Part 2 (1/2)
”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 antic.i.p.ations 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 a.s.sociation is hostile to hero-wors.h.i.+p. 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.
”The profits from my store are large, I admit, Sarah. But I neither smuggle my goods, take rebates from railroads, conspire against small compet.i.tors, nor do any of the dishonest acts that disgrace other lines of business. So long as I make my profits honestly, I am honestly ent.i.tled to them, no matter how big they are.”
The secretary, being quite content with the havoc she had wrought in her employer's complacency over his charitableness, nodded, and contented herself with a demure a.s.sent to his outburst.
”Yes, sir,” she agreed, very meekly.
Gilder stared at her for a few seconds, somewhat indignantly. Then, he bethought himself of a subtle form of rebuke by emphasizing his generosity.
”Have the cas.h.i.+er send my usual five hundred to the Charities Organization Society,” he ordered. With this new evidence of his generous virtue, the frown pa.s.sed from his brows. If, for a fleeting moment, doubt had a.s.sailed him under the spur of the secretary's words, that doubt had now vanished under his habitual conviction as to his sterling worth to the world at large.
It was, therefore, with his accustomed blandness of manner that he presently acknowledged the greeting of George Demarest, the chief of the legal staff that looked after the firm's affairs. He was aware without being told that the lawyer had called to acquaint him with the issue in the trial of Mary Turner.
”Well, Demarest?” he inquired, as the dapper attorney advanced into the room at a rapid pace, and came to a halt facing the desk, after a lively nod in the direction of the secretary.
The lawyer's face sobered, and his tone as he answered was tinged with constraint.
”Judge Lawlor gave her three years,” he replied, gravely. It was plain from his manner that he did not altogether approve.
But Gilder was unaffected by the attorney's lack of satisfaction over the result. On the contrary, he smiled exultantly. His oritund voice took on a deeper note, as he turned toward the secretary.
”Good!” he exclaimed. ”Take this, Sarah.” And he continued, as the girl opened her notebook and poised the pencil: ”Be sure to have Smithson post a copy of it conspicuously in all the girls' dressing-rooms, and in the reading-room, and in the lunch-rooms, and in the a.s.sembly-room.” He cleared his throat ostentatiously and proceeded to the dictation of the notice:
”Mary Turner, formerly employed in this store, was to-day sentenced to prison for three years, having been convicted for the theft of goods valued at over four hundred dollars. The management wishes again to draw attention on the part of its employees to the fact that honesty is always the best policy.... Got that?”
”Yes, sir.” The secretary's voice was mechanical, without any trace of feeling. She was not minded to disturb her employer a second time this morning by injudicious comment.
”Take it to Smithson,” Gilder continued, ”and tell him that I wish him to attend to its being posted according to my directions at once.”