South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-18

should never once let him take her
for granted 1t would be like tam
ing a lion-once the beast knows his
power, the tanner is lost Some
women are cut out for just that sort
of thing, you know, and never in a
lifetime let their husbands know
what meek. tame hearts they have"
Nancy and Clarice thus discussed
Mr.. Harrow over the chocolate cups
one day at luncheon. late in De-
cember, when Clarice had gone
downtown for Christmas shopping.
That afternoon Harrow gave the
switchboard operator gruff orders 10
the effect that he was too busy 10
be disturber," and then sat at his
desk. with no one but Nancy sharing
his solitude, looking blankly into
space for a full hour. his he'd bent
and his arms akimbo. He started To
his feet when he reused himself,
and paced the flood impatiently.
Take this" he threw at Nancy.
Memo for the cashiers office
Owing to war conditions and ne
cessity to curtail every possible ex-
pense, we snail give no gold pieces
at Christmas.
Nancy took the words down in
dots. curves and dashes, and recall
ed as she did so that in the firm OF
which Harrow was president, war
conditions" had meant % per cent
greater profit than usual.
Take this" he threw out again
1t is for my housekeeper. Mrs
Hawkins. OWN gto war conditions
l have found it inadvisa BILE TO dis
pense with any additional money in
the wages TO the servants this year
And when you have done that write
a personal letter to my sister, and
another TO my cousin-the one with
the six children-and explain to
them that as an act OF patriotism
we ought to refrain from gift-glving
this year. It's just an exchange Of
lot OF junk" he went on. more 10
himself than TO Nancy. between a
lot Of people that don't care two
straws for each oCIer. Then write
a letter 10 the matron OF the orphan
home-the one my mother used TO
be so much interested in. I've pre-
viously ordered a doll or a book for
each child. Tell them that I feel
that would be a needless extrava-
gance If they are absolutely with
out necessities let them notify me.
and III send them a check. But
now is not time 10 waste money on
mere toys. Let the youngsters make
dolls out of sticks and things. They
will enjoy them just as much"
Nancy wrote these and a dozen or
so similar letter that Mr. Harrow
dictated. and gave no inkling of her
own attitude toward the contents Of
the letters. That night. when Har-
row had left rather earlier than
usual. the letters were still on
Nancy's desk. and when she left u
little later the letters were Ping in
mail basket where IL might seem
that they had been forgotten. but
where, as matter Of fact, there was
no danger OF their being mailed.
Nancy hurried from the office TO the
nearest public telephone booth. call
ed Up Clarice and told her she want
ed 10 see her az once and would
board the next car toward her house.
She hurried to Clarice's room and
talked with her for a short 10 min
utes and then hurried home. leaving
Clarice ample time for a more than
ordinarily elaborate toilet that night.
When Mr.. Harrow arrived at the
Wardham house an hour later. for
dinner and quiet little evening with
I q -.
most bewitching mood and Harrow
had nothing Of the gruffness that
had characterized his manner at the
offlce during the afternoon.
He had come with the half convic-
ton that that night he would def
nitely ask Clarice TO marry him and
demand from her definite answer.