；　who　regarded　him　with　an　accurate　perception　of　his　mood。　　With　a　diplomacy　born　of　long　experience；　in　her　first　speech　Sarah　afforded　an　agreeable　diversion　to　her　employer's　line　of　thought。
  〃Mr。　Hastings；　of　the　Empire　store；　called　you　up；　Mr。　Gilder；　and　asked　me　to　let　him　know　when　you　returned。　　Shall　I　get　him　on　the　wire？〃
  The　man's　face　lightened　instantly；　and　there　was　even　the　beginning　of　a　smile　on　his　lips　as　he　seated　himself　at　the　great　mahogany　desk。
  〃Yes；　yes！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　evident　enthusiasm。　The　smile　grew　in　the　short　interval　before　the　connection　was　made。　　When；　finally；　he　addressed　his　friend　over　the　telephone；　his　tones　were　of　the　cheerfulest。
  〃Oh；　good　morning。　　Yes；　certainly。　　Four　will　suit　me　admirably。。。。　Sunday？　　Yes；　if　you　like。　　We　can　go　out　after　church；　and　have　luncheon　at　the　country　club。〃　　After　listening　a　moment；　he　laughed　in　a　pleased　fashion　that　had　in　it　a　suggestion　of　conscious　superiority。　　〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　declared　briskly；　〃you　couldn't　beat　me　in　a　thousand　years。　　Why；　I　made　the　eighteen　holes　in　ninety…two　only　last　week。〃　　He　laughed　again　at　the　answer　over　the　wire；　then　hung　up　the　receiver　and　pushed　the　telephone　aside；　as　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　papers　neatly　arranged　on　the　desk　ready　to　his　hand。
  The　curiosity　of　the　secretary　could　not　be　longer　delayed。
  〃What　did　they　do　with　the　Turner　girl？〃　　she　inquired　in　an　elaborately　casual　manner。
  Gilder　did　not　look　up　from　the　heap　of　papers；　but　answered　rather　harshly；　while　once　again　his　expression　grew　forbidding。
  〃I　don't　knowI　couldn't　wait；〃　he　said。　　He　made　a　petulant　gesture　as　he　went　on：　〃I　don't　see　why　Judge　Lawlor　bothered　me　about　the　matter。　　He　is　the　one　to　impose　sentence；　not　I。　　I　am　hours　behind　with　my　work　now。〃
  For　a　few　minutes　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　routine　of　business；　distributing　the　correspondence　and　other　various　papers　for　the　action　of　subordinates；　and　speaking　his　orders　occasionally　to　the　attentive　secretary　with　a　quickness　and　precision　that　proclaimed　the　capable　executive。　　The　observer　would　have　realized　at　once　that　here　was　a　man　obviously　fitted　to　the　control　of　large　affairs。　　The　ability　that　marches　inevitably　to　success　showed　unmistakably　in　the　face　and　form；　and　in　the　fashion　of　speech。　　Edward　Gilder　was　a　big　man　physically；　plainly　the　possessor　of　that　abundant　vital　energy　which　is　a　prime　requisite　for　achievement　in　the　ordering　of　modern　business　concerns。　　Force　was；　indeed；　the　dominant　quality　of　the　man。　　His　tall　figure　was　proportionately　broad；　and　he　was　heavily　fleshed。　　In　fact；　the　body　was　too　ponderous。　　Perhaps；　in　that　characteristic　might　be　found　a　clue　to　the　chief　fault　in　his　nature。　　For　he　was　ponderous；　spiritually　and　mentally；　as　well　as　materially。　　The　fact　was　displayed　suggestively　in　the　face；　which　was　too　heavy　with　its　prominent　jowls　and　aggressive　chin　and　rather　bulbous　nose。　　But　there　was　nothing　flabby　anywhere。　The　ample　features　showed　no　trace　of　weakness；　only　a　rude；　abounding　strength。　　There　was　no　lighter　touch　anywhere。　　Evidently　a　just　man　according　to　his　own　ideas；　yet　never　one　to　temper　justice　with　mercy。　　He　appeared；　and　was；　a　very　practical　and　most　prosaic　business　man。　　He　was　not　given　to　a　humorous　outlook　on　life。　　He　took　it　and　himself　with　the　utmost　seriousness。　He　was　almost　entirely　lacking　in　imagination；　that　faculty　which　is　essential　to　sympathy。
