“Yas, sir: Yas, sir: Dat’s percis’ly what I’s amin’ ter do. Dat’s why I’se always on han’.”
“Good! We’ll watch out for her, won’t we? Hello, Sniffins. How about that big deal you were going to put through for me? I haven’t heard much about it lately.”
“Oh, you’ll hear from that all right, all right. Trouble is you expect a man to do in two weeks somethin’ most men needs two months to do.”
“Well if you take two months to settle that matter for me, the other fellow, who can do it in two weeks, will win out, you mark my word. So you’d better not take time to buy candy at ten A. M. on Monday mornings,” for in some way Mr. Porter had gathered from Charles the true situation, and had given this broad hint. Sniffins was not given to taking hints, but he dared not go counter to Mr. Porter’s implied wish that he leave the Candy Arch. Still, he was bound to have his last shot, and, with what he intended to be a telling glance, he said:
“You tell Miss Carruth that my sister will take that position, and I’ll call ’round later to arrange about her salary.”
“It will not be necessary for you to do so, Mr. Sniffins; I have just ’phoned to someone else.” Constance had returned so quietly that no one was aware of her approach.
“How do you do, Mr. Porter? I am glad to see you. What can I do for you? Come into my sanctum.”
She led the way to the rear of the Arch, where a little inclosure held her desk and two chairs. Sniffins turned to leave the Arch. At the entrance he came face to face with Hadyn Stuyvesant. The look which accompanied the nod Sniffins gave him was not pleasant. Hadyn did not know him at all, and looked at him in surprise, believing him to have mistaken him for someone else. But Sniffins knew Hadyn.
“So he’s on there, too, is he? Guess he can see through a millstone most as far as other folks can. If that girl keeps on she’s goin’ to be rich, rich. That business has growed—ah, grown—like a—a—well, it’s grown. ’For’ long she’s goin’ to have a big thing in it. Wake up, Sniffins, my boy. You’re got as good a chance as any other fellow, an’ you’re no sloach on looks, neither. Get busy and spruce up more’n ever. Buy some new clothes, old man; you’ll find ’em a good investment, I tell you. Get Kit down there somehow; that’s your best wedge for gettin’ into the swell set up yonder. Kit’s half-way good-lookin’, and ain’t got the spunk of a mouse to do any way except the way I tell her.”
By the time this monologue came to an end Sniffins had turned into his office on State Street, and there found his sister awaiting him. She had returned to South Riveredge nearly frightened to death by his telegram.