The Republican journal., 1922-01-19

tors office.
up his mind on starting In in his
fathers old office that this informa-
tion seemed to leave him at sea. He
had figured In his mind just how he
would bring the old office wing into
thoroughly up-to-date doctors suite.
1t was on Testers third call that
first day. after they had read through
the lease with the greatest scrutiny,
that Mr.. Quick seemed to see way
out.
"Of course" he said with a mild
smile on his face, at isn't likely that
Susan Jane will remain In business
as 1t overwhelmingly"
isn't she making it go?'
"That isn't 1t. She really seems to
be doing very we'll The point is that
| Miss Jane is more than commonly at
tractive. | know of two-I might say
three-young men who would marry
her tomorrow If she consented. | dare
say there are more. She is not of
yielding nature. You might know that
from the way she stuck out about va
eating. 1t wouldn't be easy to per-
suade her. Still"
"Are you still bachelor, Mr..
Quick?"
Mr.. Quick's confusion as he admitted
that he was led Lester to surmise that
he was one Of the three he had men
toned moment before.
"Well go to It," laughed the young
doctor "Tll give you case Of silver
| for wedding present-only you must
not be many months about it,
II was just as DR.. Clark was about
to leave the office that Quick called
him back. He was stroking his bald
head refectively. 81 was only going
to ask you" he said. whether you
were not also single. 1t might be, you
know. that Miss Jane would prefer
medicine to real estate-thirty years
to forty-five."
Lester laughed Storekeepers were
not in his line, but he did not want to
give Quick offense by saying so.
He had a distinct anticipatory image
calculating. possibly pretty; just the
kind of woman that would appeal to
Quick, with a horizon that stretched
only from one business deal to another
Still 1t was preposterous. Even II
she did have the lease, what was a
lease compared to the fact that this
was his Office, that the memories and
/ - 81 Cln,. ,.I- oil
connected with this little building?
Lester decided that he would try to
appeal to the sentiment of this I'M
yielding Susan Jane person If he could.
He might intimidate her; he might
suggest that when the people of
Sprucehurst learned of the stand she
had taken they might not be so well
disposed toward her little business ven-
ture as they would if she opened up
her shop in some other nearby quarter.
Susan Jane proved disarming There
was nothing the least aggressive or
stubborn In her appearance. She stood
before him as he explained. her
ShadowesS blue eyes opened round,
looking straight into his. They were
disconcerting, those eyes and as Susan
Jane stood there the picture of trust
full innocence he did not know whether
the real Susan Jane beneath was
LAUGHING at him. whether she was
about to yield to his request, or
whether she was really flirting with
him lust little The effect was that
Lester Clark didn't carry out his err
rand lust as he had planned it. When
he had finished his explanation Susan
Jane laughed, a spontaneous, easy
laugh like that of q child, and Lester
found that he was laughing with her
He felt somehow guilty when Gus
toner came in to buy some knitting
warn and painted lampshade. He
could have felt no more guilty had that
customer found him actually kissing
Susan Jane. Really he had Just been
looking very deep into those round blue
eyes trying to find some revelation or
Susan James real thoughts, but they
revealed nothing.
When he left he shook hands, and
with boldness unlike him held the
hand and drew Susan Jane step
nearer to him as he looked again into
the blue eyes "Be a good girl. now,
and give up the lease" he said
"When are you coming again" she
asked
Tomorrow" he said, and they both
laughed He was almost out the door
and turned back. ~ have heard that
YOU may have to give up, anyway he
said "Mr. Quick says you will prob
ably get married"
"Perhaps shall" said Susan Jane
as she closed the door after him.
DIR. Clark's courtship was a quick
one. His days were spent In pursuit
Of Susan Jane. fathoming those eyes
and waiting for the intoxlcation of her
laugh. and at night after he was away
from her he used to steal time from
thinking of her to make plans about
tbe office when he had his sign in
n,ace of the violet and blue one. He
proposed within week of his return
TO Sprucehurst. Susan Jane accepted.
The next day he gained her promise to
be married within the month.
'Then the lease may be destroyed
he said. 81 can go ahead planning my
office"
Susan Jane said no. She believed
.h,+ u,op,ap should have q profession