The Washington herald., 1922-03-27

ca TIC uOOT OF MS PFItufC OJJbC'
! He took the whole thing yer!
! lightly. After making a memoran'
| dunn of the title, with the foolisf
middle name. he smiled, and said:
Take a letter. No copy. Wei
| mimeograph
II don't know how" Jane con-
| fessed.
IT thought every stenograpnsr
| know thatp'
He leaned back in his swivel chair
and smiled. He was very good
looking! More than once since Jane
accepted the position she, had won
dered whether it was good for her
to be so much in the company OF
! this fascinating man.
He was out of her sphere GER
tainly. Anyone who travelled from
Florida to Canada and back to New
York was bound to command re-
spect! He must be very rich. Jan1
thought. The contracts he drew UP
mentioned such large sums! The
mortgages were also large
Jane knew little about mortgages
but she knew how big an acre was.
Here was a man who owned thou
sands of acres, Her imagination
ran riot with the beautiful descrip-
tions Randolph dictated for the
circulars. Orange groves, Gods
own sunshine, etc. etc.
Jane lived in a one-room kitchen
cite with a back view and no sun
She would love to have some OF
"God's~own sunshine" for her moth
er. and as for orange groves! They
paid 10 cents for one orange!
Randolph owned whole groves OF
oranges! Jane hated the social or
der Of things at that moment. She
felt the red urge! Why should he
have so much, and she so little?
Aside from the oranges. this re-
bellion at fortune aimed higher.
Mr.. Randolph's engaging smile had
set strange thoughts in James head
He was handsome.
Putting a cigarette. he smiled and
politely offered his gold-mono-
Grammed case. Have one?" he in
vited in suave New York fashion.
Il couldn't"
1t suggested intimacy, however
Jane wars disgusted with herself for
! not being shocked.
Randolph went back up to the
business Of blowing little rings OF
smoke. Jane drew little cats and
dogs. over her notebook. "a phycho-
| analyst might have said she had a
great desire for dogs and cats.)
It was pleasantly intimate to be
alone with Randolph in the office
this way. The smoke seemed an
aura of masculine presence to Jane
| Every now and then, as he pondered
over the contracts, Randolph would
run his fingers through his thick
mop of hair. His hair was what
Jane called "temperamental." She
got her idea from the heroes in
many movies. Randolph was as
handsome as any, Jane reflected
with covert glances across the desk.
Jane had no brothers. She and her
mother lived like two old maids
with a canary and a few goldfish
not even room for a cat. They
were lonesome. Jane wondere.
what il would be like to have ""~
about the house-a handsome. jolly
man like Mr.. Randolph.
This time, instead of drawing
cats and dogs, Jane sketched lit
tie pipe on her notebook. 1t meant
a great deal to her. but she was
aroused by a very sharp and prac-
tical question.
Are you married or divorced?"
Randolph inquired.
no" Jane blushed.
mo what? Not divorced?"
"Npf I mean-I never
That's fine! You're a spinster
than Insert that in the deed, 1T
you please. Insert your name in
full-spinster"
"T don't understand" Jane pro-
tested.
Nothing to it. little girl" he
said easily.
- drr't understand the whole
thingI Why should l have stc-.
or land? Why should I sign m
anyone's business"
Jane was cross. she did not know
why!
Randolph leaned across the desk
and patted her hand. His touch
was very warm.
How could you be expected tc
understand it? You're new in the
real estate business. My old secre'
tary, Miss Johnson. always took
title to my property. That OBJ
viates my taking record, then wher
turn the stuff. ! get the brokers
commission. See"
There was an awkward pause Jane
could see nothing, except perhaps thf
funny little stripe in his very fssn'
| ionable red cravat.
Miss Johnson" Randolph went or
was a very clever girl. She married
| OF course. They all do"
He gazed at Jane keenIy. then add:
eo.
This is a great trust I am placing
/ in you. You should appreciate it,"
Thank you" Jane blushed.