South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-03

for nearly a year before ne appar-
entity took any personal interest in
her one morning when she came
into the Office, dressed in her reg
ulation blue frock with snowy col
lar and cuffs. she found him sitting
at his desk, idly tapping his fingers
on the polished surface.
Good morning" she said pleas
antly. Am I late?"
NO" he answered I am early.
Think I'll go out Of town for
while. so I must get matters in
shape here. It's beastly warm
now"
he had never found time or in
clinatiOn to say anything 70 her ex-
cept on the business in hand
Stephana smiled as she took OF her
little black sailor hat and hung il
up. Should she answer him, men
tiOning the fact that il was very
warm indeed? She decided 20 say
nothing. He was not paying her for
her views on the weather and her
mother was certainly right when
she had said that silence was an in
estimable asset in the business
world. Her pay envelope attested
20 that fact by showing a substan-
/ tial increase three times during her
working life of almost a year.
You are a very capable girl"
went on the calm voice Of her young
employer. Il am sure that you can
manage very nicely during my alb
sence"
She waited for orders. but none
came. She glanced around and
found Tom Preston looking at her
intently.
Il am In the very deuce of a fix,
Mss Wayne" he said. a flush rising
under the healthy tan on his face.
Stephana blushed, too. He was
so embarrassed that she felt sorry
for him.
MY mother is coming today to
meet my fancee, who was unl1ind
enough to jilt me last night. 1t is
rather upsetting, you know, explain
ations and all that I'll manage
somehow. of course. but mother Will
be fearfully distressed. You see 1
came from a little town and when
a girl decides to marry a fellow
there, why. nothing distressing hap
pens. City people are less sincere.
1 wish it hadn't occurred until after
mothers visit. l could break the
news better in a letter She'll pity
me and try 10 comfort me and all
that sort of thing and don't like
it,"
Stephana looked at the handsome
young fellow who had already
proven himself a power in the great
city, and who 10 her was a very
wonderful person. How could any
girl jilt him? He was so courteous,
so very considerate and withal so
very good 70 behold that she could
think of no reason why any girl
would not be proud and honored to
marry him
Il am very sorry" she said quiet
~. and slipping some paper i'm her
machine prepared 10 take her usual
dictation.
What can / do about it?" he
asked her suddenly. Girls are al
ways so clever about such things"
Stephana was having trouble with
her own very best beau, so she knew
her jealous, That invariably brings
girls around" She was smiling,
dimples showing i'm her fair oval
face crowned with a mass of softly
curling brown hair The young law
yer wondered why he had not no.
ticed before how pretty she was.
ASK her best friend 10 90 out with
you and your mother, That viii
hurt. 1 know" For a minute she
forgot that she was his stenographer
and laughed with him just as if he
were Wilton Roylston, who had been
trying TO make her marry him by
just such methods as she was ad-
vising.
81 wonder if you would be will
ing" he begun haltingly, Ito GO
10 dinner and a show with mother
and me tonight She doesn't know
my fiancee and she would enjoy her
visit so much more if nothing UNI
pleasant occurred while she is here"
What would Wilton Roylston say
If ne should see her with Tom Pres
ton, the rich young lawyer? Ste
phana's heart was singing at the
prospect Of a thrilling new adven-
ture. To pose for just one evening
as the fiancee of the best known
young lawyer i'm the state, All, but
she was glad that she had never
worn her white georgette gown and
the fitting transparent hat that she
had fashioned out of scraps
II will he very glad TO accommo- |
date YOU" she said without a trace !
of the happiness that was warming |
her heart like wine. Il live at as |
Glenmary Park"
by Jove.T he exclaimed. your |
only two blocks from me-"
1t was a merry evening Mrs |
Preston was obviously delighted
with her prospective daughter-in- (
law and the younger people were
immensely amused at her innocent
remarks. apropos of their supposed
relationship.
Here's luck" whispered Tom
Preston when ne was helping Ste
phana with her wrap in the restau-