leave at any time, it’s entirely up to you. Isn’t that fair enough? You’re not bound in any way.”
“You’re trying to be good to me!” said Margaret, her eyes downcast, her lips quivering.
“If I were, would that be such a crime?” he asked half sadly. “I only wish I could help you somehow! But please remember I am being good to myself at the same time. I believe myself to be getting just the kind of secretary and assistant in my new business that I need. Now, will you please put that money in your purse? I think that waitress is coming back with the change, and she might not understand it.”
Margaret gathered the money into safekeeping at once.
“But I’m sure it isn’t right for me to take this,” she said dubiously.
“I’m sure it is!” said Greg, and got up from his seat.
As he swung into his handsome overcoat, he gave a troubled glance at Margaret again in her little, thin suit jacket.
“There’s one thing,” he said when they were back in the car. “You’ve got to go and get yourself a good thick coat with fur on it. All the women have fur on their coats, and you need it to keep you warm today! I can see you are shivering this minute. That’s the first thing you ought to buy. If you’d just get a good coat and put in on, you could go to your boarding place right away and rest, and get the other things you need tomorrow. Can’t you do that?”
Margaret looked doubtful.
“I have a coat at the pawnshop,” she said. “I could get that out and do very well. It isn’t grand, and it has no fur, but I’m not used to fur nowdays. If you would just take back all this money except enough to get my coat out—they only loaned me three dollars on it—and enough to buy a decent pair of shoes, I could do very well until I have earned the money.”
“No,” said Greg, “I will not have you scrimping along that way. I want you to have the
right things and begin right. You know people will come in the office, and you’ve got to feel comfortable to meet them. I’ve learned that clothes make a difference to some people. I’ll tell you someday how I learned it. And I want you to buy that coat right away. It’s got to be a good one, too. It pays to buy good material, well cut. I learned that out in Chicago one day. Come now, will you be good and go and buy a nice, warm, pretty coat, or shall I have to go and buy it? Because I warn you, I’ll buy it if you don’t. You’ll be down with pneumonia next thing if you don’t have it, and I can’t afford to wait any longer for my new secretary. And you haven’t got one cent too much money. In fact, I think you’ll probably need a lot more before you get started right, and there’s plenty more where this came from if you do.”
“You are wonderful!” said Margaret. “It doesn’t seem right at all. But if it really has to do with being presentable for your business, I’ll do as you say.”
“Good girl!” said Greg as he drew up before the entrance of a large department store. “Now, I guess you can get what you want in here, can’t you? Suppose I park right over there and wait for you. Don’t hurry. I have a book in my pocket I want to read.”
Chapter 14
When Margaret came out of the store, she wore a lovely thick brown coat with a great beaver collar. Greg saw her at once and was satisfied. How pretty she looked! He was as pleased as if he had something new himself.
“Say, that’s a corker!” he said, as she got into the car.
“I’m glad you like it,” said Margaret, smiling demurely. “And it was a bargain. Thirty-nine fifty! I never saw such a lovely coat at that price before. They were having a sale.”
“You’re sure it’s all right?” he asked anxiously, putting out a tentative finger and feeling of the material. It’s warm enough, is it?”
“It’s wonderful!” said the girl with her eyes shining. “I haven’t been so warm in years.”
“And you’re sure there isn’t anything wrong with it? It isn’t out of style or hasn’t any damaged spots or anything? There’s usually something wrong with bargains, isn’t there?”
“Oh no,” said Margaret wisely, “they have sales now and then to attract people to the store, and they usually have a leading special that is really a bargain. I’ve had to watch for bargains, so I know.”
“Well, it’s a peach!” he said, relapsing into the vernacular of his school days. “Say, that makes you look like a princess!”
The color came into Margaret’s cheeks, and her eyes were starry with pleasure. Greg suddenly grew embarrassed. He had to be careful saying things like that to his girl. She might run away again. He must watch his ways. She wasn’t like those girls in the train. She was a lady.
“You like it, do you?” he asked in a soberer tone. “You didn’t just go and buy it because it was a bargain?”
“I love it!” said Margaret. “I never dreamed of having such a marvelous coat! Not for years and years anyway.” She was like a child in her pleasure.
“But you are very tired,” he said. “You are going straight home and lie down. Promise me! Or I shan’t let you work tomorrow!”
“I could work some this afternoon,” she assured him seriously.
“No,” he said sternly. “You’re going to lie down till dinner time.”
“Dinner,” said Margaret, “after such a meal as you ordered!”
“Dinner,” said Greg sternly. “You must learn to eat three meals a day. Now, here we are. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”
Margaret was suddenly silent with awe, looking up at the big old brownstone mansion that had become a rooming house in its old age.
“Comfortable!” she said. “Comfortable? Well, I should hope! But I never expected anything so grand!”
“I guess it used to be grand,” said Greg as he stopped the car and helped her out.
The little old lady who came to the door had white, wavy hair combed down over her ears and wore a gray wool dress with white collar and cuffs. She looked as if she came out of a book of long ago. She welcomed Margaret primly.
