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〃Janet； I've recommended you to Mr。 Ditmar for my place。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Janet； faintly。
〃It was he who asked about you； he thinks you are reliable and quick and
clever； and I was very glad to say a good word for you； my dear； since I could
honestly do so。〃 Miss Ottway drew Janet's arm through hers and patted it
affectionately。 〃Of course you'll have to expect some jealousy； there are
older women in the other offices who will think they ought to have the place；
but if you attend to your own affairs； as you always have done； there won't be
any trouble。〃
〃Oh； I won't take the place； I can't！〃Janet cried； so passionately that Miss
Ottway looked at her in surprise。 〃I'm awfully grateful to you；〃 she added；
flushing crimson； 〃II'm afraid I'm not equal to it。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said the other with decision。 〃You'd be very foolish not to try
it。 You won't get as much as I do； at first； at any rate； but a little more
money won't be unwelcome； I guess。 Mr。 Ditmar will speak to you this
afternoon。 I leave on Saturday。 I'm real glad to do you a good turn； Janet；
and I know you'll get along；〃 Miss Ottway added impulsively as they parted at
the corner of Faber Street。 〃I've always thought a good deal of you。〃
For awhile Janet stood still； staring after the sturdy figure of her friend；
heedless of the noonday crowd that bumped her。 Then she went to Grady's Quick
Lunch Counter and ordered a sandwich and a glass of milk； which she consumed
slowly； profoundly sunk in thought。 Presently Eda Rawle arrived； and noticing
her preoccupation； inquired what was the matter。
〃Nothing；〃 said Janet。。。。
At two o'clock； when Ditmar returned to the office； he called Miss Ottway； who
presently came out to summon Janet to his presence。 Fresh； immaculate； yet
virile in his light suit and silk shirt with red stripes； he was seated at his
desk engaged in turning over some papers in a drawer。 He kept her waiting a
moment； and then said； with apparent casualness：
〃Is that you； Miss Bumpus？ Would you mind closing the door？〃
Janet obeyed； and again stood before him。 He looked up。 A suggestion of
tenseness in her pose betraying an inner attitude of alertness； of defiance；
conveyed to him sharply and deliciously once more the panther…like impression
he had received when first； as a woman； she had come to his notice。 The
renewed and heightened perception of this feral quality in her aroused a sense
of danger by no means unpleasurable； though warning him that he was about to
take an unprecedented step； being drawn beyond the limits of caution he had
previously set for himself in divorcing business and sex。 Though he was by no
means self…convinced of an intention to push the adventure； preferring to leave
its possibilities open； he strove in voice and manner to be business…like； and
instinct； perhaps； whispered that she might take alarm。
〃Sit down； Miss Bumpus；〃 he said pleasantly； as he closed the drawer。
She seated herself on an office chair。
〃Do you like your work here？〃 he inquired。
〃No；〃 said Janet。
〃Why not？〃 he demanded； staring at her。
〃Why should I？〃 she retorted。
〃Wellwhat's the trouble with it？ It isn't as hard as it would be in some
other places； is it？〃
〃I'm not saying anything against the place。〃
〃What； then？〃
〃You asked me if I liked my work。 I don't。〃
〃Then why do you do it？〃 he demanded。
〃To live；〃 she replied。
He smiled； but his gesture as he stroked his moustache implied a slight
annoyance at her composure。 He found it difficult with this dark； self…
contained young woman to sustain the role of benefactor。
〃What kind of work would you like to do？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't know。 I haven't got the choice； anyway；〃 she said。
He observed that she did her work well； to which she made no answer。 She
refused to help him； although Miss Ottway must have warned her。 She acted as
though she were conferring the favour。 And yet； clearing his throat； he was
impelled to say：
〃Miss Ottway's leaving me； she's going into the Boston office with Mr。 Semple；
the treasurer of the corporation。 I shall miss her； she's an able and reliable
woman； and she knows my ways。〃 He paused； fingering his paper knife。 〃The
fact is； Miss Bumpus； she's spoken highly of you； she tells me you're quick and
accurate and painstakingI've noticed that for myself。 She seems to think you
could do her work； and recommends that I give you a trial。 You understand； of
course； that the position is in a way confidential； and that you could not
expect at first； at any rate； the salary Miss Ottway has had； but I'm willing
to offer you fourteen dollars a week to begin with； and afterwards； if we get
along together； to give you more。 What do you say？〃
〃I'd like to try it； Mr。 Ditmar；〃 Janet said； and added nothing； no word of
gratitude or of appreciation to that consent。
〃Very well then；〃 he replied； 〃that's settled。 Miss Ottway will explain things
to you； and tell you about my peculiarities。 And when she goes you can take
her desk； by the window nearest my door。〃
Ditmar sat idle for some minutes after she had gone； staring through the open
doorway into the outer office。。。。
To Ditmar she had given no evidence of the storm his offer had created in her
breast； and it was characteristic also that she waited until supper was nearly
over to inform her family； making the announcement in a matter…of…fact tone；
just as though it were not the unique piece of good fortune that had come to
the Bumpuses since Edward had been eliminated from the mercantile establishment
at Dolton。 The news was received with something like consternation。 For the
moment Hannah was incapable of speech； and her hand trembled as she resumed the
cutting of the pie： but hope surged within her despite her effort to keep it
down； her determination to remain true to the fatalism from which she had
paradoxically derived so much comfort。 The effect on Edward； while somewhat
less violent； was temporarily to take away his appetite。 Hope； to flower in
him； needed but little watering。 Great was his faith in the Bumpus blood； and
secretly he had always regarded his eldest daughter as the chosen vessel for
their redemption。
〃Well； I swan！〃 he exclaimed； staring at her in admiration and neglecting his
pie； 〃I've always thought you had it in you to get on； Janet。 I guess I've
told you you've always put me in mind of Eliza Bumpusthe one that held out
against the Indians till her husband came back with the neighbours。 I was just
reading about her again the other night。〃
〃Yes； you've told us； Edward；〃 said Hannah。
〃She had gumption；〃 he went on； undismayed。 〃And from what I can gather of her
looks I calculate you favour hershe was dark and not so very tallnot so
tall as you； I guess。 So you're goin'〃 （he pronounced it very slowly） 〃you're
goin' to be Mr。 Ditmar's private stenographer！ He's a smart man； Mr。 Ditmar；
he's a good man； too。 All you've got to do is to behave right by him。 He
always speaks to me when he passes by the gate。 I was sorry for him when his
wife dieda young woman； too。 And he's never married again！ Well； I swan！〃
〃You'd better quit sw