THE CLERK AT PAY CORNER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1636, 8 July 1903, Page 9

THE CLERK AT PAY CORNER

(By Beatrice Herbert Maxwell.)

"What name did yon say?” The clerk in the little wooden box that «ei vcd as counting-house to North B'd Factory, stooped down to the p gcon-hole through which he had been passing wages to the "hands” and looked inquiringly for a face to match the voice that had just spoken to him. A pair of beautiful, weary eyes met hrs, and brightened with a faint touch of interest as their owner realised that instead of tli 9 usual elderly, dry as dust. paymaster a young man was presiding over the dispensement of the weekly salaries. "Revere Halliday,” she repeated more clearly, while a tinge of pink invaned pal© cheeks, and an instant later a . sovereign and some shillings went on the Circular sill, and she had taken them and passed on, The yard wa 9 emptying rapidly now. for the employees in the accountants office of which she was one. were paid last, after all the workmen Imd taken their money and dispersed so that odv another giri or two, shorthand tyn’ris like herself/and about thirtv men-el erics. remained still on the lither-side of the main gate; and as Revere walked towards it ono of these hurried after her. and lifting his cap remarked: —"New chap iit the box. INVg that?” nodding towards the little shed wedged into an angle of the wall that was sponsor for the name of "Pay Counter.” Revere’s fac-s clouded. "I really don’t know.” she said, and Quickened ber steps. Evidently this darkbrowned, tliin-lipped man belli anno7/ed and alarmed her. But Jonas Marne was not easily rebuffed. "Looks above his work.” he continued, keeping pace w*th her. "A gentleman bv the cut of his clothes and the look of him. I wonder what the governor's have put him in for/' "It is really of no interest to me” snm Revere. "I cannot see how it matters toany of us who pays, so Tone wo are paid. You must excuse me. Mr Marne. I want to get home early, and th's is my wav.”

She turned abruptly down a side street and left Marne staring in discomfiture after her.

lie was at the head of his botch of foremen, and but for a black cross standing against his name from time to time m tlL© conduct sli'Cet he would have boon \yy now in one of the most responsible positions of the factoiy. But his violent and overbearing nature led to many quarrels, and if there was a row in the London Road Mh-rne was sure to bo in it, and to take more than his share of the fighting. So that N>mwh Tvs employers and his mates m the factory alike feared him, as men of strong natures are feared, no one made friends with him or had a good word to say behind his bade. And since the dav when an unguarded look and speech from him had shown Revere that she was the object of Iks admiration, and possiblv of some deeper feeling, she had shunned and hated him and would walk a mile out of her way to reach New End rather than risk hi? com naui onship. She did not slacken her stem? until she was sure that he had not followed her. and then she stopped to red by a bit of fenced-in waste ground, beyond which was the street of shabby houses where she lodged. Her thoughts followed her eyes to the pm ok v haze of real Lon don; fm* here, in this bv-wav. it seemed to be neither town nor suburb, and) she murmured — "I shall have to go. Every day he makes some excuse to waylay me. I am frightened of him,, and I don't know whv ” Sho was still pondering over the extraordinary influence Jonas Marne had begun to exercise over her when with a start she became aware that the footsteps of someone crossing the road had stopped close to her. Without looking round she turned to hurry on. when a pleasant voice said—

-"I beg your pardon, am I right for Factory Road ?” The relief she felt flashed into her face as sli© answered—-"Ye®; it is the street facing you.” . The clerk lifted his hat, and recognise ing the voice and face, that had attracted him before, wondered what her expression meant.

"I am afraid I startled you,” he said apologetically, "but I a.m new hero and have not learnt my way about yet. All the streets seem exactly like each other. It’s a. monotonous place.” "It i 9 a monotonous life,” Revere asswered; "six days of factory and one of rest, week in and week out.” She recognised him also, and wondered as h© had about her. at the in_ ©ongruitv of his appearance with, his position.

Unconsciously they were already criticising each other closely. , Meeting him in the street by chaaice one would, have said that he was a man who if he did any work at all, worked, for the sake of having a profession and not to earn his living. The intellectual, well-bred face, and the tall, well-clothed figure suggested the life of what the factory hands called a "swe 11." Xet he was the new pay clerk in a blacking factory on the outskirts of civilisation! "You must be very tired of it/.’ he said, talcing in the listlessnesg of her attitude and tlie droop at the corner of her mouth.

