New Britain herald., 1926-07-15
hallway up the stairs.

IouhIiS at ueI llolueF With Slad- owy troubled eyes.
 How do know what he'll do:
 I'm not a mind reader!" snapped Mons, and you girls never tel
 me a thing about your affairs
 You've never given me your con
 fidence, any of you! You've never
 asked my advice about things
 if you had you wouldn't be going
 out now with that fat lummox!" She jerked her head in the direc-
 ton of NJ leys' car and Bill Frs
 kline.
 "Oh, he's harmless enough,
 Mons" Merry said. and went out
 into the rain once more.
 Where are we going?" asked
 Cassie as the car slid smbothIy
 down the wet street. She was
 sitting in the front seat with Nor ley. In the windshield mirror
 above her, Merry could see her
 face, alight with happiness as she
 turned it to the man beside her.
 Where do you want to go, Bill?"
 Morley called over his shoulder.
 Bill gave a fat chuckle and winked at Merry.
 "I don't care where I go so long as I go with Merry" he replied. I'm just losing my mind over Lit tie Sister here.'
 He beamed at her, his round pink face like the sun. It was impossible for Merry to dislike him. He called her Little Sister and said she was the pret- Itiest thing that had ever been in- vented.
 You win the prize in my beauty show!" he declared. You win the mothhau earrings and the non-refillable cigaretm
 He tried to put his arm around her, but Merry put up her hand and pushed it away.
 Naughty, naughty" she said, smiling at him with her deeply fringed eyes. Mustn't do that. Mama spank" But she meant what she said, for all her light speech.
 Ever bcens out to the Blue Ad- miral inn on the Dover road. Bill?" Morley asked, presently, and Bil; said he never had.
 "You seem to forget that I don't live ir your fair city" he reminded him. How could I get a chance to find the Blue Admiral Inn? It was just good luck that I happened on Little Sister. but now that I've found her I'll be here often. How about it. Little Sister,"
 Come whenever you can, and as oft n as you en-" Merry an- sw "ed, and her dimples deepened | in a smile.
 But her heart was like stone.
 "The Bl"n Admiral Inn" she l was thinking. "how many times I've been there with Tony" She sighed softly.
 "Why so pensive. Little Sister," the cheerful voice of Bill Erskine | broke in upon her dark thoughts. You must be getting hungry I've noticed that whenever a girl looks spiritual. she's thinking about food. Step on 'er, Morley! My gals hungry"
 But Merry was anything but hungry.
 She barely touched the chicken linner that the Blue Admiral Inn s so justly famous for.
 During the first part of the meal Bill ErsSine did not notice that she ate little and talked less. He vas so interested in his food that le had no attention for anything ,lse. He ate as a glutton eats 'ast and furiously.
 Some dinner!" he said, when he waiter set his dessert before Jim. His face Was turkey-red and glossy from too much food.
 lie pushed the plate away with lis elbow. "Nevcr eat pastry" he Xplained, "too fattening."
 He took large black cigar from he pocket of his vest and bit the nd from it viciously. It struck Jerry, as she %atched him do it. latx there was something cruel bout his face. under its pink fat.
 Perhaps it was the look in his yes that were set too close to- ether, or in the twist of his louth. She couldn't figure out just | Ihere that hint of cruelty lay. But ; , was there, unmistakably. q When the end of his cigar was f glow he turned himself in his q hair so that he could look straight k t Merry. l. Little Sister, you surely are d ream," he told her in a low, hus- a y voice. He folded his arms on a le table and leaned closer to fer. o Then his eyes, under their puffy n ds, fastened themselves on the f ,ont of her dress. Merry looked own quickly. Tonys ring had c wung out from the top of her n odice and was hanging against S CT rose-colored frills. t; What do you wear your rings is n ribbons for?" Bill Erskine asked, heerfully. Don't break my heart y telling me you're secertly mar edl" Merry shook her head and -ughed no vously as she tucked le ring inside her dress. "Only engaged" she answered, wing him a sidewise glance, put the rings too big for my fin- ar and so I wear it this way ke a locket." Again Bill Erskine gave that fat | zy chuckle of his.
 And who's the lucky man?" he b antcl to know. | That's some more of my busi- ess!" said Merry, pertly. And he ,ared with heavy laughter. But Merry didn't laugh with l m She sat, looking around the I llf-c; 1ty dining room, thinking the times she had danced on Ie smooth floor with Tony. How
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