CHAPTER XX
Constance B.'s Venture
Owing to the stirring events at home, Jean had not set forth thatmorning, but the first excitement, incident to the sale of theirbelongings over, she prepared to drive out to East Riveredge, with herbox of candies. Mrs. Carruth entertained some misgivings regarding thewisdom of letting her again pass through McKim's Hollow, but acompromise was effected by Jean agreeing to take a different road. Itmade the trip a trifle longer, but was free from dangers, and Jean setforth in high feather and bursting with importance.
Having seen her off, Constance flew to her room, and within half anhour emerged therefrom dressed all in soft brown. Little brown toque,with a modest brown quill stuck through the folds of the cloth. Brownkilted skirt and box coat, brown furs and brown gloves. She lookedalmost as sedate as a little Quakeress, although her cheeks were rosyfrom excitement and her eyes shone.
"Mother, I have a little matter to attend to in South Riveredge. Youwon't feel anxious if I am not back before dark will you?" she askedas she paused at her mother's door, on her way down-stairs.
Mrs. Carruth looked at her a moment before replying and wondered ifthe girl had any idea how attractive she was. Then she asked:
"Am I to refrain from making inquiries?"
"Please don't ask a single question, for even if I wanted to answerthem I couldn't," said Constance, as she kissed her mother good-bye.
Half an hour later she was at the Arcade in South Riveredge, askingthe elevator man to direct her to the office of the superintendent ofthe building.
"Room 16, fourth floor," directed the man. So to the fourth floor wentConstance. Opening the door of No. 16, she entered, but stood for asecond upon the threshold rather at a loss how to proceed. Seated at alarge rolltop desk was a man wearing a brisk, wide-awake air whichinstantly reminded her of her father. Gaining confidence from thatfact, so often are we swayed by trifles, she advanced into the room,saying: "Good afternoon. Are you the superintendent of the building?"
"I am," answered the gentleman, smiling pleasantly, and rising fromhis chair. "What can I do for you, young lady?"
Now that she had actually come to the point of stating her errand,Constance hardly knew where to begin. The superintendent noticing herhesitancy said kindly: "Won't you be seated? It is always easier totalk business when seated, don't you think so?" and placing a chairnear his desk, he motioned her toward it.
Mr. Porter did not often have calls from such youthful business women,and was somewhat at a loss to understand the meaning of this one.Constance was not aware that in placing the chair for her he had putit where the light from the window just back of him would fall fullupon _her_ face.
Taking the chair she looked at him smiling half-doubtfully, andhalf-confidently as she said:
"Maybe you will think I am very silly and inexperienced, and I know I_am_, but I'd like to know whether you have any offices to rent inthis building, and how much you charge for them?"
The big eyes looked very childish as they were turned upon him, andMr. Porter could not help showing some surprise at the question. Hehad a daughter about this girl's age, and wondered how he would feelif she were in her place.
"Yes, we have one unoccupied office on the eighth floor, in the rearof the building. It is divided into two fair-sized rooms and therental is four hundred dollars a year."
Constance jumped. "Four hundred a year! Why that is almost as much aswe pay for our _whole_ house! My goodness, isn't that a lot? I had noidea they cost so much. Dear me, I'm afraid I can never, never do it,"and her words ended with a doubtful shake of her head.
"Do you object to telling me just what you wish to do and why you needan office?" asked Mr. Porter kindly. "Perhaps I could offer somesuggestions. Sometimes our tenants like to rent desk room, and if youneeded no more than a desk----why----."
"But I couldn't use a desk for a counter, could I?" hesitatedConstance.
"That depends upon what the counter had to hold. Suppose you tell me.Then we will see." The deep blue eyes behind the glasses regarded hervery encouragingly.
Constance's eyebrows were raised doubtfully as she replied:
"I'm afraid you will think me very foolish and unsophisticated, and ofcourse I am, but I just _know_ I can succeed if I once get startedright. Besides I _won't_ give up unless I _have_ to. Other girls dothings and there is no reason _I_ shouldn't. I know my candy is good,'cause if it wasn't Mammy could not sell it so easily, and--"
"Candy? Are you planning to sell candy? If it's half as good as thecandy an old colored woman sells around here you'll sell all you canmake. I buy some of her every time she comes here, and my girls askevery day if she has been around with it. It's great candy."
As Mr. Porter talked Constance's cheeks grew rosier and rosier, andher eyes danced with fun. Of this he speedily became aware, andlooking at her keenly he asked:
"Have you ever eaten any of the old Auntie's candy? Does she make itherself? I've asked her a dozen times, but I can't get her to commitherself! She always gets off a queer rigmarole about her 'pa'tner,'"ended Mr. Porter, smiling as he recalled Mammy's clever fencing withwords.
"Yes, I've eaten it. No, she doesn't make it; she only sells it. _I_make it," confessed Constance, nervously toying with the ends of herfur collar.
"You don't say so! Why it's the best candy I've ever tasted. Well,really! And you think of opening a _stand_?" concluded Mr. Porter, alittle incredulously, for the girl before him did not seem to be onewho would venture upon such an enterprise.