They had both stopped, and she was again leaning-over the fence and looking towards St. Paul’s, the dome of which glowed in the sunset. - . . . "But,” he went on. "you could easily find something better, no doubt, Miss Halliday. Perhaps you have outside inteiests that keep you here?” Slid smiled a little. “I might go further and fare worse. They pay one well and punctually at the factory. No, I have no interests of any kind. I have been alone in the world for about a year —ever since my sister died. We came here because it was the first work that turned up -for me. I got it through mi aclvcrtisGiviGTi't &s soon ( txs X had finished mv shorthand course.” "And you live by yourself?” "In Factory Road,” she answered. "It is the best place about here for quiet lodgings.” “So I was told. My number is 23.”

"Yes. I fancy there is a nice landlady there. I hope you will be comfortable.” It had suddenly occurred to her that though His official position demanded a civil answer to a. civ: 1 question, it did not necessitate the confidence she was involuntarily bestowing on him. •He lifted his hat again. "Thank,:;. Good-night” and walked on. She was looking after him when he turned and came back. "May I ask you something ?” he saiu. "I am a stranger in the land and want to be sure of my bearings. Is it usual for complaints' about the wages to bo made through the pay-clerk?” "It is against the rules. All complaints PVI--V- be addressed by letter to tho heads of the firm.” "I, thought so. Do you know anything of a foreman called Jonas Marne?” The colour that flooded her cheek faded so quickly and left her so strangely pale that lie apologised again.

"I beg you to forgive me.” he said. "I am afraid I have touched on a subject that is unpleasant to you.” "It is not that.” she said, hurriedly. "Mr Marne is nothing to me—not even a friend. Until lately. I had never spoken io him. Indeed. I have no wish to speak to him now, for he—be frightens me. He is a dangerous man, I am told, and I I have an instinctive dislike for him.” She was quite unaware of the appeal that her stammering agitation made to him. or that lie was registering a mental resolve to frustrate any designs of Mr Jen as Marne towards her. _ _ "I was not prepossessed in his favour, he said, quietly, "and I shall report him for breaking the rules.” She looked more troubled. "I would not do that,” she urged. “He boasts that he has never owed any man a grudge without paying it in full. Be careful of him. please. He will know that you rejjorted him when -he gets a reprimand.” “He will know m-ore than that presently. Miss Halliday. since chance has introduced us and we are fellow-workers, may I venture to count myself as an acquaintance of yours—a friend, I hope, later. May I tell you my name?” "I should like ~to know it,” she answered simply. "I am Godfrey Brennan. May I call and see you to-morrow ?” She hesitated. "My little sitting-room is very humble,” she said, "and my. landlady is very severe. I think it would be better not.” "I am very lonely here,” ho pleaded. “Might we not even go for a walk together?” She shook her head, laughing. "It is very kind of you, but —-—/ Some people were coming down the street towards them. Revere looked at her wat-ch. "But I must be going homo now,” she concluded, “or Mrs Bale will' believe I am out to tea. Good-bye Mr Brennan.” "Good-bye.” They shook hands this time, and she crossed the road, so that they walked apart until he reached No. 26, and went in

And Jonas Marne, loitering in the street a little further on, waiting fo r an opportunity of speaking to Revere again, looked suspiciously at both, and, muttering something to himself, turned on his heel and went away. Had he known that Godfrey Brennan wag watching him through the Venetian blinds, the antipathy that he felt for the new clerk would have deepened. As it was although Marne failed in his attempts to see Revere for a whole week, he did not definitely connect this fact with Brennan until one evening after work hours he met them walking together by the little canal that belonged to .the factory. The sudden flash of keen and jealous suspicion, followed by an evil look of rage at Godfrey, told Revere that this chance encounter would mean mischief if Marne’s reputation for paying off scores was a reliable one. She had drifted so easily and gradually into friendship with Godfrey, and it had begun to seem so natural that they should meet at the end of each day’s work, and saunter homewards together, that she had almost forgotten her apprehension about Marne until this meeting. “Mr Brennan,” she said quickly, when Jonas was out of hearing, ‘‘‘have you had l any more difficulty with Mr Marne ? Did you report him?” "I did. He will learn the result next pay-day.” "He is not going to be dismissed?” She clasped her hands in alarm. “I thought,” answered Brennan, gravely, "that he was not a friend of yours —that you disliked him, in fact. Why should his dismissal distress you P” "Because he will revenge himself on you; he will believe it is your doing. Did you see how he looked at you just now?” “He is an insolent fellow. Don't let us waste our time talking' about him.” She laid her hand persuasively on his

