Evening star., 1923-03-11

JEAN.
due merely to a promise made to her
dying father. That she was a hrst-
class tennis player was due to this
same father, who had taught her to
play.
Jean finished college, and in July Of
the same summer landed in New York
She brought with her 500 and a let
ter from the dean 10 William Elkins
of the firm Of Elkins and Company,
bridge builders.
Jean waited in a bare little recep.
tion room for half an hour. Finally
a door marked private" opened. and
stenographer came out.
MIR. Elkins will see you now" she
said.
Jean entered a large room, furn-
tshed In mahogany and filled with a
vivid glow from q western sun. There
was a huge fiat-topped desk in the
middle of the room. A man seated
before it rose and offered Jean his
hand.
Bill Elkins was about thirty-two
years old He was tall and slender
His lips were thin and firm, and his
blue eyes were large and little sad.
Jean was conscious that he was smii-
ing at her as if she were an interest
ing child.
my old friend Haskins is certainly
an admirer of yours, Miss Atwood"
he said. "Sit down. won't you? Tn,
frankly curious. This is the first time
I've ever met a woman engineer"
ITS not as strange as II sounds. -
returned Jean. My mother died
when I was a baby, and my father
brought me up. He was an inventor
and his heart was set on my being
an engineer. So here 1 am. It's not
a really unusual story" she con-
ciuded
1T might be-" objected Elkins. IF
one knew the details" He looked
from Jean, out of the window and back
again at the girl. Jean waited with
breathless eagerness. Elkins eyed
her very earnestly. He considered
the eyes. set so deeply and far apart,
tho wide brow and the firm round
chin.
Il hate to disappoint you,' he said
finally, 'but we have nothing open
hut a draftsman's job at twenty Ave
q week. And I don't want to give
you that. You'd be the only woman
in a room full Of young men,"
.sOh, that doesn't matter" ex-
claimed Jean. II grew used to that in
college,"
you! I'm not bothered about you!
I'm thinking Of those youngsters You
are unnecessarily od-looking for
an engineer.
Jean sat forward eagerly in her
chair.
"Mr. Elkins. that really doesn't
count! The fellows all treated me as
IL I were another boy"
TT might not count in college,
Elkins' voice was grim-but 1t will
count in the engineering business.
It's counting heavily with me this
minute, against. not for you-as an
engineer. I'll be hanged II i think a
very beautiful woman can succeed in
a mans profession"
Jean stared out the window. Her
father had admitted to her that she
was more than passably cookbook
ing.
-rli dress very plainly she said
finally, land wear my hair unbecom-
ingly It's not fair, she went on
yehemently, ito consider me as q
woman when ] apply for this job.
I'm an engineer, and a good one.
Dean Haskins says 1 have real talent.
Don't you need that in your concern?'
Goodness knows we do" exclaimed
Elkins. I'VE seem to have everything
here but talent"
He read the deans letter again;
then he said slowly: We'll, I'll try
You on that draftsman's job. It's up
to you to get ahead, though. You
understand that, don't you?"
Jean nodded. and for the first time
a. ttmid look dimmed the brilliancy of
her deep eyes.
rLKINS rose, taking the deans
T. letter of introduction. Como,
I'll Introduce you to the head drafts
man" Then, as II he caught the new
look in Jeans eyes, he added with q
sudden lapse from his businesslike
tones: "And IL you don't make good
shall be more disappointed than
ever was in my life"
Jean caught her breath, and for
loa9 moment blue eyes looked deep
into black. She never was to forget
that look. Jean, unsophisticated, with
80 little self-conf1denoe. knew that
she was destined to love Bill Elkins.
Tho drafting room was flooded with
sSSdsn summer light. The eighteen
40 Twenty men looked up as the door
eReaed, but fell 10 work again as the