The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-20
JUST A GIRL
JENNIE AND JENA HAVE A TALK
Blu JANE PHELPS
Chapter 123.

JENNIE AND ZENA HAVE A TALK.
Chapter 1913.
I had gained a friend in Jennie Will
cox. That she was m love with Mr..
Belts 1 had long been aware; buS that
she was jealous of me scarcely could
believe. 1t seemed so absolutely with
out reason.
''since you won't go and have aunch
where I do. may 1 come with you ?"
Jennie asked the following day.
Certainly! 1 shall be glad to have
you,' I returned.
1 was surprised and must have
shown it because Jennie said in an
apologize tone:
II want to talk to you. and we don't
have much time in the Office
After we ordered our luncheon I
satien. SheNfussed with her knife and
fork, and took two or three sips of wa
ter before she commenced in an en-
barrassed manner:
You see, Miss Stewart-or may I
call you Zena?" nodded. and with a
smile she went on: 'I came to Mr..
Claxton's office three years ago. Mr..
Belts wasn't manager then, he was
only an assistant manager. From the
first he seemed to like me, and 1 liked
He's bound to flirt with every good
looking girl, as I soon found out. I
never said anything, until he began
coming to see me and taking me out
He's just as jealous as l am, and
wouldn't let me look at another fell
low. I was keeping company in a
way with a boy from my own home
when 1 went to Mr.. Claxton's office.
But just as soon as Carl Belts found
out about him he made me give him
up. \ For quite a while ne was lovely
to me. Brought me flowers and
me all the time. That's when 1 COM
menced to-care. But it seemed al
most as if when he found 1 did care
for him he stopped caring SO much
for me-
Perhaps you imagined that he did
not care,e I said. Jennie had talked
very fast in a low tone, and when she
stopped, thought she was waiting for
an answer, altho l scarcely Knew what
to say.
piled after moment.
But he went with other girls oft
ener, so l didn't see him SO much. !
was awfully unhappy. Then he
changed again. 1 earned more, and
spent every cent on my clothes so as
to be attractive to him. He's got good
! taste; alwaysrnotices what a girl has
on. 1t worked. and he was even more
loving than before. Then he was made
manager, and several times he limited
that when he had saved enough he
was going to ask me to marry him, |
so; and tried SO hard to please him.
Then you came. Since then he hasn't
hardly looked at me, except at first
when you made him angry by refus-
ing to go to lunch with him I know
he was making love to you yesterday.
| saw his face. 1 can't help it, Zena, 1
love him." She wiped her eyes
A question trembled on my lips; one
I could not ask. He had prefaced his
proposal to me by declaring he meant
to be square. Had he been square
with Jennie?7
Jennie saw, and understood
You see, Zena, Can, Mr.. Belts amt,
mo, isn't-I get awfully careless about
my speech-any better educated, nor
from any better family than 1 am. But
now that he is boss in the office he
puts on airs with me sometimes. Then
We quarrel something fierce. But 1
fain't never done anything 1 am
ashamed of-yet. Tho it has been
hard to keep good sometimes. l guess
you know that! All working girls do"
told me of some of the girls she knew.
But much as 1 cared l made hid
keep his distance. Perhaps If 1 hadn' [
done So
"Oh, no! Jennie! never think of
that, He respects you now. he must!
Never let him lose that respect. And
Jennie. thank you for telling me. I
know it must be hard for a girl when
she cares very much for a man to
refuse Rim anything. But better lose
his love, everything in the world, than
his respect. Don't think 1 am preach
ing, Jennie, 1 am only repeating what
my dear dad told me before he left
us. He was a man of the world. he
knew" 1 waited a moment. then add
ed: IT don't believe Mr.. Belts cares
for me in the least. or ever has He
was perhaps piqued little because 1
refused to go out with him, and man
like, wanted to have his own way with
me. Don't feel badly over me, or his
attentions. they mean absolutely moth
ing to me-" l couldn't tell the girl who
loved him how repugnant they were;
how I disliked the man himself.
II am happier than I have been in
months" Jennie said as arm in, arm
we returned to the office
(Tomorrow-Zena questions herselfO