New Britain herald., 1926-07-28
READ THIS FIRST:

She has no ambition beyond hay,
 ing a good time and plenty ol l lbeaux.
 At 20 she fails in her course al business college. to the great dis. Appointment of MONS, her ambi. tious mother. When her father dies she takes job in LILLE DALE'S beauty shop. At this time she is having the first love affair of her life. The man in the case is TONY GAINES serious young lawyer who wants to marry her. The engagement is brok- en when Merry goes out with other | men, and Tony finds it out. Merry sends back his ring and soon after ward she hears that he has gone to Montana to open law office there,
 HELEN, the oldest of the Locke sisters, marries BILL HEPWORTH, and has a baby CASSIE, the oldest sister, marries her rich employer, MORLEY KAUFMAN. They do not get along together, and are unhappy In spite of their money.
 Through Cassie, Merry meets BILL ERSKINE, a wary bachelor approaching middle age. He falls in love with her, sends her eXpen- sive presents, lends her money, but puts off the date for their we'd ding. Merry isn't in love with him. but she is very fond of him. and thinks he would make an excellent husband who could give her the kind of home she wants. During one of Bills long absences in Flor ida, where his sick father lives Merry goes out with CABB9 MARSH, whom she met through Morley's sister, MURIEL, and Les Purcell. an old beau of her own. Les Is salesman for a famous cold cream, and Lillie Dale, who has come to live with the Lockes, says she thinks he's married. Merry doesn't believe her.
 Mons begins to go out with NIX. HEFFLINGER, who has rented Cassie's old room in the house. JlN- NY the youngest of the girls, elopes "
 with DERRICK JONES, who lives next door. A few days later, when Merry returns from a ride with Les Purcell, a man calls her on the tele- phone. At first she thinks that he says he is Tony Gaines, and her heart seems to stand still. irony! she asks, afraid to believe her ears Then the voice repeats that It lsh Tony Gaines, but a friend of Irony Gaines. A man named BENSON. She asks him to call her again in a few minutes. and, stunned, sinks oo"h into n chair near the telephone. fNOw GO ON WITH THE STORY)
 CHAPTER XXXIX
 By the time the telephone bell rang again, Merry was cool and calm. At least she was cool and. calm enough to ask Tony Gaines friend to come to call. She supposed that was what Tony ex- pected her to do.
 But halfway up the stairs an other thought came to her. Per haps this Benson man had some message for her from Tony! Otherwise why would he nave called her up, and be coming here to see her tonight?
 AS she took off her hat before the mirror of her dresser, her cheeks were pinker and her eyes brighter than the wind had made them all afternoon. .......
 Her yellow hair was crushed to her head in flat waves, She flufted it out and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. .,
 "We're going to eat out here, II you aren't too grand and high-ia- lutin' to do it." Lillie said to her with a laugh, for they always had in the kitchen.
 She had laid their supper at one end of the kitchen table and was filling the water glasses at the sink, as she spoke.
 "Its all right with me. I'm not proud" Merry answered absently.
 She really liked to eat in the big warm, cozy room. For Mons kitchen, with its blue-and-white rag rugs, its checkered gingham curtains, and it's rocking-chair, was more comfortable than any other room in the house.
 It was pleasant to sit there, pick ing at the food, listening to Lilies chatter, and afterward smoking one of Lilies cigarets.
 That was friend of Tony Gaines, who called me up just now" she said, presently, just as Lillie had known she would.
 For Lillie Dale had found out that the easiest way of getting at women's secrets was never to ask about them. As soon as you did, they became suspicious and close mouthed.
 But If you asked them nothing at all, they told you everything that was on their minds.
 So tonight, she sat perfectly still and did not even glance up when Merry started her story.
 Its almost a year and a half since Tony went to Montana" she began, And this is the first I've heard from him-this man calling up tonight"
 Lillie took a long drag at her and looked as if she were only half listening. "1s that so? she asked indifferently.
 "Yes, and 1 can hardly wait un- til he gets here. I'm sure Tony sent him." Merry answered breath lessly.
 You'd better run up and dress I'll do the dishes" Lillie offered Its quite relief to do dishes when you've been doing heads all day. Life on the perma- nent wave isn't all it's cracked up to bel"
 She poured herself another cup of tea, and settled herself 10 Iis- ten. For she could tell that Merry had more to say on the subject ot Tony Gaines and Lillie had been wildly curious for year and a half to know what had happened