The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-30


sharp voice. Then she rose. drawn
to her feet by the boyish agony in
Benny's face, and went to him. She
tilted his quivering chin with q fore
finger and smiled shyly into his eyes.
1T isn't Mr.. Borden. Benny. It's
can you keep secret, Benny? I'm
engaged to Mr.. Hayward. It just hap
pened last night and oh, Benny, I'm
50 happy don't think can bear til"
The boy did surprising thing then.
He seized the finger which had tilted
up his chin and pressed It hard
against his lips, while q blush ran in
crimson waves from his throat to his
brow.
"won't you say you're glad. Ben
n.y." Ruth coaxed tenderly.
"Oh, sure!" the boy mumbled.
Sure I'm glad! Why not? He's q
great guy-best- looking man In the
Starbridge Building. 0eei What q
swell pair you two will make!" He
gulped back his tears manfully. "But
say. Ruth, you'd better douse the
glim before Handsome Harry surges
In. I'm tellin' YOU"
Talk English for q change, Ben
ny!" Ruthe laughted. 'Douse the
glim'-?"
PUT on them yellow specs Of yours
and slick back your hair like you'd
been wearin' It," the boy urged. with
curious sort Of desperation. "fIon-
est, Ruth"
"Mr. Borden's affections are SO thor
oughly engaged at present that I
don't think we need worry" Ruth
laughed. But to please you. Benny,
I'll revert to the Lillian Gish-in-
spectacles' role"
She was reaching into the top
drawer Of her desk for the big, yell
low-lensed. horn-rimmed spectacles
which made her blue eyes look q
sickly, pale green, when the telephone
rang.
Main $780," she announced. Then.
after pause during which she raised
her eyebrows significantly as she
glanced over her shoulder toward
Benny: mo, Mr.. Borden is not in :.
don't know. I'm sorry What
name shall I say? Oh, thank
you'll"
She hung up the receiver and
shrugged. THE woman with the
lovely contralto voice. / wonder who
she Is. I put Mr.. Borden on the line
once when she called, and he told
me to remember her voice and never
do 1t again. Some old flame, sup
pose."
She pushed back the telephone and
was reaching for the Disgusting spec
tacleS when the outer door opened
and Henry p. Borden stepped into the
| room.
Ruth whirled toward her desk in
her swivel chair, so that not Just yet
should he see the transformation with
which she had chosen to celebrate
her engagement. She had not meant
him to see, had intended to have the
golden curl pulled into q tight knot,
exposing her ears and elevating her
golden-brown eyebrows, had intended
to peer up at him as usual through
the disfiguring yellow lenses.
Morning, Miss Lester. Anything
Important"
Borden was striding toward the
door that led into his private office,
not vouchsafing look at that pallid
little secretary whose only appeal to
him was that she was an incom-
parable secretary.
Henry T. Borden, known along the
city's White Way as Handsome
Harry" Borden. deserved both the ad-
jective and the slight sheer with
which It was accompanied. For hand
some he undoubtedly was, in bold,
striking, black-and-white way. If he
had chosen the movies instead Of
dubious finance as q career he would
inevitably have been cast as the
heavy" but invariably as drawing
room, silk-hat type of villain"
He was tall and large, but not at
all fat. Sleek, thick black hair, into
which 40 years Of self-indulgence and
at least 20 years Of fast living had not
introduced single strand of white
Bold. wide black eyes, which had 9
trick OF staring at a woman until hel
heart fluttered and her cheeks went
either pale or crimson. A stubby
black mustache, which Borden was
too wise to wear small. Extraordinar.
| lily white skin, for a man, despite the
thick growth of beard which he
shaved close twice q day. Rather
thick but well-shaped red lips, always
slightly moist, as II he had just run
an anticipating tongue over them
! Nothing very important, Mr.. Dor.
den" Ruth answered, without turning
her head. Oh. II he would only 60 on
into his office and close the door!
| But Borden paused, his hand on the
knob Of his door. ANY calls?"
| Ruth's hands shook q little as she
adjusted her spectacles with fumblina
haste over ears which were now Gov.
cred with cleaning golden curls.
"Only one," she answered, In hes
meek, timid little voice. 1.-THE woman
with the beautiful contralto voice.
asked her II she would leave hel
name, but she said no." She rose
gathered up the mail, the orchid
tinted letter topping the stack, and
faced her employer.
THAT voice may sound beautiful K
you, but believe me, I'd rather lister
to q >riveting machine -Hullo!
what have you done to yourself?"
AS Benny Smith had done, Harry
Borden took her In, from the top Of
her curl-crowned head to the toes 81
her enchanting little pumps.
Ruth pursed her mouth, and 1ookeC
as much as possible like the mouse.
like little creature he had becom.
| accustomed to and had ignored. TT,
Its the clothes. Mr.. Borden. II
saved some Of my salary, and But
please, Mr.. Borden. there's letter
from Hendrickson In Chicago. He.
sold 10000 shares Of that Nu-ga.
stock, In spite Of what the chemist
reported -"