"My last wish is that you will bring Elsie home and keep her here until she marries some decent American with an occupation. Underline those last three words, Miss Connor. She is now a young woman of seventeen, and it was evident to me last summer that her head is fast becoming stuffed with nonsense. She is learning to look down on her country and her countrymen and mark my words--underline mark my words, Miss Connor--if you encourage her to marry some foreign scamp she will be very unhappy. I know you don't agree with these views, but I know they are sound, and if you keep Elsie over there you will live to see that proved; although I hope not. "Give my love to Elsie and remind her of her old dad now and then. "Good-bye, Marion. You and Elsie are the only women I ever loved. "That's all, Miss Connor. Now what I want you to do is this: If I don't come out of this operation--appendicitis--please write that up and mail it. Just sign it Fred. If I do get well, destroy your notes and don't send the letter. "Oh, you better add a postscript--P.S. I am dictating this because I have neither the time nor the strength to write myself. I was attacked suddenly." Two nurses and a doctor who had been waiting now gathered about the old man, lifted him gently to the bed and began to undress him. He held out his hand. "Good-bye, Miss Connor," he said. He died, and Georgia sent the letter to his wife. XXIV THE NEW KING Samuel Cleever, a tall, thin dyspeptic with a pince-nez and English intonation, was moved from Newark, N.J., to succeed the old man. His first conference with Georgia was brief. "Good morning, Miss Ah-ah-" "Connor." "Quite so. Do you understand the Singer cross-filing reference system?" "I understand cross-indexing and card-catalogues." "The Singer system specifically, do you know that?" "No, sir." "So I feared." "But I could learn quickly." "Quite so. But to be frank," said Mr. Cleever, "I have brought my private secretary with me from Newark." New kings make new courts. "Yes, sir," said Georgia in a low voice. "I will assign you to the auditing department for the present." "Yes, sir." She felt many eyes upon her and her cheeks were burning as she walked down the long room carrying her business belongings to a narrow flat-top which the young auditor pointed out to her. It was next the inside wall. The color came to her face in waves as she passed Miss Gerson's desk and she had a furious sensation that her habit of blushing was damnable. Why, she asked herself angrily, couldn't she at least appear calm in unpleasant situations!