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In the first month or two of her work, when her keen brain was darting here and there, into forgotten and neglected corners, ferreting out dusty scraps of business waste and holding them up to the light, disdainfully, Fenger had watched her with a mingling of amusement and a sort of fond pride, as one would a precocious child.
And, for the moment at least, Fanny Brandeis loathed Big Business, and all that it stood for. "It's almost seven," Fenger was saying. "We'll be rubes in New York, this evening. You girls will just have time to freshen up a bit I suppose you want to and then we'll have dinner, and go to the theater, and to supper afterward. What do you want to see?" Ella looked at Fanny.
Fanny had slaved over it, hampered by Slosson. Fenger had given her practically a free hand. Results would not come in for many days. The Christmas trade would not tell the tale, for that was always a time of abnormal business. The dull season following the holiday rush would show the real returns. Slosson was discouragement itself.
Haynes and the two Coopers, at a real meeting in a real mahogany directors' room? Wednesday, say?" "I think so." Fenger got up. "Look here, Miss Brandeis. You need a day in the country. Why don't you run up to your home town over Sunday? Wisconsin, wasn't it?" "Oh, no! No. I mean yes it was Wisconsin, but no I don't want to go." "Then let me send you my car." "Car! No, thanks.
He smiled queerly. "Tell me, where did you learn all this?" "I don't know," faltered Fanny happily. "Brandeis' Bazaar, perhaps. It's just another case of plush photograph album." "Plush ?" Fanny told him that story. Even the discomfited Slosson grinned at it. But after ten minutes more of general discussion Slosson left. Fenger, without putting it in words, had conveyed that to him. Fanny stayed.
Fanny, with the strain of Theodore's debut and leave-taking behind her, and the prospect of a high-tension business talk with Fenger ahead, drank in the beauty of the wayside woods gratefully. Fenger met her at the station. She had never seen him so boyish, so exuberant. He almost pranced. "Hop in," he said. He had driven down in a runabout. "Brother get off all right? Gad! He CAN play.
Perhaps if she had been more ready to help, if she had not always waited until he asked the aid that she might have volunteered she thrust that thought out of her mind, rudely, and slammed the door on it.... Fenger. He had said, "Damn!" when she had told him about Ella.
"Try the grape pie, dear. It's delicious." And strolled off down the aisle that seemed to stretch endlessly ahead. Fanny stood for a moment looking after her, as though meaning to call her back. But she must have changed her mind, because she said, "Oh, nonsense!" aloud. And went across to lunch. And ordered grape pie. And enjoyed it. The invitation to tea came in due time from Mrs. Fenger.
The thing we'll have to do is to give her silver-spoon models at pewter prices." "It can't be done," said Slosson. "Now, wait a minute, Slosson," Fenger put in, smoothly. "Miss Brandeis has given us a very fair general statement. We'll have some facts. Are you prepared to give us an actual working plan?" "Yes. At least, it sounds practical to me. And if it does to you and to Mr. Slosson "
I just happened to think of the boy who used to deliver our paper on Norris Street, in Winnebago, Wisconsin. He covered his route on roller skates. It saved him an hour. Why don't you put roller skates on your stock boys and girls?" Fenger stared at her. You could almost hear that mind of his working, like a thing on ball bearings. "Roller skates." It wasn't an exclamation. It was a decision.
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