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Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 38, 24 November 1938, Page 7

office and paid the amount in cash. Apparently, through some oversight, the account was sent to him again, with the result that Mr I'oskett himself came to the office the following morning in a very had temper. He was ushered into Air Slumlord’s office. Air Alumford did his best to placate the angry customer and sent lor Air Rathhone, who was temporarily in charge of the cashier's office. Alary Donovan herself took the message. “It’s old Jacob Foskett,” site explained to Rathhone. “He’s tearing mad. You’ve sent his account lor seventeen pounds fifteen shillings which he says he’s paid.” Rathhone consulted the ledger. “He hasn’t,” he said.

“Air Alumford wants you, anyway” she said. “He’s got the receipt with him.”

“Anyway, there’s the ledger open-

ing.” “Now what’s all this about. Rathbone?” Air Alumford demanded. “Air Foskett is naturally very annoyed.” “May I see the receipt? That seems in order . . . . ” he said doubtfully.

“Air Fergson apparently received: the money,” he added, looliing at Air Alumlord meaningly. “There’s evidently some mistake.” Mr Alumford picked up the ’phone and rang through to the cashier’s department: “Do you mind stepping upi here, Mr Ferguson?” And a minute later Ferguson came

Alary Donovan from her desk at the far side of the room was watching him. She noticed the change that came over his lace as he glanced at the receipt, and was greatly relieved to hear him say, “Yes, 1 remember *it perfectly. A young man. . . .” ,

“That’s him.” said Jacob Foskett

“He came jn during the lunch hour. I had stayed on.” “But it isn’t entered in the ledger,” Rathhone pointed out. “There’s evidently some mistake,” admitted Ferguson. He' was clearly nervous.

“What . . , what happened?” Air Alumford asked.

“The hill was handed over in the usual way to Air Jones when he came

“I’m very sorry, Air Foskett, that von should have been occasioned this annoyance,” said Mr Alumford. “Please accept my personal apology.”

“I don’t want to cause any trouble,” Foskett began. “ft’s evidently some slip.”

The momentary look of fear Alary Donovan hod noticed in Ferguson had left him! He was quite calm and when Foskett had left the office he said: “It’s obvious what has happened. It appears in the receipt hook and I’ve no doubt it was duly paid into the bank. But it wasn’t written off in the ledger.” This turned out to he the case, but the flash of fear Alary Donovan had noticed in him worried her. An ordinary clerk, conscious' that the worst that could have happened was a. mistake that could be rectified, would not have been nervous.

Mr Muinfoi’cl was in the cashier’s department for some time and when he came back he said to Mary: “It’s not the first time jjt’s happened. Ferguson ’las suggested a. way of avoiding it in future. Good chap, that.” But Mary Donovan was thinking of the momentary fear she had seen in Ferguson’s face. She couldn’t understand it and she was a young woman who liked to understand things. As it fell out they met on the steps as they left the office that evening and walked along together to the corner of Market Street and London Hoad, where she usually caught a ’bus. , “That business of Foskett’.s account seemed to upset you,” she said. “For a moment. I remembered taking the money, but I didn’t remember anything else about it. 1 simply handed the whole thing over to Jones when he came in. But I don’t like queries about money.” She nodded. “Isn’t it a lovely evening?” she said. “Yes.” ; “I was going to the pictures this evening, although it-seems a sin to he indoors,” she said. “It’s rather a wonderful film.”

“I’ve heard a. lot. about it; I should rather like to see it, too.”

“It’s on at eight-fifteen,” she said usually. « “Then 1 may be there,” he said.

“Here’s my ’bus!’'' she said. “Cheerio! I may see you this evening.”

It was all casual and friendly, but as he walked along London Hoad he was thinking whether he would go. There was no question whether he wanted to; he did. There was equally no question whether he wanted to see Mary Donovan ; he did. i Nevertheless, he hesitated. (To be Continued).