Evening star., 1927-10-27
THE EVENING STORY

ously near 1t, and she had righteously
refrained from buying the delicate vio'
let scent she adored or wasting money
for decent waves. AS though long hair
didn't sufficiently mark her as un-
youthful she had brushed 1t nicely
back from her forehead too high In
stand the severe style.
"How nice" she lied unconvincing-
ly. meeting Kitty's wondering stare al
yesterday"
Kitty grinned. Stayed out to tea.
I'll bet n cookie"
Why. yes"
''Jane. you're hopeless. The kind OF
q girl invariably spoken of as nice
and reliable You'd know what to do
in any household emergency. but.
Jane, if you keep on as you're doing.
L don't believe you'll ever have
house to manage. not with man at
the head If it. No man could be more
of stick than Fred-yet--oh. well,
no use acting mean about il; but. |
ask you. what does he do at your
house now? Eat"
Hes not stick. You have accept
ed his invitation"
Yeah, and he'll be proud to take
me out. No reason for not accepting
l don't have to be in love with
| man TO take a courtesy. do I? Bye"
| Eat, murmured the old.fashioned
girl. stunned. that's exactly what he
does, and talks all the time about ad-
/ miring--bah. 1 don't believe this SNUG
/ Fred knows his own mind, but there's
| one thing-frOm now on / please my
self. / shan't spend my leisure time
baking and getting ready for Sunday
| night tea. as I've done now for two
\ years. He doesn't even mention COM
ing any more. just appears-with a
huge appetite
! Monday evening was spent in q good
| beauty parlor and the old-fashioned
girl cut and shipped until after mid
night altering a frock.
| Fred regarded her with distinct ad-
miration the next morning.
| The other men in the office did like
wise and Monday night saw Jane ac.
oepting an invitation to the movies
in F'red's hearing.
Saturday she spent some of her saw
| ings. She earned very good salary.
| but had been boarding it toward that
house of dreams that had met disaster.
and bought stunning little suit with
| hat to match. Her old storm rubbers
were left at the shoe shop and she
! emerged with some well-cut slippers
with glittering buckles she liked and
had some up-to-the-minute rain shoes
in smoke gray sent out home.
/ The swirl wave set in her brand
new bob suited her well. and when
stopping in at the office to get some
packages before going home she looked
vastly different from that other girl
in storm cubbers.
/ Fred stopped her, his eyes perplexed:
wait a minute, Jane, YOU seem Diff
ferent somehow and preoccupied."
She suppressed a smile at his mas
culine obtuseness. With her smart
clothes she had seemed to slip into
a new personality. she had poise and
courage that the old Jane had lacked.
Yes, Fred, what, Is it?". she demurely
asked.
"I"-he flushed a little before the
laughter in her shining eyes-"Oh, T.
just wanted to say that I'd be out
early tomorrow. want to have a long
talk
Sorry. Fred, you didn't mention
coming and I've promised to go to the
Sunday Evening Club"
with who?"
Whom you mean." she corrected.
this different Jane who intended to
relegate meekness to that rosa.scented
past he had prated about. "Oh, you
wouldn't be Interested" :
But, Jane. I've been calling on you
for two years. Can't things just go
on, enjoy coming up to"-swiftly he
checked the disgraceful admission that
had trembled perilously on his lips.
Her lips twitched. but she didn't
say the obvious thing, Jane was
learning. She didn't humiliate him
by speaking of greed, nor did she
evince any. jealously by. referring to
the theater trip with Kitty
Yes, it must be nearly two years"
she admitted. knowing perfectly we'll
that the time was. two years, two
months and one week. ~
In the wide corridor he faced her
anxiously: Jane. dear, you won't go
out with that fool Ellison again. I
-we"-he ran his finger around his
collar as though he had been lassoed
and was chokin 'g-"suppose we go
down on the avenue and see if Grants
is open yet. We might find a ring
l that would look well on your fourth
finger =
And the old-fashioned Jane within
her ultra smart trappings thrilled in
and agreed.
iCopyriRht. 1927