After a short time, I will work (4)
I believe the answer is:
till
'work' is the definition.
(tilling is a kind of working)
'after a short time i will' is the wordplay.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'a short time' becomes 't' (abbreviation for time).
'i will' becomes 'ill' (I've seen this before).
't' put next to 'ill' is 'TILL'.
(Other definitions for till that I've seen before include "Farm - money drawer" , "Checkout - cultivate (land)" , "Container for money" , "Shopkeeper's moneybox" , "Drawer holding money in shop." .)