than we have proceeded

"Not require my services?" she said slowly. "Do you mean that I am discharged?" He nodded again. "In lieu of a month's notice I will give you a cheque for a month's salary, plus the unexpired portion of this week's salary." "But why am I being discharged? Why? Why?" Mr. White, who had opened his eyes for a moment to watch the effect of his lightning stroke, closed them again. "It is not the practice of Punsonby's to give any reason for dispensing with the services of its employees," he said oracularly, "it is sufficient that I should tell you that hitherto you have given every satisfaction, but for reasons which I am not prepared to discuss we must dispense with your services." Her head was in a whirl. She could not grasp what had happened. For five years she had worked in the happiest circumstances in this great store, where everybody had been kind to her and where her tasks had been congenial. She had never thought of going elsewhere. She regarded herself, as did all the better-class employees, as a fixture. "Do I understand," she asked, "that I am to leave--at once?" Mr. White nodded. He pushed the cheque across the table and she took it up and folded it mechanically. "And you are not going to tell me why?" Mr. White shook his head. "Punsonby's do nothing without a good reason," he said solemnly, feeling that whatever happened he must make a good case for Punsonby's, and that whoever was to blame for this unhappy incident it was not an august firm which paid its fourteen per cent. with monotonous regularity. "We lack--ah--definite knowledge to proceed any further in this matter than--in fact, than we have proceeded. Definite knowledge" (the girl was all the more bewildered by his cumbersome diplomacy) "definite knowledge was promised but has not--in fact, has not come to hand. It is all very unpleasant--very unpleasant," and he shook his head. She bowed and turning, walked quickly from the room, passed to the lobby where her coat was hung, put on her hat and left Punsonby's for ever.