Show I I Tenth of a Dollar O By Dy WILLIAM 1 V MURDOCH McClure McClur Newspaper N Syndicate Features r I THE Pr HE high school kid who took over behind the cigar counter while the druggist went to supper winked as he brushed past the soda fountain girl then he paused the old skinflint who lives lines down the street he whispered whisp ted jerking his head in the direction of the old man who stood near the phone booth He asked for The old skinflint was Guy Baxter and while the term didn't exactly describe him it did in a vague way epitomize his reputation for keeping a close tab on money He was a bookkeeper bookkeeper-a a mighty good one one one- who had a deep respect for money his own and his employers employer's the wholesale grocery firm of Farrell Sons Company In fact that abiding regard tot fot money had only that morning morning his his fiftieth anniversary at Farrells Farrell's led him to commit the one deliberately deliberately dishonest act of his ma ma- He had passed a counterfeit dime That dime menaced his peace of mind a few minutes later as he peeled off his coat and vest and I I II 7 p pI I 1 I I I I i I 1 II I Ili q lie He had bad passed a counterfeit dime climbed up on the high stool at his desk Nervously he smoothed his thin thatch of gleaming white hair and there was trouble in his pale blue eyes exes na AS s he Irefully carefully removed r I f r I ITS IUs glasses gf from the case cas roc For f r tiE tHe I first time in odd sev odd nty-odd years he knew himself as a cheat and he I found the intimacy repugnant And then in morning mid-morning Far Far- Farrell Farrell Farrell rell called Guy into the office Sit down Guy Farrell said cordially lacing his white fingers forgers into a dou dau double dou dauble ble fist atop his desk and smiling at the old man I suppose suppo e you know ImO it was just fifty years ago to to- today today day that you started to work for formy formy formy my father Youve You've been be n a good goodman goodman goodman man Guy said Farrell matter of factly Youre honest youre you're re reo re- re liable He smiled But lets let's save I all that for for tonight Weve We've planned I a a. a little celebration for you at the Jefferson Hotel A fellow like you deserves a pat on the back Yes sir Guy went back to his desk but he couldn't work He HeI couldn't focus on figures and sums I He thought of Farrells Farrell's praise and andI I he thought of the lead dime and he squirmed He wasn't honest And I he he wasn't w reliable for even in so minor mInot a matter as a counterfeit I dime he had failed himself MO H. hA A sold a record xe ord of honesty for r a dime a a lead lad one How could he go to the if banquet tonight and listen to all those nice things people always said at t banquets ets when wh n down in his heart he knew just how mean and petty he had been that morning He He had to get that dime back Mere Mer restitution hand ing lag over oer o r another dime a good one I to the th Bedford Lunch where whee he passed it off wouldn't be I ff enough enogh He HP had to get that coin to back-to keep it it out of circulation so it I couldn't go go go- goon on cheating people for the rest of Guys Guy's life I So o he U hurried from U UIO th om nm at quitting time and went directly to Bedford's Lunch There I w was a s a. a a chance that the dime hadn't been passed on If Bedford would only show him the contents of the parti- parti partition partition tion in the cash register Guy could pIck it out mood But rS to the listen night to cashier was in no GuyS Guy'S Sif halting at t- t tempts t to explain I got no time monkey wIth dimes a now HOW mi mic- mic ter ter K he said j i irritably U q TJ you got ent a with squawk squawk squawk- with l Bedford see him hm in the morning j I I Tomorrow would be too late of course Baxter was due at the ban ban- banI banquet I tonight in just an hour ho r or two The lead dime stood squarely in his way way- He couldn't go He started for the drugstore at the corner have to call Sf Mr F Farrell and f make Hed He'd some excuse s There was no S use trying to explain s rell would because Mr Farrell Far Far- Farrell only laugh and tell not to be silly B But t it wasn't Guy I AU All th this silly because ec c he h hind d I I i firs rus change yesterday yester y- y without ut Erst studying it itS 11 S he asked for change for a quarter so he could make a phone call the high school kid whispered to the soda fountain girl Remember ber that lead lad dime Bedford showed us this afternoon Bedford gave it to to tome me and Ive I've been savin It up at atthe atthe the cash register just for the right guy Im I'm goin to try to pass passI it off on that old skinflint over there Watch me spoil his day |