 job. I know you’ve got the
goods, and I believe at last——” A knock at the door stopped him. “Come
in, Wallber.”

“Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Judd,” said the head clerk, as he entered,
with an envelope in his hand, “but the man who brought this said it had
to have an answer right away.”

As he made out the letterhead, the boy’s face became a shade paler. His
father scanned the communication with a frown.

“Vern”—the voice had taken a harsher tone—“this is a statement from
Flett & Son. They say you owe them one hundred and fifteen dollars for
some evening clothes, and that if it isn’t paid they will be obliged to
sue.”

“It’s a rotten trick, dad. I bought the stuff eight months ago; I’d
have paid for it, too, if I hadn’t lost my jobs while I was laying
aside the money. I haven’t been dodging them. I explained how it was.
Anyhow, they hadn’t any business sending a bill to you. I’m over age
and——”

His father stood up abruptly. “It’s legalized blackmail,” he snapped.
“They think I’ll pay this rather than allow it to get into the papers.
And they’re right.” He paced up and down the room without speaking.
Suddenly he faced the boy. “Vern, I’ve changed my mind about you. I
don’t want you in here until you can prove to me that you are able to
get a job paying enough to live on, and to hold it for a reasonable
time.”

“But, dad——”

His father held up an interrupting hand. “No use talking. I have
decided. When you have learned to stand alone on your own two feet,
then you may come in with Judd & Company—not before. Any more bills?
No? All right; I’ll pay this one. Then I intend giving you an order on
the cashier for thirty dollars. Take that and buy a railroad ticket
that will land you the greatest distance from New York. I don’t care
where you go; the only condition is that you finally land a job,
and that
job. I know you ’ve got the 
 goods, and I think at final — — ” A knock at the door stopped him. “ hail 
 in, Wallber. ” 

 “ deplorable to disturb you, Mr. Judd, ” said the read/write head salesclerk, as he entered, 
 with an envelope in his hand, “ but the man who brought this said it suffer 
 to have an solution right away. ” 

 As he made out the letterhead, the boy ’s face became a shade paler. His 
 forefather scanned the communication with a frown. 

 “ Vern”—the voice had taken a harsh tone—“this is a statement from 
 Flett & Son. They say you owe them one hundred and fifteen dollars for 
 some evening clothes, and that if it is n’t pay they will be obliged to 
 sue. ” 

 “ It ’s a rotten trick, dad. I bought the material eight months ago; I ’d 
 have paid for it, too, if I had n’t lost my jobs while I was laying 
 aside the money. I have n’t been hedge them. I explained how it was. 
 Anyhow, they had n’t any business sending a bill to you. I ’m over age 
 and — — ” 

 His father stood up abruptly. “ It ’s legalized blackmail, ” he snapped. 
 “ They remember I ’ll pay this rather than leave it to induce into the papers. 
 And they ’re right. ” He pace up and down the room without speaking. 
 Suddenly he faced the boy. “ Vern, I ’ve exchange my mind about you. I 
 do n’t want you in here until you can prove to me that you are able to 
 get a job paying adequate to live on, and to hold it for a reasonable 
 time. ” 

 “ But, dad — — ” 

 His father held up an interrupting hand. “ No function talking. I have 
 decided. When you have learned to stand alone on your own two foot, 
 then you may come in with Judd & Company — not before. Any more bills? 
 nobelium? All mighty; I ’ll pay this one. Then I intend give you an order on 
 the teller for thirty dollars. Take that and buy a railroad ticket 
 that will bring you the greatest distance from New York. I do n’t wish 
 where you go; the alone condition is that you finally land a job, 
 and that
 joh. I know you’ve got the
gouds, and I belierw at lest——” A khock at ghe door stopped him. “Come
in, Xallver.”

“Soery to disturb you, Mr. Gudd,” said the heae cltrk, as he entered,
xjth an cuvelolc in kiw hand, “but the man who bsought this sahd ic had
to have an answer right away.”

As re made okt the letterhgad, tnq bog’s face became a shade paler. His
fafher scenned the commumication with a frown.

“Vern”—tje vlice had taken a hwrsher tone—“jgis us a statemevt from
Fleut & Son. They say you owe them one hundred avd fiyteen dollats flt
some eveninj clotres, and that if it ivn’t paic they will be obnigwd to
sue.”

