The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-01-19
Worth All Sorts of
Money
(Copyright.)
By JANE OSBORN

~ Malcolm asked her why her cheeks
were so pink, meeting her in one OF
the impersonal little reception rooms
in the Girls club that July evening.
"You think I've been using rouge"
Laura accused good-naturedly. But
I swear l haven't-dOn't have to. But
why should you object if 1 did,"
Malcolm sat down rather uncofn-
fortably on one of the cheap thinly
upholstered chairs. 81 have no right
to object" he said "Only l can't bear
the thought of having men stare at
you. You're enough to make them
stare anyway. 1t makes me boil some
times-to think of having you sit there
in that office with every Tom, Dick
and Harry coming and going. That's
why it is such h to be poor. 1t
isn't that want more money for it.
self, but l want money so that 1 could
arrange things decently."
"What would you do if you had all
sorts of money!" asked Laura. "Bet
you don't know. Most people think
they know-and then when they get
THE money they make mess trying
to spend it. You know, or think you
know, when you are poor and then it
comes and you don't know"
ooh, what's the use," said Malcolm
rather sulkily. 81 wouldn't care if it
weren't for you'd be content being
poor-just plug away where am till
the chance came for something bet
ter. I'm no genius but I'm coming
Ialong-ten years from now l may
have a good income-but loving you
the way I do l can't wait ten years"
"That's not playing my game"
leased Laura. "Just suppose you sud-
denly had all sorts of money-what
would you do?"
"Funny girl" said Malcolm smiling
in spite of his detection. 'Well, to
start WITH" he said after moments
hesitation, 81 think I'd just go on eX-
actly as if nothing had happened for
five or six days-just to get my bal
ance. Then I'd leave the office one
day at about five o'clock and I'd go
to the agency of some tip-top car and
I'd get the best little car for two they
had in the place-and I'd drive right
out and over here and I'd ask you to
take a drive with me-and then I'd
tell you the glad tidings and I'd say:
Laura, everything is all right. I'm
worth all sorts of money. Let's get
married right away and you'd say:
All right, Malcolm-how about to-
morrow? Is that the way to play the
gamer" asked Malcolm, pleased with
the ripples of laughter that his re-
marks had caused.
"Lovely-" said Laura, "only you
forgot that you couldn't ride right out
with the new car. You'd have to get
a license and plates and everything"
"Dont spoil my story" objected
Malcolm. "Why bother over few
facts when it's all fairy yarn?"
1t was a pleasant night and Laura
suggested that they should walk the
mile to the moving picture theater.
awe ought to save the pennies" she
said, and when Malcolm went to the
window where the fifty-cent seats
were sold Laura protested. "Iou can
see Just as well from the twenty-five
cent Seats" she said.
1t was five O'clock in the afternoon
just five days later and Malcolm, see
ing that all the rest of the office force
had left or were about to leave for
the day, drew down the top of his roll
TOP desk. He had known there would
be nothing to keep him late and so
earlier in the day he had tried to get
Laura at her Office. He had planned
to suggest having dinner together at
an Inexpensive little restaurant he had
heard about. They would have time
for a bus ride before they had dinner.
Laura always liked that. But when
he telephoned to her office the young
woman who answered simply had
said: "Why she's left" Yet the night
before when he had seen Laura she
had said nothing about leaving work
early.
SO as Malcolm was pulling down the
top of his desk he looked up to see
Laura entering the office. She asked
Hill W 20 OuL anu nave Ilue VIII
her. "Great minds run in the same
channel" quoth Malcolm. 81 was go
ing to suggest bus ride myself-and
dinner afterwards"
He took his hat from the clothes
tree beside his desk and hurried after
Laura, who seemed impatient. At the
curb stood car so new, so complete
ly equipped and so obviously expen-
sive that four or five young office
workers were lettering beside it out
of sheer admiration. A perfectly liv-
cried young chauffeur sat at the wheel,
and to Malcolm's amazement Laura
opened the door of the tonneau and
entered, sinking back luXuriously on
the pearl-gray seat. Malcolm, dumb
founded, followed and sat beside her.
"Through the park, please" Laura
murmured to the chauffeur Then she
turned to Malcolm and pressed his
hand with hers.
"MaIcolm everything Is all right"
she whispered. "Tm worth all sorts
of money. Let's get married right
away"
'But, but, b." Malcolm STAN