"Well yes, and no. I want to have a place to sell it here in SouthRiveredge, but I can't exactly have a counter you see, because I amstill in school the greater part of the day. So I thought up a planand--and I want to try it. Would you mind if I told you about it?"
The sweet voice and questioning look with which the words were spokenwould have won the ear of a less interested man than Robert Porter.More than an hour passed before this plan which had been simmering inthe girl's active brain, was laid before the practical businessman, and he was amazed at what he afterwards pronounced its"level-headedness."
When the conversation ended, Constance was wiser by many very sanesuggestions made by her listener, and more than ever determined tocarry her plan through.
"Now, young lady, by-the-way, do you mind letting me know your name?We can talk better business if I do. Mine's Porter."
"I am Constance Carruth," said Constance.
"Carruth? Not Bernard Carruth's daughter?"
"Yes."
"You don't say so! Why I knew your father well, little girl, andrespected him more than any man I've ever known. He was a fine man.Bernard Carruth's daughter? Well I declare."
Constance's cheeks glowed more than ever. Praise of her father wassweet to her ears.
"Well, well, Bernard Carruth's daughter," repeated Mr. Porter, asthough he could not quite make it true. "Well, come with me. I've anidea for this candy selling scheme and we'll see what we can do."
Rising from his chair he led the way to the elevator. Upon reachingthe main floor he walked to the rear of the building where thestairway was situated.
In the alcove made by the box-stairs stood the public telephone switchboard and two booths. At the right, close under the stairs, was anempty space too low for the booths, and yet of no use to the operator,since while she might be able to occupy it when sitting at a desk, shewas very likely to encounter a cracked crown if she rose too quicklyfrom her chair. All was enclosed with a little wooden railing and welllighted by the electric lights.
"Now I am wondering if we couldn't rig up a tempting little booth inthis unoccupied space. Good afternoon, Miss Willing. How would youlike to share your quarters with this enterprising young lady? She hasa mighty clever idea in that logical head of hers and I'm going to domy best to help her make it a success. How about _you_?" he ended,making a mental contrast between the strikingly handsome, dark-haired,dark-eyed girl at the telephone booth, whose glances flashed back athim so boldly, and whos
e toilet would have been better suited to anafternoon function than a telephone booth, and the modest,well-gowned, young girl beside him.
"I guess I won't bother her, and I'm sure she won't bother _me_," wasthe reply which proved the speaker's fiber, and caused Constance tolook at her and wonder that any one _could_ be so lacking inrefinement. Little Connie had many things to learn in the businessworld into which she was venturing. But the knowledge would do her noharm. She was well equipped to stand the test.
The girl saw the look of surprise and no rebuke could have beenkeener. With a little resentful toss of her head, for this girl whohad so innocently made her aware of her shortcomings, she turned toanswer a call upon the 'phone, and Constance to listen to Mr. Porter'swords.
"Now, Miss Carruth, my idea is this: Suppose we have this little spacefitted up with attractive cases, and the necessary shelves. It is notvery large, but neither is the venture--yet. When it grows bigger wewill find a bigger cubby for it. The thing to do now is to find the_right_ one; one where you can make a good show, and be sure ofcatching your customers, and where the customers are likely to come tobe _caught_. I don't know of any place where, in the long run, moreare likely to come than to a 'phone booth. What do you think of it?"
"It's just _splendid_!" cried Constance. "I couldn't have found abetter place no matter how long I tried. I'm _so_ much obliged to you,Mr. Porter."
"Better wait until you see how it pans out--the booth, not the candy. Ican speak for the panning of that," laughed Mr. Porter, then added:"Well, that is step No. 1 taken. Now for No. 2, and that is stockingup. Have you thought about that?"
"Yes, I've thought. My goodness! I've thought until my wits are fairlymuddled with thinking, but that is the part that bothers me most. Ican make the candy easily enough after school hours, and I can manageto send it here, but I'm dreadfully afraid I haven't as much capitalon hand as I ought to have to get all the boxes I need. They are veryexpensive I find. I wrote to two firms who make them, but it seems tome they charged me dreadful prices. Perhaps they suspected from myletter that I wasn't much of a business woman," confessed Constance,looking frankly into the friendly eyes.
Mr. Porter laughed in spite of himself, then sobering down againasked:
"Have you time to come back to my office? I would like to make aproposition to you."
"Why yes, Mr. Porter, I have time enough," hesitated Constance. "But Iam afraid I am taking a good deal more of yours than I ought to."
"Am I not working in the interests of the owner of this building? I'mtrying to secure a new tenant for him. What more could I do?"
"I don't believe their income will be materially increased by _this_tenant," answered Constance much amused at the thought.
"Every one counts, you know. But now to business."
Entering his office with a brisk air, he again motioned Constance tothe chair by his desk, and asked:
"Are you willing to discuss all the details with me? You know I do notask from idle curiosity, I am sure. I am interested; very deeplyinterested. I want to see this thing succeed. You have outlined yourplan and it is all right. All it needs now is a little capital tocarry it through successfully. Now let us see if we can't _secure_that."
Three Little Women: A Story for Girls Page 20