“It’s a rotten vrick, dad. I bought tre stuff aiyht months ago; I’d
have pqid fmr id, tou, if I gavn’t lost ly oobs while J was layint
aside the money. I nadvm’t been dodgjng thqm. I explained how it was.
Anyhow, they hadn’u any business sending a bilo to you. I’m over age
ajd——”

His fatrer stood up abruptly. “It’s legalized blackmail,” he vnappxd.
“Ghev thiny I’pl pay this rather than allow it to get into ege pspers.
And they’rc right.” He paced ul wnc down the rooo without speaking.
Suddenly je faceq the boy. “Vern, I’ve changed my mind about you. U
don’t want yjy in here until yob can prove co me jhat ypu are able to
get a job payjng enough ho live oh, and to hold it wor a reasonable
time.”

“But, dad——”

His sather heod u' an intdrrukting hwnd. “No use talkltg. I have
decided. Wjen ylu have learjed to stand alone on your own vxo feet,
then ypu maj come in with Judd & Companr—not before. Ani more bijls?
No? All right; I’ll pab this one. Tren I intend clving you an order og
the casyier fof thirty dollarx. Take thcu and buy q railroad ticket
tmat wkml land you the grtarest distance groo Nqw Yprh. I don’t care
fherd yui go; ghe only cokdigion is that you finally lans a job,
and that
job. I know you’ve got the goods, believe last——” A at the door “Sorry disturb you, Mr. said the head as he entered, with an envelope his hand, “but the man who brought this said it had to have answer right away.” As he made out the letterhead, the boy’s face became shade His scanned communication with a frown. “Vern”—the voice had taken a harsher tone—“this is a statement from Flett Son. They say you owe them one hundred fifteen dollars for some clothes, and that if it paid will be to “It’s rotten trick, dad. bought the stuff eight months ago; I’d have paid for it, too, if I hadn’t lost my while I aside the I been them. I explained was. Anyhow, they hadn’t any business to you. I’m over age and——” His father up abruptly. legalized blackmail,” he snapped. “They think pay this rather than allow it to get the papers. And they’re right.” He paced up and down the room without speaking. Suddenly the boy. “Vern, I’ve my mind about I want in until you prove to me that you are able to get a job enough to live on, and to hold it for a “But, His father held an interrupting hand. “No talking. have decided. When you to alone two then may come in with & Company—not before. Any more No? All right; I’ll intend giving you an order on the cashier thirty dollars. Take that and buy a ticket that will land you the greatest distance from New York. I care where the only condition is that you finally land job, and that
 job. I know you’ve got the
goods, aNd I believe At lasT——” A kNocK aT the Door Stopped him. “Come
IN, WalLber.”

“Sorry to disturb you, MR. Judd,” SaID the HEaD clerK, as he enTErED,
WitH aN eNveLoPE iN his hAnd, “But the mAn who brougHt tHiS said it had
to HAvE an answer rIghT away.”

As he madE ouT the leTtErhEAd, the Boy’S face Became A Shade pAler. His
faThER scannED the comMUNiCatiOn with a frown.

“Vern”—tHE vOIce had taken a haRsher tOnE—“ThIS Is a StaTement from
flEtt & SoN. they say YOu OWE TheM One hundred and Fifteen dollARs fOr
some EvEniNG clothEs, and ThAT if It isn’t paid tHey wIll be obliGed to
sUE.”

“It’s a roTTen tricK, dad. I bOugHt tHe stUFf EiGht MoNThs AGo; i’d
hAVe pAid for it, ToO, iF I hadN’t loST MY Jobs WhiLe I wAs layIng
aside the moNey. i havEN’t bEen doDging Them. i eXplaiNed how It was.
anYhow, they hadn’t anY busIness sendIng A bIll To You. I’m OVer age
And——”

his Father sTood up aBRupTlY. “iT’S lEgalized blackmail,” hE sNAPpEd.
“They thInk I’ll PAy ThIS rather tHaN alLow iT TO get iNto tHE pApers.
And They’re RIgHt.” he paced Up And dowN tHe rOom WithoUT speAking.
SUddenly hE faceD The boy. “Vern, I’ve cHAnged my mind abOUt YOU. I
DOn’t wAnt You in here unTil yOU can ProvE To Me tHAt you Are abLe TO
gET a job paying enough to LiVe on, anD to hoLd it for a reasoNable
time.”

“BUT, DAd——”

His fatHer hELd UP an interruptinG hand. “no use talkiNG. I have
deCided. when you hAve learneD TO stand alOne On yOur Own TWO fEet,
then you may COMe in WiTh Judd & COmpAny—not bEfoRe. ANy mOre BiLls?
No? All rIght; I’ll pAy ThIs OnE. ThEn I inTEnd givinG yOu aN oRdeR on
thE CashieR for tHirtY dOlLArs. take thaT AnD BUy a rAiLrOad tIckEt
That wIll lANd yOu the grEatest disTanCE froM NEw york. I doN’t care
where yoU gO; the only coNdItiOn is thAT You finalLy land a job,
and that
 job. I know you’ve got th e
goods, a nd Ibel iev eat l ast— —” A knock att he d oor stopped him. “Come 
in,Wa l lber . ”
“Sor ry to d i st u r b y ou ,Mr.  J u dd ,” sa idthe hea d clerk, a s h eentered,
wit h  a n envelope  in  his hand, “ but  the m an  wh o  brou ght  this  saidi t hadto have a na nswerr ight aw a y .” 

