Bones in London
Page 16"Come into my office," said Bones, "my private office."
The girl had taken him in with one comprehensive glance, and a little
smile trembled on the corner of her lips as she followed the harassed
financier into his "holy of holies."
"My little den," said Bones incoherently. "Sit down, jolly old--young
miss. Take my chair--it's the best. Mind how you step over that
telephone wire. Ah!"
She did catch her feet in the flex, and he sprang to her assistance.
"Upsy, daisy, dear old--young miss, I mean."
It was a breathless welcome. She herself was startled by the warmth of
it; he, for his part, saw nothing but grey eyes and a perfect mouth,
sensed nothing but a delicate fragrance of a godlike presence.
"I have come to see you----" she began.
fearsomely lonely I get sometimes. I often say to people: 'Look me up,
dear old thing, any time between ten and twelve or two and four; don't
stand on ceremony----'"
"I've come to see you----" she began again.
"You're a kind young miss," murmured Bones, and she laughed.
"You're not used to having girls in this office, are you?"
"You're the first," said Bones, with a dramatic flourish, "that ever
burst tiddly-um-te-um!"
To be mistaken for a welcome visitor--she was that, did she but guess
it--added to her natural embarrassment.
"Well," she said desperately, "I've come for work."
He stared at her, refixing his monocle.
"I've come for work," she nodded.
Bones's face was very grave.
"You've come for work." He thought a moment; then: "What work? Of
course," he added in a flurry, "there's plenty of work to do! Believe
me, you don't know the amount I get through in this sanctum--that's
Latin for 'private office'--and the wretched old place is never
tidy--never! I am seriously thinking"--he frowned--"yes, I am very
seriously thinking of sacking the lady who does the dusting. Why, do
you know, this morning----"
Her eyes were smiling now, and she was to Bones's unsophisticated eyes,
and, indeed, to eyes sophisticated, superhumanly lovely.
"I haven't come for a dusting job," she laughed.
precious--my young person, I should have said--of course you haven't!
You've come for a job--you've come to work! Well, you shall have it!
Start right away!"
She stared.
"What shall I do?" she asked.
"What would I like you to do?" said Bones slowly. "What about
scheming, getting out ideas, using brains, initiative, bright----" He
trailed off feebly as she shook her head.
"Do you want a secretary?" she asked, and Bones's enthusiasm rose to
the squeaking point.