  〃Take　this；〃　he　directed　presently；　when　he　had　disposed　of　the　matters　before　him。　　Forthwith；　he　dictated　the　following　letter；　and　now　his　voice　took　on　a　more　unctuous　note；　as　of　one　who　is　appreciative　of　his　own　excellent　generosity。
  〃THE　EDITOR；
  〃The　New　York　Herald。
  〃DEAR　SIR：　Inclosed　please　find　my　check　for　a　thousand　dollars　for　your　free…ice　fund。　　It　is　going　to　be　a　very　hard　summer　for　the　poor；　and　I　hope　by　thus　starting　the　contributions　for　your　fine　charity　at　this　early　day　that　you　will　be　able　to　accomplish　even　more　good　than　usually。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Very　truly　yours。〃
  He　turned　an　inquiring　glance　toward　Sarah。
  〃That's　what　I　usually　give；　isn't　it？〃
  The　secretary　nodded　energetically。
  〃Yes；〃　she　agreed　in　her　brisk　manner；　〃that's　what　you　have　given　every　year　for　the　last　ten　years。〃
  The　statement　impressed　Gilder　pleasantly。　　His　voice　was　more　mellow　as　he　made　comment。　　His　heavy　face　was　radiant；　and　he　smiled　complacently。
  〃Ten　thousand　dollars　to　this　one　charity　alone！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Well；　it　is　pleasant　to　be　able　to　help　those　less　fortunate　than　ourselves。〃　　He　paused；　evidently　expectant　of　laudatory　corroboration　from　the　secretary。
  But　Sarah；　though　she　could　be　tactful　enough　on　occasion；　did　not　choose　to　meet　her　employer's　anticipations　just　now。　　For　that　matter；　her　intimate　services　permitted　on　her　part　some　degree　of　familiarity　with　the　august　head　of　the　establishment。　　Besides；　she　did　not　stand　in　awe　of　Gilder；　as　did　the　others　in　his　service。　No　man　is　a　hero　to　his　valet；　or　to　his　secretary。　Intimate　association　is　hostile　to　hero…worship。　　So；　now；　Sarah　spoke　nonchalantly；　to　the　indignation　of　the　philanthropist：
  〃Oh；　yes；　sir。　　Specially　when　you　make　so　much　that　you　don't　miss　it。〃
  Gilder's　thick　gray　brows　drew　down　in　a　frown　of　displeasure；　while　his　eyes　opened　slightly　in　sheer　surprise　over　the　secretary's　unexpected　remark。　　He　hesitated　for　only　an　instant　before　replying　with　an　air　of　great　dignity；　in　which　was　a　distinct　note　of　rebuke　for　the　girl's　presumption。
  〃The　profits　from　my　store　are　large；　I　admit；　Sarah。　But　I　neither　smuggle　my　goods；　take　rebates　from　railroads；　conspire　against　small　competitors；　nor　do　any　of　the　dishonest　acts　that　disgrace　other　lines　of　business。　So　long　as　I　make　my　profits　honestly；　I　am　honestly　entitled　to　them；　no　matter　how　big　they　are。〃
  The　secretary；　being　quite　content　with　the　havoc　she　had　wrought　in　her　employer's　complacency　over　his　charitableness；　nodded；　and　contented　herself　with　a　demure　assent　to　his　outburst。
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　she　agreed；　very　meekly。
