could have spoken--you could hear almost every sound over the seven-foot
partitions.

She rose, waited an instant to insure perfect composure, smoothed down her
trim shirtwaist, pushed back a straying wisp of her naturally wavy hair,
picked up her notebook and three sharp pencils, and went quietly into his
office.

He sat there at his flat desk--his blond brows knit, his mouth firm, a
light of eager good humor in his blue eyes.

"Take this," he said ... Betty seated herself opposite him, and was
instantly ready for work.

"... Memorandum. From rentals--the old Evans property on Ash Street, the
two houses on Wilson Avenue South, and the factory lease in the South
Extension, a total of slightly over $3600.

"New paragraph. From investments in bonds, railway and municipal, an
average the last four years of $2800.

"New paragraph. From law practice, last year, over $4500. Will be
considerably more this year. Total----"

"New paragraph?"

"No. Continue. Total, $10,900. This year will be close to $12,000. Don't
you think that's a reasonably good showing for an unencumbered man of
twenty-seven?"