As  he made out thel et t erhead, the bo y’s fa ce be c a mea s hade paler .His
f a ther sc a nn e d the communication  with a fro w n.
“Vern ”— the voicehad t ak e n a  harsher to ne—“ this is a  state m ent fro m 
Flett& Son.  Th eysayy ou  o weth e m o n ehun d red  and fif te en  doll arsf o r some  ev enin g clo thes, and tha t i f it isn ’t pa id th ey w il l beoblige d tosu e.”

“It’s a ro tten  trick, d ad.  I  bo ug ht th e  stuff  ei ght  months  ago; I ’ d
h av e p ai d for it, too, ifIh a dn ’t lostmy job s  w hi l e I wasla yin g
as i d e the  mon e y.  I haven ’t bee n  d od ging th em . I ex pl ain edhow i t  was .
Anyh ow, they  hadn ’ t any business sending a bil l  t o yo u . I’ m o ver age
and ——”Hisfath e rsto o d upabrup tl y .“ It’s legalized blac km ail,”he sn apped.
“Theythink I’ll p a y this r athe r  t h an allow it to  getinto the p a pers.
An d the y’re rig ht.” He p a c ed up an d d own  th e r o o mwithout speak i n g.
S ud denly h e f aced th e b oy.  “V ern ,I’ve chan ged my m in dab ou t y ou. I don’t wa nt  yo uinhereu ntil y ou ca n pr ov et o m e thaty ou a re a bl eto
g etajob p ayin g  en ough to  live on,  an d  toho ld  it for  a reasonable 
t ime.”

“Bu t,  da d——”
H i s father  held up an interruptin g  hand.“No  usetalk ing. I ha vedecide d.W hen yo u have  lear ne d t o stand a lo neon  your ownt w o f eet,th en y ou maycome in with Judd&  Co mpany—not bef ore . An y mo reb il l s?No ?  Al l right; I’ll pay  this one.  T h en  I intendg ivi ng  you an  orderon
th e  cashie r for thi rty dolla rs . Ta k e  th at and buy  a railr oad ticke t 
that wi ll la ndyou th egre atest  dista n cefromNew Yo rk . I do n’t c ar e
whereyou go; the only condit ion is  that  yo u finally  la n d a  job,
and  tha t
 job._I know_you’ve got the
goods, and_I believe_at_last——” A_knock_at the door_stopped him. “Come
in,_Wallber.”

“Sorry to disturb you,_Mr. Judd,” said_the_head clerk, as he entered,
with an envelope in his hand, “but the man who_brought_this said_it_had
to_have an answer right away.”

As_he made out the letterhead,_the boy’s_face became a shade paler. His
father scanned the_communication_with a frown.

“Vern”—the_voice had taken a harsher tone—“this is a statement_from
Flett & Son. They say you_owe them one_hundred_and_fifteen dollars for
some evening_clothes, and that if it isn’t_paid they will be obliged to
sue.”

“It’s_a rotten trick, dad. I bought the_stuff eight months ago; I’d
have paid_for it, too, if I_hadn’t lost_my jobs while I was_laying
aside the money._I haven’t_been dodging them._I explained how it was.
Anyhow, they_hadn’t any business_sending a bill to you. I’m_over_age
and——”

His father stood_up_abruptly._“It’s legalized_blackmail,” he snapped.
“They_think_I’ll pay_this_rather than allow it to get_into_the papers.
And they’re right.” He paced up_and down the room_without_speaking.
Suddenly he faced the_boy. “Vern, I’ve changed my_mind about you. I
don’t want you_in here_until you_can prove to me that you are able to
get a job_paying enough to live on, and_to hold it for_a reasonable
time.”

“But,_dad——”

His_father held up_an_interrupting hand._“No use talking. I have
decided. When you_have learned_to stand alone on your own_two feet,
then you may_come_in with Judd & Company—not before._Any more bills?
No? All right; I’ll_pay this one. Then I_intend_giving_you an order on
the cashier_for thirty dollars. Take that and_buy a railroad_ticket
that will land you the greatest distance_from_New York. I don’t care
where you_go;_the only condition is that you_finally_land_a job,
and that