  Gilder　stared　at　her　for　a　few　seconds；　somewhat　indignantly。　　Then；　he　bethought　himself　of　a　subtle　form　of　rebuke　by　emphasizing　his　generosity。
  〃Have　the　cashier　send　my　usual　five　hundred　to　the　Charities　Organization　Society；〃　he　ordered。　　With　this　new　evidence　of　his　generous　virtue；　the　frown　passed　from　his　brows。　　If；　for　a　fleeting　moment；　doubt　had　assailed　him　under　the　spur　of　the　secretary's　words；　that　doubt　had　now　vanished　under　his　habitual　conviction　as　to　his　sterling　worth　to　the　world　at　large。
  It　was；　therefore；　with　his　accustomed　blandness　of　manner　that　he　presently　acknowledged　the　greeting　of　George　Demarest；　the　chief　of　the　legal　staff　that　looked　after　the　firm's　affairs。　　He　was　aware　without　being　told　that　the　lawyer　had　called　to　acquaint　him　with　the　issue　in　the　trial　of　Mary　Turner。
  〃Well；　Demarest？〃　　he　inquired；　as　the　dapper　attorney　advanced　into　the　room　at　a　rapid　pace；　and　came　to　a　halt　facing　the　desk；　after　a　lively　nod　in　the　direction　of　the　secretary。
  The　lawyer's　face　sobered；　and　his　tone　as　he　answered　was　tinged　with　constraint。
  〃Judge　Lawlor　gave　her　three　years；〃　he　replied；　gravely。　　It　was　plain　from　his　manner　that　he　did　not　altogether　approve。
  But　Gilder　was　unaffected　by　the　attorney's　lack　of　satisfaction　over　the　result。　　On　the　contrary；　he　smiled　exultantly。　　His　oritund　voice　took　on　a　deeper　note；　as　he　turned　toward　the　secretary。
  〃Good！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Take　this；　Sarah。〃　　And　he　continued；　as　the　girl　opened　her　notebook　and　poised　the　pencil：　〃Be　sure　to　have　Smithson　post　a　copy　of　it　conspicuously　in　all　the　girls'　dressing…rooms；　and　in　the　reading…room；　and　in　the　lunch…rooms；　and　in　the　assembly…room。〃　　He　cleared　his　throat　ostentatiously　and　proceeded　to　the　dictation　of　the　notice：
  〃Mary　Turner；　formerly　employed　in　this　store；　was　to…day　sentenced　to　prison　for　three　years；　having　been　convicted　for　the　theft　of　goods　valued　at　over　four　hundred　dollars。　　The　management　wishes　again　to　draw　attention　on　the　part　of　its　employees　to　the　fact　that　honesty　is　always　the　best　policy。。。。　Got　that？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃　　The　secretary's　voice　was　mechanical；　without　any　trace　of　feeling。　　She　was　not　minded　to　disturb　her　employer　a　second　time　this　morning　by　injudicious　comment。
  〃Take　it　to　Smithson；〃　Gilder　continued；　〃and　tell　him　that　I　wish　him　to　attend　to　its　being　posted　according　to　my　directions　at　once。〃
  Again；　the　girl　made　her　formal　response　in　the　affirmative；　then　left　the　room。
  Gilder　brought　forth　a　box　of　cigars　from　a　drawer　of　the　desk；　opened　it　and　thrust　it　toward　the　waiting　lawyer；　who；　however；　shook　his　head　in　refusal；　and　continued　to　move　about　the　room　rather　restlessly。　Demarest　paid　no　attention　to　the　other's　invitation　to　a　seat；　but　the　courtesy　was　perfunctory　on　Gilder's　part；　and　he　hardly　perceived　the　perturbation　of　his　caller；　for　he　was　occupied　in　selecting　and　lighting　a　cigar　with　the　care　of　a　connoisseur。　　Finally；　he　spoke　again；　and　now　there　was　an　infinite　contentment　in　the　rich　voice。
  〃