The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-05


Jane realized that if she were to ac-
cept Dick Holladay's suggestion and move
to Mrs. Guthrie's apartment, attractive
though it might be, she would be sub
jecting herself to a curiously close re-
lation to the writer. through his friend
ship for the owner of the place
She had come to New Yark, eager for
friendship, it is true, but essentially to
advance herself in her professional work,
and to carve for herself place in the
life of the city. where she might earn
living commensurate with her ideas of
position to return the hospitality of those
friends whom she would earn.
To do this, to have-as she dreamed
her own little home. in which she might
nsodestly yet with becoming pride enter
tain her friends, she must devote her.
self for months and possibly years to
arduous and wearing tasks.
1t took but little of her intuition to d.
vine that Holiday desired her company,
and that should she room where he sug-
gested it would become harder and harder
in the future to refuse his invitations to
share his dinners, his wanderings about
the great city in search of literary ma
terial, his theatre parties and a hundred
and one other delightful distractions from
thoughts of secretarial work.
Even now there was a tensity in his ex-
preston, as he leaned over the table, an
expression in his blue eyes, which be-
wildered and almost frightened her. Jane
looked away, hesitating to express her
thoughts, for fear of giving offense to
the big-hearted fellow.
II must tell You another thing, Miss
Brown" continued Holiday. Il never
before realized it, being a mere man,
and not subjected to such conditions
But you must know that woman like
Mrs. Selden is looking for trouble
trouble for others. She is the kind to
find 1t, and you don't know what trouble
her malicious tongue may cause you.
'sYour lifeai in New York is just begin
ring. You don't know how high you may
rise In your work, but you surely do
know that some horrible bit of gossip
may ruin your career just at the instant
when your greatest triumph is in your
grasp. I have seen things like that hap
pen, with all it's six million people, New
York Is much smaller world unto itself
than the average person imagines.
Jane nodded thoughtfuly. The truth OF
this had already been borne in upon her.
and she had not confided in Dick Holla-
day all of her misery SINCE ne nau noVeo
from the detestable boarding house. Yet,
still she hesitated.
Curously enough, despite her soul lone
liness and that maddening thirst for ro-
nance, for love requited and glorified by
the divine spark, Jane Brown, since the
earliest days of naidenhood, had fled
from attentions and from obviously inter-
ested members of the opposite sex. AS
young girl she became timid and bewil-
dered when the boys of her acquaintance
singled her out for those ingenious and
usually embarrassed evidences of per
sonal interest Invariably she had sought
safety in flight, fearing she knew not
what, and yet yearning, in her solitude
for adrnira ton, for affection and for the
reverential worship which she had seer
wasted, so many times, upon stupid, sell
fish and unappreciative girls of her ac'
quaintance. AS she grew older this same
cowardioe, as she secretly admitted 1t
had erected an impossible barrier between
her and the young men of her home town
until at last she had isolated herser sc
completely that none had dared to brave
the fury of her indignant giances and hel
hasty withdrawal into her shell of out
ward restraint and disapproval.
This, more than any other cause, nae
initiated against her popularity in qule
little Fernbank. This strangely waywart
attitude. contrary in the extreme to hei
s inward thoughts and desires, had sepa
rated her from even the girls of the lit