arm. "Don't make light of it,” ph-e said, earnestly; "from the moment that he is discharged you will be in danger. Will you promise to be careful, to give him no chance of attacking you?” , Godfrey took the pleading hand in his. I "Dees it matter to you?” he asked. | She drew away, from him, and was j silent until he repeated his question. I "I should bo sorry,” she said, "if any j friend of mine ” 1 She broke off in surprise, for they believed themselves alone on the canal path and, at this moment, a man whom neither of them had perceived brushed past them so clumsily that he jerked the stick out of Godfrey’s hand. "Sorry!” he said, briefly, picking up the stick and handing it to Godfrey, i With a lift of his hat. lie walked on, crossed on© of the small bridges, and disc appeared among the buildings on the other shlo.

“Where did ho spring from ?” said Godfrey. "Rather queer his coming upon us like that. Tliero was something familiar about him to me. too. Where can I have seen him before?” Revere looked troubled. "He reminded me of someone, but I do not really know him. He must have been in the shed we hav© just passed. The incident, slight as it was, had broken the thread of their conversation, and they did not revert to it.

A vague disquiet had, taken possession of Godfrey, and Iris mind was occupied with a trivial query to which he could not find the answer. Whore had he seen the stranger of th© canal walk before? Again and again, during the 24 hours that followed, lie found himself pondering on this lapse of memory, unimportant as it seemed; and the question of Jonas Marne’s dismissal did not once occur to him until the moment for it arrived.

It was a, custom—*of which no one knew the origin—-that when a. factory man was discharged he separated from the rest, and, instead of going out bv the main exit, passed through a turnstile at the side, called in irony “Amen Gate.”

There was a suppressed murmur amongst the crowd in the yard when Jonas Marne, with his week's wages and disc.liarge-paper in his hand, broke away from the stream and made for the turnstile and looks of inquiry and dismay were exchanged by many of the men.

"He’ll raise Cain for that,’' remarked ono of them, and a significant, silence followed. Nevertheless, there was no result either th a t night or during the next week, and people began to believe that Marne had resigned his post willingly and left the neighbourhood to better himself. But Revere, with a sinking at her heart that no reasoning could quell, waited, hour after hour, for something that she felt was coming; and deliberately avoided Godfrey, lest Marne should meet them together.

But for this she would have learned two facts that remained unknown to her till afterwards —First. that Godfrey wa.s being "shadowed.” and next that this shadow was not Jonas Marne. On Saturday, at noon, after the surveyor had gone through the factory, an order wa.s suddenly circulated that everyone should assemble at two, instead of at four at Pay Corner, where their wages would be given to them and freedom to leave off work. A gratuitous holiday was sucli a rare event that it was received with amazement; and there were many surmises as to its possible cause. Revere, wondering and still troubled, decided to ask Mr Brennan the reason for it when she took her salary; and, as she stood at the little pigeon-hole, she said softly—" What does it mean, Mr Brennan ?”

There wag lio answer, except that the money was impatiently pushed a. little nearer to her, and, as she took it, she saw dimly through the ground-glass winclow tli'Cxrt the pay-clerk had hack, with th© evident intention of making no renly. ' „ , . , Bewildered and hurt, her first impulse was to hurry homewards,, but the sense of impending danger to him was so insistent that she put away her pride, and. returning to the vard, skirted round to a path, at the back of the shed, down which he must pass on his way to the head accountant's office, which it was his duty to close before leaving. The clang of the main gate had already assured her that the, factory was empty; and she waited patiently at first, and later with growing alarm, for Godfrey to come. At last she could bear it no longer. It was against the rules to he in the factoryyard after working hours, but she decided to risk being seen by the caretaker, and running quickly across to the payshed. she tapped at the door. There wajs no sound, m reply, and she turned the handle. The door yielded to her touch and opened. „ , . , . „ Across th© floor, lying on his face, where he must have fallen when someone from behind struck at him, lay the payclerk, hi 3 head battered beyond all re_ cognition. In his outstretched hands he still clutched two canvas bags, and from the open mouth of one some sovereigns had rolled and scattered themselves around him.

