The Holly chieftain., 1924-01-31


Beatrice along, just as well as not
She doesn't want to go till July, but
that will just give Beatrice and me
chance to start getting acquainted"
Jennie felt her mind going blank.
What could you do with 4 man like
that? She got herself together,
chucked away her cigarette. and
charged the position, head on. "Joe.
you're Wild" She said. "You can't do
things like that-not outside your own
Office. you can't. They won't work.
You haven't an idea, really, what the
girl is like. You don't know thing
| about her tastes or her ways. You
don't know whether she'd like these
people or not Nor whether they'd
like her."
They'd better like her !" he retorted,
half aloud. Then. with laugh. Look
here, Jennie! Do you want to bet
thousand dollars, real money. that IL
ask Miss Craven to take Beatrice un.
der her wing for few weeks down
East she won't grab 1t like trout7
Come on, now? Don't be crab I'M
less you're willing to back your opln-
ion"
Was that subtlety. she wondered, or
naivete? Had he just this moment
it all out, in that amazing brain of
his, at their dinner, the night before7
He being Joe, you never could be
sure.
NO." she said, beaten. I'm not
taking any bets with you tonight"
Anyhow" he Immediately went on,
not stopping to gloat over her discom-
future, this is all barking up the
wrong tree. There's no argument
whether we want the girl or not. The
question Is, how are we going to get
her? I have written her an invitation
and sent thousand dollars in care OF
my lawyer. and hope that Will bring
her to me-"
Jennie came over to where he was
standing, and took him impulsively by
the shoulders. 81 wish you luck. any
how" she went on. II hope 1t works.
l hope she makes you happy"
Clearly, he was startled by the ca
ress. She had never done anything
just like that to him before. He didn't
respond to 1t with any gesture of his
own, but his voice, when he spoke, had
real emotion In It,
Jennie! If l had had the luck to
marry you twenty years ago." he
said swell, what are you grlnning
at?'
For she'd instantly stepped away
from him at that. and the quality Of
her smile was derisive.
"Annabel wasn't the wife for you,
for fact" she admitted. but you
don't hate her, even now. And, oh
Lord! How you would have hateu
mel"
1.-THE right wife for you," she said.
would have to be pretty. silky, way
up in the society game. She ought to
be little afraid Of you. 30 that she'd
take care to keep you afraid of her.
And you'd have to be proud, when
ever you thought Of it, that you'd got
her"
She saw this go home to him.
"All right" he said "You needn't
rub 1t in any more. Look here, it's
half-past ten. You'd better be run
ming along home. I'll telephone Burns
to bring your car around"
She was mildly amused at his sud
den concern for the proprleties, and
she tried to tease him little about
it, but he insisted on treating the mat
ter seriously.
| at Hnnft Py1rne rntftn0
any funny ideas in his head about
you. He's welcome to think what he
pleases about me, and about some Of
the people play around with. / don't
care d-n what he thinks. But ]
want you to be careful. Do you get
that?"
"All right, bcss," she said, sounding
very meek as she rose and went to
find her wrap. "Sure, get It,"
This final slant Of the talk recalled
her resolution regarding the boy, so
while she and Joe stood in the corri-
dor waiting for the car to come up,
she told him she thought he ought to
find something better for young Burns
to do. Hes too good to be wasted
driving actresses home from parties
and that sort of thing."
"a little soft on him. are you7" Joe
asked.
"Oh. I suppose so." she admitted.
II probably wouldn't have thought Of
1t If he hadn't been so good-looking.
But It's true, all the same"
Joe contradlcted her, amlably but
fatty. "If he's too good for It," he
went on to explain, then It's just the
job for him. He has good pay and
short hours; the whole day to him
self except what he needs to make
up lost sleep In. II he wants to study
or do anything else that's worth while.
he has all the chance in the world.
II could have picked up job like
that at his age, I'd have blessed my
luck or course It's true that, II he