Page:The Star in the Window.pdf/29

Rh April, July, and October appeared on the calendar over David's desk, there dropped like ripe fruit into his hands, from out of one of the Company's long blue envelopes, large, beautifully developed checks, quarter after quarter, year after year. David had long since exhausted the limited storing-space afforded him by all the savings-banks within range. Fearful as he was, and suspicious of any paper that had the peculiar crackle of a bond, or stock-certificate, he had been obliged to find bins for his dividends somewhere. In spite of suspicions, David's safe-deposit boxes became crammed with ripening coupons. No wonder, then, that at the directors' meetings, David always covertly glanced in the direction of the man who had brought about this happy state of prosperity, to discover how he was voting, even on unimportant questions, before committing himself to a raised hand, or a murmured "Aye."

Not that he approved of Mr. Horween's extravagant principles. He didn't. It was simply awful, the way Joseph Horween spent money! Every newfangled cost-system, lighting, heating, or power device in the world attracted him. He was always building additions to the plant, too. It fairly made cold shivers run up and down David's back to stand by and see him using up the Company's surplus on such unnecessary expenditures as a fancy front to the office-building, a cement garage for his own automobile, and white-enameled sanitary drinking fountains for the employees. But commonsense told David it was safer to rely upon Joseph Horween's confidence, however inflated, than upon his own misgivings. Besides, discussion of business problems was not David's gift.