New Britain herald., 1926-07-12

answered pro1 pity, "Tony's taking the day off, and ere going for 5 long drive. I've got to go right upstairs and g [ dressed"
 Cassie arched her penciled eye. brows.
 What you'd better do is look for a job" she said. There's nc one but me bringing any money into this house now. And ] don't pro- pose 10 support you girls. and you may as we'll know it first as last I'm not going to slave down at the office so that you can hang around home all day doing nothing"
 Jimmy, who was helping Helen with the dishes, burst into shrill laugh.
 Anyway, We won't starve, Cass. she giSgled. "even if you do keep your pay envelope to yourself. Now that Helens married Bill Hepworth, we ought to get our groceries for nothing"
 Casio gave her familiar sheer. I've won't get much from any of the Ht2worths, Jinny,' she ob- served. "Yo1 ought to know how close listed they are, by this time. Dad wor! d for them 'or 30 years and they didn't even send a flower to his funeral"
 Merry did not wait 10 hear Helen's retort. She sfolded her napkin and ran upstAs to get dressed for Tony.
 The door Of Cassie's room stood open. and she tiptoed over to the dresser and sprinkled her hair with two kinds of perfume.
 "Thc most important thing in life for me just now is to be pretty and attractive for Tony" she told herself, as she borrowed a pair of Cassie's best silk stockings. "1f ] can make him marry me right away won't have to go to work at all"
 It seemed awfully silly to them to wait for six months, anyway. She knew that she loved him. and would still love him at the end of that time. What silly little fool she had been 10 tell him about her other love affairs.
 She sighed regretfully as she went out 10 meet him, wondering if it ever paid to be honest with q man.
 Tony" she said to him an hour later as they drove across the hot town toward the country. lets not wait for six months. Let's get mcr rried today
 She was close 10 him. and she kissed him when she had said it.. She put her head with its crown of shimmering, perfumed hair on his shoulder and looked up at him wistfully.
 Darling, Mons says I'll have 10 go to work right away" she added. "I hate the thought of going into an office full of rough men. Men always make love to mel don't know why"
 She saw his jaw tighten as he | set his lirs firmly together.
 NO" he said, shaking his head. q don't ant you to marry me until know you're sure Of yourself, Merry. If you ~ct married on the spur Of the moment, you1l prob ably regret it."
 "No, ] won't" Merry declared. "Tll never change. Oh, Tony - if you really wanted me, you'd take me now"
 She felt his hanl tighten on hers. as Ii lay on the steering wheel, crushing it as if he were afraid that if he didn't hold her she might 1 fade away in 10 the sunlight.
 Merry don't make things hard for me-" he said. Don't you know 1t takes all my will power not to run Of with you every time I see you? I want 10 be fair to you. l want 10 wait until you're sure you really care about me enough 10 marry me-"
 She drew sharply away from him and looked at him moodily from the corner of the car.
 '1 never thought I'd propose to a man. and then have him turn me down" she flung at him.
 He turned his face to her then. with tho special nile that he' had only for her, and pulled her close to him again.
 Baby" he said, as he might have spoken to sIlky, spoiled child.
 Merry put her head against his shoulder again. She loved to be with him, this way. It made her feel small and precious and pro- tected to have him hold her tight in his big arm.
 His lo% deep voice was a relief after the shrill quarreling of the three sisters at home. Like all big men, he was quiet and restfuI.
 "Oh, Ton"," SC sighed, q love everything about you but your stubbornness.
 She saw him every night and all day Sunday during that golden June. They had picnic meals out in the country under the blue sky just tht two of them.
 They wanted n' third person.
 Together they danced at the 1 Blue Admiral inn or at the Silver Slipper club out on the Dover road check against cheek, pulse beat ing against pulse, heart against heart.
 Afterward they would drive slowly back to town through the warm windless nights, their hands locked together on the driving wheel of the purring blue car.
 My mothers coming home from Charlottesville next week." Tony said suddenly one nipht from, hie