“Excuse me, Mr. Forbes, but there’s three clerks absent to-day.  They have sent word that they are sick.  Mr. Gibson told me to tell you.”

“Who are they, do you know?”

Mr. Forbes spoke sharply, his face flushing with anger.

“Miss Jennings and Miss Brown—­” began the young man, but his superior stopped him before he could finish.

“That Miss Jennings is faking!  She is no more sick than I am!  This is the third time this month that she has staid away because of sickness!  It’s probably an excuse to go on some picnic or other.  Tell Mr. Gibson that I say to fine her double the regular amount.  We must put a stop to this sham sickness among the women clerks; it’s getting too frequent!”

“But I am sure Miss Jennings is sick,” began Mr. Watkins, impetuously.  “You should hear her cough!  And I know her mother died of consumption.”

“You know too much for your own good, Watkins,” broke in the superintendent, sharply.  “Just keep your knowledge to yourself if you wish to hold your position in this establishment!”

A flush rose quickly to the young man’s brow.  He bit his lips and locked his fingers together nervously.

It was plain that another word would have meant his immediate discharge, and there was an invalid mother depending upon him.  He was obliged to hold his peace, though the words almost choked him.  “Then I am to tell Mr. Gibson to double Miss Jennings’ fine.”

The superintendent broke in upon him again in his snappiest manner.

He had suddenly turned and caught sight of the timid young applicant, who was standing almost motionless in the centre of the office.

“No!” he roared out, angrily.  “Tell him to discharge Miss Jennings at once!  Here is a girl he can take on in her place.  She’s green, but Miss Fairbanks, the buyer, can train her.”

“Oh! no, sir!  Not for the world!”

It was a cry of almost horror that issued from the young girl’s lips.  Even Mr. Forbes looked startled, and he was not usually startled at anything.

The applicant was standing before him now, with her head held high and her blue eyes flashed like diamonds over his shameful proposition.

“Oh, no, sir!  I beg that you will not dream of doing such a thing.  I would starve before I would deprive that poor girl of her position.  If you have no place for me, I will go at once.  If I were to take her place it would be a cruel injustice!”

She looked him fearlessly in the face as she spoke the words.  Her whole manner had changed.  She was timid no longer.

Mr. Forbes stared at her curiously for half a minute.  He saw that there was a spirit in her that would make her valuable in business.

In an instant his manner changed to a studied indifference.  He rubbed his hands together gently, toying with a fine ring upon his finger.

“But I shall discharge Miss Jennings any way, so if you do not accept the position I will give it to some one else,” he said.  “You can take it or leave it.  Decide quick; which is it?”