A wave of overwhelming horror swept over Revere, and, with a passionate cry of liis name she recoiled, and sank fainting on the floor. A moment later, one who was running in hot haste and heard the desperate call "Godfrey! Godfrey !” reached the shed, and. lifting Her, carried her outside and held her in his arms while her senses were slowly coming back to her. As memory revived with them, she shuddered and closed her eyes, the deadly faintness sweeping over her again.

"Revere,” whispered a tender voice, while lips brushed her cheek softly, "you called mo and I lira here. Be brave/ darling, for my sake. I must go and see to that poor fellow.” And, opening her eyes, she understood that a miracle had happened, for it was Godfrey who held her to his heart. **#**» The extraordinary circumstances of the New End Factory murder were a ninedays’ wonder. It appeared that the large sum paid, out in weekly wages had attracted the attention of a noted area cracksman, known as "Toff Jim,” and his plans for obtaining it were so cleverly made that they would have succeeded but for one small item he had not taken into account —the dismissal of Jonaa Marne. The fact that the- new pay-cierk, Godfrey Brennan, bore a strong resemblance to 'Toff Jim” seemed, to that gentleman, a personal favour on the part of Providence that should not be wasted; and, having studied his "double” until every detail of clothing and general appearance was correctly reproduced, he had only two difficulties to overcome—ing possession of the bags of money, and getting the pay-clerk out of the way. Skeleton keys, of ingenious make, smoothed the first obstacle, and a telegram, purporting to com© from the head of the film, to Brennan, imperatively summoning him to the city at two o'clock, removed the other. Another telegram to the surveyor arranged the substitution of an earlier hour for paying the wages, and "Toff Jim.” looking, to a casual observer, ex_ actly like Godfrey Brennan, reached Pay Corner unhindered, with his booty and the pry-sheet, on which each name and the sum duo to it, appeared. . Tli© bass coin which he handed through the pigeon-hole had been so carefully prepared that it roused, no suspision, and probably the only hint of possible discovery was Revere's question—" What doe® it- all mean ,Mr Brennan?” The instant that the main gate closed. "Toff Jim” was prepared to make his escape to the canal-path, where a confederate awaited him, and it was as he stooped to pick up the two bags that Jonas Marne, hidden all the time at the back of the shed, opened the door and dealt the first fatal blow, followed up by others that were intended for disfigurement. "I meant to do for him. and spoil his looks, too,” he said savagely, when he was caught and confessed himself guilty. "Who was he, to come and steal the only girl I ever wanted? I swore that if I couldn't have her, he shouldn't. He put a spoke in his own wheel, well as mine when he got me dismissed.” But the mitigation of his sentence to penal servitude for life, - because he had murdered the wrong man, doubled his punishment in reality, and his insensate rage at the blunder -he had made and the thought that Godfrey and Revere would bo happy during th© long years while be was working out his sentence proved too much for him. and killed him in the first week of it. It was, strangely enough, at the very hour of his death that they signed and sealed their bond of happiness. H "I have a confession to make to you, Brennan said, as they walked home together in the dusk. ‘To-morrow is my last day as pay clerk.” "You axe going to leave New End? she asked, in dismay., ... . "Nt» I am going no a step—tnat is all T'aere is a tradition in th© factory that ©very member of the firm must have served his apprenticeship by doing subordinate work in it before he can be a partner. His qualifications are money to invest and business capacity, which must be demonstrated in a practical way. So I agreed to take the post of pay clerk for a while, and to live the life of a man who holds it in the ordinary way. My time is up to-morrow, when I serve at Pay Corner for the last time; and one of my concluding duties will be to ask Miss Revere Halliday for her resignation. The firm no longer requires her services. She Solved at him, startled and tremulous, .ait his eyes reassured her. "M'ft have another post to offer her, ho said, putting his arms round her. We want her to be the junior partnei s wire.