Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-10-22
IESSICA
BY Il. LOUIS RAYBoLo.
@. lg20. by MeCLure Newgpapsr syndLeaLe.

folded the bit of paper, her lip curled
scornfully. Well, any one who mixed
up her letters in such a careless fash.
ion certainly needed a secretary. Here
she had been waiting and waiting for
a reply TO the long letter she had sent
her auAt, and now had come this brief
note addressed to the head of some
vocational bureau asking said head
to Please secure me, as soon as pos
sible, an efficient secretary, not too
prep0ssessing in appearance"
Jessica had spent her life in a tiny
western town with her invalid father.
Released by his death from years of
tedious if affectionate devotion, she
had followed his last wishes and writ
ten to his sister in New York, from
whom he had not heard in many years.
note requesting secretary Eff
cient-but not prepossessing. That
was an odd requirement, unused Jes.
sica. Aunt Louisa had no sons.
Startled at the idea which occurred
to her, she jumped up, ran to the
dresser and leaned toward the mirror,
undoing with rapid fingers her gold
tinted, softly curling hair
Two weeks laterAunt Louisa, a Wig
orously intellectual woman, sat in her
library interviewing a simply gowned,
sober-eyed young woman who had pre-
sented herself as applicant for the
secretaryship.
THE only trouble" said the aunt,
"is that when you smile-well, you
show possibilities. To be quite frank,
my dear young lady, l am through
with attractive secretaries. With me
lives my ward, the son of an old friend,
and although an estimable young man,
l may say that he has an eye for beau
ty. My last secretary was one of those
Eighty, eyed-er-baby dolls, as
they say, and-but you understand
what | am getting at"
Never before had Jessica been so
happy as she was in the days that fol-
lowed.
Then home came Slade fremont.
And if Aunt Louisa had seen possibili-
ties in Jessica, no less did Slade.
II say, Miss Boardman, why don't
you wear your hair more-more fluffy
or something's" he asked the second
morning of his arrival.
please do not be personal, Mr. Ire
mont" said Jessica, coldly. For the
first time in his young life Slade was
hard hit.
The afternoon that Slade announced
his intention of running on to Boston
for a day or two, her aunt also de-
cided to visit friend who had a mod
ell farm in the country. Jessica, left
in charge of the house, yielded to a
sudden whim to forget for a moment
that she was the very plain Deborah
BOardman.
Going to her room, she took out her
one frilly, feminine gown, and laid it
on the bed Then, her eyes sparkling,
she did up her hair, not as she had
worn it in the old days, but in the
latest, most daring couture she had
observed in the fashionable city.
All, this animated woman with the
smiling lips, the soft throat rising
from the lace fichu-this was not the
unprepOssessing Deborah-nOr yet the
old Jessica This was a quite new per-
son, touched with the magic wand of
love!
JesSica ran lightly down the stairs
and out into the garden. She drank in
the permeating fragrance, lifted her
head, and looked straight into the eyes
of Slade fremont!
II beg your pardon-why, Miss
Boardman-you !" The look of surprise
on SHADES face became one of puzzled
but happy bewilderment you won
derful, wonderful girl. I got as far
as the station and came back to tell
you loved you. And l adore you"
Jessicas eyes filled with happy love
then fell.
my darling" said slade. my dar
ling Deborah"
"Otherwise Jessica," interrupted
voice dryly.
"YOu!" cried SIade.
"Just me-" said Aunt Louisa. II
came home for something l had for
gotten. l found more than l expected
watt" She lifted a hand to ward
off Jessicas rushing explanations.
But not more than hoped My ward
has given me several uneasy moments
yes, you have. Slade-and when you,
Jessica, wrote to me, 1t occurred to me
that you might be just the wife for
my ward. But how to tell if you were?
SO tried that little ruse of apparent
ly mixed letters. Thought to myself
if the girl is worth anything and clev-
err, she'll see the chance and take adj
vantage of it, and / will get light on
her real self. Didn't you ever wonder
why you didn't hear again, or why the
position wasn't filled before you
Gamer
Eyes" murmured Jessica, "of course,
but"
Exactly" continued her aunt. al
so, | wanted Slade to see you under
the least favorable circumstances. If,
then. he fell in love, would be sure
80 fnn nj