Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-09-25
CHAPTER "
Jerry Meets a Genius.

Jerry's slender hand upon the flimsy
bsnistar of the stairway grew sudden
ly tense. so that the blue veins stood
out clearly upon the delicate white
ness Of her skin.
"Will you tell Mr. Allerton," she
said gently but with firmness, that /
do not care to see him? l."
Ssh, for heavens sake!" begged
Mimi. He'll hear you. I'll tell him
you're out. I'll give him cup of tea,
if you don't mind, to put him in a
| good humor and then"
"But I'm not out, and I'm not busy,
and I'm not engaged I'm just not
interested"
Jerry's enunciation was perfect, the
| hallway narrow, the transon open.
She went into her room and closed
the door. Theresa in a similar circum-
stance would have slammed it furious
ly, but Jerry was not given to furious
slammings as means Of expression.
She closed it softly.
Mimi, left alone, distracted and be-
wildered in her predicament, threw
out both jeweled hands in a remon-
strative, anxious gesture.
''Now, what can you do with girl
like that?" she walled.
The answer came from the farther
doorway, Minis doorway, where
Duane Allerton stood and laughed,
but ruefully.
mot much, I'm afraid. Not espe-
cially keen about seeing me, is she?"
With a visible effort, Mimi pulled
herself together, dimpled, used the
long lashes to the best possible effect.
"She's tired, poor thing" she said
! alphabetically. ''You must excuse
her. She works so hard, you know"
"Oh, she does 1 understood that
she did not work at ALL"
II mean She er-she's tired, any
how. And nervous, she's frightfully
nervous. Don't hold 1t against her.
Can't / give you cup OF tea"
"Oh, no, thanks. / feel l shouldn't
pollute her atmosphere any longer
than is absolutely necessary. Aw-
fully good of you; thanks very much
He went downstairs at once. and
let himself out into the narrow street
And Mimi knocked on Jerry's door
| opening 1t herself without waiting for
an answer.
"Jerry," she began plaintively, "you
have hurt his feelings just terribly,
poor boy-and so good-looking. Now,
that's positively not NICE"
$50 and cheer him up If you like,
said Jerry Hes easily comforted."
"He wouldn't wait-I mean You
might at least have introduced me.
The best-looking thing"
Jerry learned afterward that he had
gone to Rhoda for her address. and
two days later he went to her again,
to ask her to intercede for him, to re-
monstrate with her disagreeable prote-
gee from the Middle West. He asked
Rhoda If Jerry was fiirt
"A flirt?" echoed Rhoda vaguely.
Good heavens. l don't know. What
is fiirt? They used to say in college
that she was, but they meant it nicely
every one was crazy about her. That's
Iowa, you know. A girl who is quite
wickedly awful in the Middle West
seems like an angel from heaven when
she's transplanted to Greenwich. Don't
ask me anything about her don't
know. She's lovely thing, and ]
think lot of her"
| 1t did not remotely occur to Jerry
that she was unhappy. Instead, she
felt that she was quite joyous, care.
free. She took great deal of pleas
ure In doing things for Theresa, max.
ing her mfortable-Theresa, who
cared as little for comfort as a honey
bee for snow. She secured the market
for tempting delicacies, and became
very proficient in preparing them nice,
ly on her little grill. One day Theresa
asked If she would mind rummagine
through couple Of old boxes for her
in search of a particular bit of tinsel
she particularly needed for a costume
Jerry flushed with pleasure.
"Oh. will you let me7 May &c
through the drawers. and everything
and fold things up-Pll be very quiet.
Theresa laughed at her. go as far
as you like" she said generously
Funny thing about you. Jerry. You
never bother me- Most people nag ms