"You are talking," quoth Kelly. "If the old man had any brains--" Mr. Jones noted a correction--"I mean, if he was a cultured and refined man, if he was alive--" Mr. Jones's manner expressed grave doubt of Obadiah's vitality--"He would understand that young people must enjoy themselves once in awhile." Poignant memories of the mill owner's refusal to grant certain hours off for social purposes embittered the stenographer at this point in his discourse. He paused. "If he had any brains, instead of hanging around and trying to grab every cent that isn't locked in a burglar proof safe, the old duffer would open up his swell house and spend some coin. He's got plenty of money. It sticks to him as if his hands were magnets and his fingers suction cups." "I say so," agreed Kelly, with a vigorous nod. For a moment Mr. Jones departed to assure himself that Obadiah did not surreptitiously draw nigh. Thus reassured, he returned and vigorously pursued his scathing arraignment of the absent one. "If he had red blood in his veins he'd have a heart where that girl is concerned. Why doesn't he ever give a dance for her? If he wasn't an old tight wad he'd give several a week, have a swell dinner every night and a theater party each time a decent show comes to town. He'd do that thing if he wasn't a short sport. He ought to get a lively bunch of young people to make his place their social headquarters and tear things loose." "That's me." Thus did the laconic Kelly record his position. Mr. Jones went on, "He should give his daughter the opportunity to enjoy the better things of life." The stenographer drifted over to a window and fell to musing. He gave thought to volumes of lighter literature which had led him to believe that, in well conducted families of wealth and position, private secretaries often assumed the responsibilities of social secretaries or major domos. Turning again to the bookkeeper, he resumed, "It takes certain peculiar qualifications to handle that sort of thing. Everybody knows that the old man couldn't do it. He ought to come out like a man and admit that he has no conception of that bigger social life which plays such an important part in the world today. Then--" Mr. Jones spoke with great meaning--"there are those who understand such matters and could relieve him of all responsibilities except--" Mr. Jones snapped his fingers as though it was a bagatelle--"signing the checks." CHAPTER IV THOSE DARKIES AGAIN After Obadiah, highly indignant at the presence of the black orphans, had departed, his car moved slowly up the street. It stopped at the corner for the policeman's signal. At the edge of the sidewalk stood a newsboy eating an ice cream cone with great enjoyment. The shouts of the pickaninnies were stilled at the pleasing spectacle of a fellow man partaking of food. Every eye watched the disappearing cone as if fascinated by some novel mechanical process.