“Another package of books came for you this morning, Mr. Sterling,” she said, turning with great deference toward Greg.
“Oh that’s good! Then we can get to work soon. Step this way, Miss McLaren, and see what you think of the offices.”
He took out a bunch of keys and unlocked the door to his right. Margaret stepped into the big old double parlors and looked around.
“What delightful office rooms!” she said, secretly contrasting the stately walls of the beautiful old rooms with the low-ceilinged, dirty, cobwebby place where she had addressed envelopes a few days ago. What wonderful lot had befallen her to be allowed to work in a place like this!
Mrs. Harris beamed upon them with tiny dignity and was most deferential.
“I’m glad you’ve come, Miss McLaren,” she said. “It’ll be company for me. There’s nobody else in the house but the boy that’s taking care of the furnace to help himself through college, and he mostly isn’t here. It’s been real lonesome!”
Margaret had to blink to keep sudden tears from coming into her eyes. To think of anybody but her own family feeling that way about her coming.
“Oh, you make me think of my grandmother!” she said suddenly, and Greg turned and gave Mrs. Harris a quick, keen glance.
“Well, that’s nice,” said the landlady. “Now what time would it suit you to have dinner? We can arrange meals within reason to accommodate your hours at present. You are the only boarder I have yet.”
“Please don’t change your habits,” said Margaret. “For the present, at least, it will make no difference to me. Unless Mr. Sterling might want me for some reason.”
“There might be an occasional day when Miss McLaren would have duties that would keep her,” said Greg in a businesslike tone, “but she could always let you know in plenty of time, I should think.”
Then Mrs. Harris took her boarder up to her room, a large second-floor back sitting and bedroom, nobly furnished in old walnut with a bath adjoining. A wide bay window looked out into a court at the back as clean as the inside of the house. There were handsome well-preserved old lace curtains at the windows and some pots of scarlet geraniums on the window seat. A canary hung from a long hook in the middle window.
“I left Dick in here till you came,” apologized the old lady. “He’s always been here, and he likes the sunshine, but I can take him down in the kitchen just as well. He’s lots of company.”
“Let him stay here,” said Margaret. “I’d love him, unless you’ll miss him yourself.”
“Well, we’ll see,” said the old lady. “Now, you’ll find towels and soap in the bathroom, and I guess everything is here you need. If you want anything else, you can just let me know. I’ll run down and get the dinner started.”
When Greg came upstairs with the baggage, he found his new secretary standing by the birdcage with tears in her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” he asked in alarm, setting down his burden and coming over to her. “Don’t you like it? You don’t have to stay here if you don’t like it, you know.”
He cast a swift look around the room to see what could have disturbed her.
“Like it!” said Margaret, brushing away the tears and bringing forth a bright smile. “It’s just like heaven! I was just thinking it couldn’t possibly be me. It must be a dream, and I will wake up pretty soon and find it isn’t so!”
“Oh!” laughed Greg, greatly relieved. “Well, you can see you need a good rest, or you wouldn’t be crying about being in heaven! Now I’m leaving you—and don’t waste any time getting started on a good sleep. Can I open your suitcase for you?”
“Oh no!” laughed Margaret, “it opens all too easily of itself. It has a worn-out catch. I’m surprised it stayed shut so long!”
“Well then, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow morning. About what time? Would nine o’clock be too early? And oh yes, here’s my telephone number if you need to cal
l me for anything. Now, can I depend on you not to run away before I come again?”
“I give you my word of honor I will stay right here till you come.”
“All right, Casabianca”—he grinned—”I’ll absolve you from that in a case of a burning deck, nothing else. But suppose you give me your hand on that.”
Laughingly, she put her hand in his, and he went away thinking what a little, soft hand it was. He remembered about it all the way home, the pleasantness of having a little hand like that in his.
He didn’t even remember that Alice had small, soft hands also.
When he was gone, Margaret took off her hat, hung up her new coat, and went fluttering around her new abode. All this room for herself! What luxury!
She opened her baggage and put away the few things that were usable, realizing in this palatial surrounding how pitifully old and worn her things were. She had pawned the best of her wardrobe long ago, and it had been scanty in the first place. Well, she was glad that she had bought the little brown crepe. It hadn’t taken a minute to try it on, and it was so very cheap. She would put it on tonight for dinner and, yes, wear it tomorrow. Her suit really wasn’t fit to use even for work until it was cleaned. Then as soon as there was a chance, she would buy another cheap little dress or two, just so that she would not disgrace her employer. After that she would save and send home all she could. Oh, if she could only do something to save the old house! Well, she mustn’t think about it. She would pray that God would touch Elias Horner’s heart and make him willing for them to have a year or two longer to pay it. Anyway, she was rejoiced that she had sent that twenty-five dollars that morning! And to think of having all that roll of bills after buying a coat and dress and shoes! It was marvelous!
So Margaret put away her few things, took a hot bath, and lay down.
She came up from the far depths when the silver bell rang for dinner, flew into her new brown dress with a couple of motions, smoothed her hair, and went shyly downstairs. Somehow she felt like an invited guest instead of a boarder.