ivin' me that frigid, distant look.

"Ah, can the hauteur!" says I. "We're on the same payroll. Maybe you
didn't notice me before, though. Well, I'm the guardian of the gate,
and I'm offerin' to tow you to a new sandwich works that's quite
popular with the staff."

"Thanks," says he. "I am lunching at my club." And with that he does
a careless heel-spin, leavin' me stunned and gawpin'.

"Slap!" thinks I. "You will go doin' the little ray of sunshine act,
will you? Lunchin' at his club! Now there's a classy comeback for
you! Guess I'll spring that myself sometime. Score up for Percy!"

But I wa'n't closin' the incident at that, and, while in my position it
wouldn't have been hardly the thing for me to get out the war club and
camp on his trail,--him only a four-flushin' bond clerk,--I was holdin'
myself ready for the next openin'. It comes only a few mornin's later
when he strolls in casual about nine-thirty and starts to pike by into
the cloakroom. But I had my toe against the brass gate.

"What name?" says I.

"Why," says he, flushin' up, "I--er--I work here."

"Excuse," says I, drawin' back the foot. "Mistook you for Alfy
Vanderbilt come to buy us out."

"Puppy!" says he explosive through his front teeth.

"Meanin' me?" says I. "Why, Algernon! How rough of you!"

He just glares hack over his shoulder and passes on for his session
with Miller. I'll bet he got it too; for here in the Corrugated we
don't stand for any of that nine-thirty dope except from Mr. Robert.

It's only the next week, though, that Mortimer pulls a couple more
delayed entrances in succession, and I sure was lookin' to see him come
out with a fresh-air pass in his hand. But it didn't happen. Instead,
as I'm in Old Hickory's office a few days later, allowin' him to give
me a few fool directions about an errand, in breaks Miller all glowin'
under the collar.

"Mr. Ellins," says he, "I can't stand that young Upton. He's got to
go!"

"That's too bad," says Old Hickory, shiftin' his cigar to port. "I'd
promised his father to give the boy a three months' trial at least.
One of our big stockholders, Colonel Upton is, you know. But if you
say you can't----"

"Oh, I suppose I can, Sir, in that case," says Miller; "but he's worse
than useless in the department, and if there's no way of getting him to
observe office hours it's going to be bad for discipline."

"Try docking him, Miller," suggests Mr. Ellins. "Dock him hea