By Lincoln Steffens

“There’s an extra, a Christmas girl downstairs, that I think you’ll want to keep; she’s a worker, but——”

The big store manager looked up at the tall, prim New England woman who was the head of his employment bureau, and he understood. But he’s a brute.

“But?” he insisted.

“Her references aren’t good.”

“Not good?” he said. “You mean they ain’t good people?”

“Oh,” she exclaimed, “they’re good people; they’re very good people, but——”

“But?”

“They prefer not to speak, for or against.”

“I see,” he growled. “A case for bad people. Send her up to me.”