Evening star., 1922-07-16

agement. Her second months con-
tribution Lockwood declared to be
fully as good as anything Lawrence
Ballard had ever done.
Now, 1t was not by accident that
Janice had not told Bob of her new
work. She had decided to wait till she
had made good. Then/she'd tell him.
In case she failed she would rather
Bob did not know about it at all Bob
people; he had little sympathy for
failures.
This particular Sunday afternoon.
about the time she had decided it
would be safe to tell him, in the first
flash of her inspiration, Janice was
more than grateful for having kept
her own counsel. AS she came into her
living room, drawing on a pair of
very white gloves. Bob looked up
from the advance copy of The Foot
light.
Know this fellow Flint" he in
quired.
Janice's mouth twitched roguish1y.
Fairly WELL" she said, intending to
see what he had to say before she told
her secret.
Nice chap?'
Janice hesitated moment, the
dimple just Ut the corner of her lips
growing deeper.
Hes very attractive" she said
Bob gave man-of -the-world nod
of assent
He writes darned entertaining
stuff" he admitted. laying down The
Footlight. "All ready?"
Janice nodded. Suddenly, Bob no.
ticed the telltale dimple.
What's the joker
"Oh, l was just thinking about Mr..
Flint"
Bob from merely an interested read
er, instantly became fiance.
II shouldn't imagine" he observed
after a brief pause, with an air just
a little too casual to be convincing.
that a man of that kind would be a
particularly wholesome person for a
young girl to know very we'll.
1t was right then, listening to Bob's
carefully careless warning, that the
idea occurred to Janice. At first 1t
was hardly an idea at all-jut dim,
floating. nebulous hint of an idea. But
explanation she had been about to
make. Instead:
well, I'm not likely to have the
chance to know whether it would be
wholesome or not" she admitted. "a
man who pals around with actresses
and society queens isn't likely to
know a mere assistant editor espe-
cially we'll"
If Bob hadn't admitted the truth of
this SO promptly, had not seemed to
consider it such q reasonable as
sumption, Janice's idea might never
have taken definite shape. It's prompt
formation was further helped by
Bob's careless remark that he was
going to knock of work the next aft
ernoon to go out for luncheon and golf
with Bert Pertwee, Bea's brother.
"Bert's an influential young fellow
Bob explained confidentially, "and he
seems, to have taken rather a shine
TO me. 1t doesn't do any harm to
broaden out your acquaintance a lit
tie along the right lines. you. know
Janice nodded AGREEMENT absently
her mind already absorbed in her
plan.
THE very next afternoon, while Bob
was lunching with the Pertwees
Janice stopped at a stationer's on her
way to the Office and had a calling
card plate made for Mr.. Lawrence
Ballard Flint. The stationer was q
fashionable one and he assured Janice
that the size and style Of engraving
she finally chose were shade newer
and smarter than those OF Bob's card,
which she had brought as 4 model
This was premeditation; what she did
next was founded wholly on . lucky
accident.
She was taking Bob to the theater
that evening on . pair Of LAwrsncs
ballard Flint passes. with the mers
explanation, Of course. that she had
gotten them from The Footlight. He
was waiting for her in the living
room when the telephone rang; and
Janice, in her own room. adjusting Z
new hat carefully. called:
Mind answering It. Bobby? It'e
probably for Betty"
mo. it's for you." Bob called mo-
ment later. Il ~