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 gentle note. "I can not employ you myself because you will have left the service of John Ruffin by my advice; and it would not be friendly of me. The action would be open to misconstruction. But you will find other work—you are sure to." Pollyooly shook her head: "It would be very hard to do, sir," she said with the conviction born of experience. Then she added in a tone of finality, "Besides, it isn't only that—there's Mr. Ruffin's bacon."

"Bacon! Mr. Ruffin's bacon! What is bacon when personal human dignity is at stake?" roared Hilary Vance louder than ever.

"No one but me can cook it just as he likes it," said Pollyooly.

Hilary Vance raged and stormed for a while, for personal human dignity bulked enormous in his mind at the moment; but he could not dislodge Pollyooly from her inexpugnable position behind the bacon of the Honorable John Ruffin. He went on with his work growling, at first loudly then more quietly.

Pollyooly resumed her thoughtful meditation on Henry Wiggins.

Presently her face brightened.