Owen, who loved order, but was too
impatient to preserve it, spoke dubiously. "Of course some of those
papers are done with, but you wouldn't know which to keep, would you?"

"Perhaps Mr. Raymond would help me?"

Owen's face cleared.

"Of course--do the idle young beggar good. All right, Miss Gibbs, he
shall give you a hand this afternoon when he gets back. He's an awfully
good sort, you know, though I pretend to rag him. He's as clever as you
please, and with it all as obliging and unspoilt as possible. Well, I'd
better go. You can get along all right, can you?"

Receiving her reply, he lit a cigarette and went out, assuring himself
that so far she promised well.

"Pretty little thing, and anxious to please us. Shallow, I expect,
emotional probably, and not brainy enough to appreciate the symbolism of
the _Bridge_. Well, we don't want too brilliant a typist, after
all--Miss Jenkins and her 'culture' were a bit trying at times!"

And then meeting by chance an old friend who insisted on carrying him
off to lunch, Owen speedily forgot that such a person as Miss Antonia
Gibbs existed in the world.

CHAPTER VI

It did not take Miss Fanny Gibbs very long to discover that her cousin's
new post held for her an interest beyond that which an unusually
congenial situation might be expected to hold.

In Miss Gibbs' world one's "job" was generally of very secondary
importance to one's private affairs; and the fact is not to be wondered
at when one remembers that the life of the average shop or business girl
can by no manner of means be called either pleasant or exciting.

Hitherto Toni had been fully in accord with her cousin's opinion.
Although the robust, if promiscuous, flirtations in which Fanny, before
her engagement, had indulged freely had never appealed to the more
fastidious Toni, she had always been quite ready to join in any fun
which might be going. She had eaten sweets gaily in the cheap seats of
theatre or picture-palace, had made one at the many informal and
harmless little gatherings for which Fanny had a taste; and had
cheerfully and quite normally grumbled if detained at the office one
moment longer than she considered fair.

But of late Antonia had altered strangely; and Fanny's shrewd eyes noted
the change almost from the first.

To begin with, Toni was always in a fidget to get to work. Miss Gibbs
took her annual week's holiday just then, and had plenty of time to note
her cousin's behavi