I felt the angry colour surging up into my face; I was all the more furious because I dare not show the real rage I was in.

“Oh, yes. I’ll sign it,” I said, with desperate meekness, “if you really think it’s necessary. If you imagine that I am the kind of girl who might take advantage of our—our contract afterwards, sue you for breach of promise, or——”

“Come, come!” Still Waters interrupted briskly, peremptorily. “It’s just because I didn’t think you were ‘that kind of girl,’ amongst other reasons, that I selected you for my post. This instrument is drawn up largely on your own account. You have a pen——?”

I took it out of the case fastened to the front of my very utilitarian blue delaine blouse. I hate wearing it there. I always look upon it as the sign of servitude and the mark of the beast, but it’s the custom—and business-like.

“Right. Now, Miss Trant, I think that’s[35] all for this morning. You can arrange to come in and take down my letters each afternoon at a quarter to three, beginning to-morrow.”

[35]

“Yes,” I said, in my meekest tone.

Loud were the murmurs of commiseration that broke from my three friends in my own room when they heard of this novel arrangement.

“What, my dear? You to take down his old letters? That’s the Governor’s idea of giving you one more chance, I suppose,” sniffed Miss Robinson, “before he sacks you! Pity he didn’t tell you to go, and get it over yesterday!”

“He’s simply impossible to please. Why, when I come here first,” said Miss Holt, “he had had three girls at it in one week and they all came out in tears because the Machine had snapped their heads off. For one thing, he dictates at such a rate that I don’t know how he expects anyone to follow him without they have to ask him to repeat it, and then he glowers at you like a Gordian! See if he doesn’t!”

“It’ll be ‘Now, Miss Trant!’” mimicked Miss Robinson, gabbling at top-speed. “‘Got that? Go on—

“‘We can offer no further explanation of same beyond facts already supplied, and are of opinion[36] that there is nothing to be gained by prolonging this correspondence.’ Certainly nothing to be gained by you, my poor dear!”

[36]

“No, he’ll be sending for 

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