The Meeker herald., 1919-08-02

$3.50 you took my Invitation seri-
ously, did your 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 first sug-
gested the theater. but you see. I've
been ut the theater till I've seen every
show In town and every movie in the
neighborhood. And simply must get
these army sweaters done!" Carter
noticed that she had taken half fin.
ished khaki sweater from her bag.
Even to his inexperienced eyes the
knitting seemed wonderfully firm.
warm and compact and he noted the
gold ends OF the knitting needles.
-Tve called on all my friends. You
see don't know many people In town,
md I've shopped till I've bought a
trunkfui 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 l had always
lived In the North I could stand the
apartment. But you see this is my
first 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 Is alone, I
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
Inn tv.kr I,-- lr,.fA
he swung around in bis swivel chair
and caught timid glifnce at the girl.
Sometimes he noticed the graceful an
Rle. mt other times the slender capable
hands TINT were so neatly framed In
the tight white lace cuffs of her dark
sleeves. At other times he noticed the
CLINT Of auburn In her hair and then
again the long curve of the dark lnshes
TINT shndcd her blue eyes. He did
not know that from beneath those long
lnshes the blue eyes were perfectly cap
able Of observing his stolen glances
though the graceful fingers went on
,tnInterruptedly with the needles and
wool.
Couldn't you give me job7" Nancy
Crosby put this question to Mr.. Carter
one day after she had been making
her visits to his office for the purpose
OF keeping warm during the course Of
an entire week. II nm 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 md stamps and things"
So Mr.. Carter secured n little ma
hognny desk. Ind 1t placed beside his
own and there established Nancy CrOs-
by us his volunteer assistant. They
had finally agreed that the money that
she earned MS his assistant should be
contributed to the Red Cross.
It was In the afternoon Of that dry
that Mr. Cnrter dropped In Mt the
Mnrbridge Court and getting the
emergency key to apartment Four d
from the jnnitor there let himself into
the empty apartment md did n little
amateur tInkering on his own account.
That morning through his incessant
efforts n goOtily supply Of coal had
been deposited In the coal bins Of the
Marbridge Court.
Nancy Crosby continued to work for
him for a week more. He asked her
one day whether her apartment was
still cold. "Yes." she said. ut really
is dreadful. There isn't any steam In
the living room radiator. though the
bedroom radiators are all right. But
you sec can't stay there In the day
time. Isn't 1t strange. for the other
tenants are perfectly comfortable
now"
"Yes, 1t Is funny" agreed Carter.
md began to read lease on his desk
with eagerness.
At the end of that week Nancy's
aunt was expected to return and
Nancy had indicated that she would
have to give up her Job.
II took 1t Just to be spitcful. In fact.
came down to bother you, just to
mike you furious. thought you were
holding on the steam so MS to save
money and intended to find out and
to make you so tired Of seeing me
around that you would get the coal
mt any cost. But really have had n
lovely time. Thank you for making It
no pleasant. But now That aunt Is COM
Ing bnck really wish something
could be done about that apartment"
''Tll go up myself" Carter promised.
"Maybe something IN the matter with
| the living room radiator. I'll have It
attended to Mt once. But-but--we
nren't going to forget each other now,
are we7 You see, I've been getting
terrifically Interested In you. though
suppose to you I'm an impossible sort
Of fellow"
'rmpossible!" echoed Nnncy. "You
don't suppose would have flbbed
about the radiator II hadn't wanted
IN excuse to be with you. haven't
even noticed whether 1t was hot or
cold"
"You haven't" gaspcd Carter. "And