"How rapid are you?"
"I have been a court reporter."
Smith was needing another stenographer and he looked the applicant over appraisingly. The appraisal was not entirely satisfactory. There was a certain shifty furtiveness in the half-opened eyes, and the rather weak chin hinted at a possible lack of the discreetness which is the prime requisite in a confidential clerk.
"Any business experience?"
"Yes; I've done some railroad work."
"Here in Brewster?"
Shaw lied smoothly. "No; in Omaha."
"Any recommendations?"
The young man produced a handful of "To Whom it May Concern" letters. They were all on business letter-heads, and were apparently genuine, though none of them were local. Smith ran them over hastily and he had no means of knowing that they had been carefully prepared by Crawford Stanton at no little cost in ingenuity and painstaking. How careful the preparation had been was revealed in the applicant's ready suggestion.
"You can write or wire to any of these gentlemen," he said; "only, if there is a job open, I'd be glad to go to work on trial."