months with the easy motion of
well-organized work. Helen hardly surpassed Winston's expectations, but
as he darted in and out of the office, full of his work, he felt no more
than a passing sense of satisfaction at the readiness with which
everything that he wanted came to his hands. Helen might have a personal
pride in never being caught unprepared, but she never displayed the
emotion. It was Winston himself who was first caught off his guard. He
rushed into the office one afternoon with a look of annoyance, almost of
disgust on his face.

"I've made a mess, Helen. I want you to help me out."

"Short of powder at No. 1?" Helen hardly looked up from her work.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I ordered two tons from the magazine. It's on its way there now."

"Good! But how did you know that I was short?"

"From the reports. I thought you wouldn't be in, so I ordered it."

"You are a jewel, Helen. I haven't had time to tell you so before, but
I've known it all along."

"Jewels are ornamental, not useful."

"You are both."

Helen glanced at the clock.

"Office hours aren't over yet and the company isn't paying me to trade
sugar plums."

"All right. I'll see you off shift sometime."

Elijah's work kept him much in the office and he was held to business
quite as closely as was Winston. Helen showed her appreciation of his
work by saying nothing, but doing everything that came to her hands. He
longed to drink of the sparkling waters of his dreams, and with all that
was in her, Helen was trying to convert these iridescent dreams into
material facts. Elijah longed also to see Helen's eyes kindle, to hear
her words of commendation; but she never spoke now of his idea. Thus it
happened that one phase of his nature was hungered, the other fully
satisfied.

Poor Amy was the only party to the new order of things who was unhappy.
She had accepted the necessity of Elijah's absence at the Ysleta office,
not with resignation, but with unprotesting grief. She regarded this as
the dregs of her cup of bitterness; but when she learned of Elijah's
assistant, she discovered her mistake. She mourned over his absence, yet
utterly refused to consider the idea of moving to Ysleta. He must come
to her at her bidding; she could not bring herself to go to him at his.
This was her touchstone of love and devotion. It was failing her, and in
sackcloth and ashes she was mourning it. She made a brave attempt at
cheerfulness when Elijah bro