The Meeker herald., 1919-04-26

work before him, out the chaif seemed
to swing Of Its own accord around
again 20 that he nat looking at bis
guest.
$3.50 you took my invitation seri-
ously. did youf I'm glad he laugh.
ed with embarrassment and the girl
opened two blue eyes wide and round.
with studied naivety, behind which
Carter knew lay much sarcasm. "Why.
didn't you mean that you wanted me
to conner she asked. "You nrst sug-
gested the theater. but you zee. I've
been at the theater till I've seen every
show In town and every movie In the
neighborhood. And simply must get
these army sweaters donel" Carter
noticed that she had taken q half nn-
ished khaki sweater from her bag.
Even to his inexperienced eyes the
knitting seemed wonderfully nrm.
warm and compact and he noted the
gold ends Of the Knitting needles.
eve called on all my friendsL You
see don't know many people In town.
and I've shopped till I've bought q
trunkful of things ! don't need. I've
spent hours in church and other hours
In the museum and the public libra
ries. So your Invitation was very
welcome. Perhaps II I had always
lived in the North could stand the
apartment. But you see this IL my
nrst winter North. I came with my
aunt and now she has gone away for
few weeks and I'm alone. One feels
the cold more when one Il alone,
think" Then promising not to dis
turb Mr.. Carter any more she con-
tinued her knitting in silence. From
time to time when Mr.. Carter felt that
her eyes were intent on her knitting
he swung around In bis swivel chair
and caught q timid sl&hce at the girl.
Sometimes he noticed the graceful an
kle, at other times the slender capable
hands that were 70 neatly framed In
the tight white lace cuffs Of her dark
sleeves. At other times he noticed the
CLINT Of auburn II her hair and then
again the long curve Of the dark lashes
that shaded her blue eyes. He did
not know that from beneath those long
lashes the blue eyes were perfectly cap
able Of observing his stolen giances
though the graceful fingers went on
uninterruptedly with the needles and
wool.
couldn't you give me jobr' Nancy
Crosby put this question to Mr.. Carter
one day after she had been making
her visits to his once for the purpose
Of keeping warm during the course Of
an entire week. II am getting tired Of
knitting. One can't do that all the time.
I could do copying for you and sort
over papers perhaps and stick up en-
velopes and stamps and thinsss
So Mr.. Carter secured q little ma.
hogany desk, had It placed b3slds his
own and there established Nancy Cros-
by as his volunteer assistant. They
had finally agreed that the money that
she earned As his assistant should b
contributed to the Red Cross.
Il was In the afternoon Of hat Day
that Mr.. Carter dropped in at the
Marbridee Court and getting the
emergency key to apartment Four d
from the janitor there let himself into
the empty apartment and did q little
amateur tinkering on his own account.
That morning through his incessant
efforts . goodly supply Of coal had
been deposited In the coal bins Of the
Marbridse Court.
Nancy Crosby cootinued to work for
him for q week more. He asked her
one day whether her apartment was
still cold. "Yes," she said. 1T really
is dreadful. There Isn't any steam In
the living room radiator. though the
bedroom radiators are all right But
you see can't stay there In the day
time. Isn't 1t strange. for the other
tenants are perfectly comfortable
now"
Eyes. 1t u funny" agreed Carter.
and began to read o lease o. his desk
with eagerness.
At the end Of that week Naney's
aunt was expected to return and
Nancy had indicated that she would
have to give up her JOB.
II took It Just to be spiteful In fact.
I came down to bother you, tust to
make you furious. I thought you were
holding of the steam 20 a. to save
money and intended to ind out and
to make you % bred Of seeing me
around that you would get the coal
at any cost. But really 1 have had
lovely time. Thank 700 for making It
no pleasant But now that aunt 10 COM
Ing back I really wish something
could be done about that apartment"
tn 20 up myself" Carter promised.
Maybe something 10 the matter with
the living room radiator. m have II
attended to at once. But-but-wo
aren't going to forget each other now.
are wei You zee, I've been getting
terrincally interested In you. though I
suppose to you I'm an impossible sort
Of fellow"
Impossible echoed Nancy. You
don't suppose would have nbbsd
about the radiator II hadn't wanted