Evening star., 1924-12-14

since I've been in New York-not
knowing anybody. I hope you won't
mind if l come round soon again.
MISS CARMINE hoped he'd come
A'A just as often as he could. She'd
introduce him to Flora and the other
children and Mr. and Mrs. Pentz-
they'd all been SO good and kind
why, when she had the flu last
Winter, Flora had nursed her three
weeks on end. sitting up night after
night and going to business daytimes.
He said, well now, she must be
fine girl. And since the hotel he was
staying at wasn't very homelike, how
about 1t If he and his new-found Aunt
Minnie went out around somewhere
and had bite OF supper together.
He added that maybe Miss Janney
could tell them a good place to go.
The prospect made old Miss Carmine
hilarious and excited. She called
breathlessly downstairs for Flora.
Come up here right away, dear.
It's important"
o Flora came up, not removing the
apron which she had put on prepara-
tory to getting supper. Its blue and
white check made her look younger.
more approachable.
DO you think, Flora, II i wore my
black and white foulard-oh, ] wish
I'd had my white gloves cleaned last
week, like 1 meant to-"
Til come right UP and help you
get dressed" said Flora heartily.
Don't worry about the gloves
you've got your black ones and
they're newer. Sit down. Mr.. Neal,
and make yourself at home. Now,
you come along with me, Miss
Minnie, and you'll be ready in two
jiffs"
Mr.. Neal detained them for a
moment. Maybe you can tell us
some nice place to go. Miss Janney,"
he suggested. Tn not very well ac-
quainted with the city. Or'-it was
apparently sudden inspiration--"if
you wouldn't think it was too bold
of me to offer, I'd be more than
pleased If you'll go with us"
Miss Carmine seized Flora with
fiuttering old hands. "Oh. my dear.
please do" she begged. "Oh, please"
Flora could see the old lady was
terrified, even through her elation, at
the prospect of such a wild night
without some accustomed person near
her. Il don't see why / can't go"
she said to Roscoe. Thank you for
thinking of it. I'll just take off my
apron-and get my other hat :"
And so they went, Miss Carmne in
her foulard, Flora in her dark bust
ness dress, and tall silent Roscoe
Neal.
During supper he found his tongue
sufficiently to explain that he had
fourishinC hardware store and that
his business in New York was to lay
in a stock of electric fixtures, be-
cause an electric light plant had
lately become one of the little city's
possessions and everybody was hav-
ing houses wired and wanted stylish
fixtures.
We've got many fine residences"
he related ostensibly to Miss Carmine
but really to Flora. And my store.
If / &c say it, is a credit to the
place. It's located on the main
street. right in the heart of the
shopping section. 1 made, good
clean profit last year"
Gracious, you're real prosperous"
shrilled Miss Carmine. You've not
told me If you're married, Roscoe.
Got a nice little wife and family
back there, too?"
"Oh, no." said Roscoe. I'm not
married. But I own an awful nice
bungalow in the new town develop
ment. All furnished. Had chance
to buy it at a bargain and thought
it was a good investment. Kind of
place women say is easy to keep
house in---lots of shelves. and-and-
closets, and no stairs, you know.
But I've never lived in 1t. Aunt
Elias let me board with her since
Ma died. It's a better arrangement
for a single man.
x x
TT was pretty nearly like laying his
L hand and heart and bungalow and
hardware store at Flora's feet. He
wondered whether she realized this.
Apparently not, for there was no
sign of such a tremor as any young
woman would experience who real
lied that she was being courted.
But, when she got home again and
was supervising Violet's geography
lesson and helping Lester to get
through some difficult problems in
fractions, she was conscious of
light absent -mindedness. She kept
thinking of that bungalow.
Had it window boxes, she wondered?
Window boxes with Ivy and gerani-
ums were one of her long cherished
suppressed desires. And there was
no. denying it, all the rooms on one
floor did make housekeeping easy.
-. And this Mr.. Neal had a deep,
pleasant voice. And here Flora's
thoughts became incoherent.
Had he, or had he not squeezed her
hand when he said good night? In
her heart she knew that he had.