Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
By Royal BrOUn
in Other WAYS.

ooh. there are plenty of applicants, -
he assured her. He paused a second
Then, rs there chance in the world
I could persuade you to help me out?''
he plunged. Its only for three days,
next week"
"Me-model shoes?" gasped- Ann.
why not?" he demanded.
We'll. one of us is crazy" replied
Ann, land it must be you, because I'd
be a perfect flop at that sort of thing
Marge would love it. but"
Il can get SO persons of Marge's
type" he informed her. Its you who
And when," she demanded, did you
decide that? You'-she had a swift
flash of ntuition-"certainly didn't
think so the other night, did you?"
NO" he confessed candidly. and
yet I couldn't get you out of my mind,
somehow. And I had an idea that
If" He heSitated, as If not quite
sure of his ground.
"Oh, understand" Ann assured him
coolly "An idea that was like one of
those girls you read about. Girls who
their good points. Then somebody
comes along and changes their way of
doing their hair, or something like that,
and they discover that they are really
pretty and begin to radiate charm and
everything. That was your idea, wasn't
tt?"
Something like that" he confessed
as coolly. But not just"
We'll. it wouldn't work" she assured
him definitely. And added fiippantly.
Its not a matter of clothes at all.
Either you have tor you haven't,
***
THEY were interrupted there. The
postman came in. depositing a
sheaf of letters on AIMS desk.
Ann smiled at him as if he were an
old friend. He was.
Have you any idea just what TT
lisp" Tommy broke in abruptly, as the
postman withdrew.
Have you?" she retorted.
ct have a bunch that what you need
is not new clotheS-or a different way Of
doing your hair-but a proper perSpec-
tive on yourself"
"Really?" commented Ann, in a tone
that suggested he was being very anus
ing, but not at all convincing. We'll.
how does it happen that Marge has
the proper perspective and-I havent?"
That" said he, lis easy. She's the
younger. You both grew up together
but she developed in one way, you in
another She diverted attention from
you while you were still baby; got
the idea the world revolved around her
and that she could have anything she
wanted"
Nonsense" interrupted Ann. "1t's
just that she is naturally more charm
ing"
THAT" replied Tommy Adams
coolly, lis a matter of taste"
No woman who ever lived could take
offense at that. But Ann chose to dis
believe him. Did he think she was silly
enough to let herself be flattered into
becoming a manikin?
But he was going on: "Your sister
is supreme egotist. Life has made
her so. I'm not criticizing-egotism is
not bad thing. She knows she's
gets it. She'll meet a man halfway
at Nashville you-"
While II" gibed Ann, as he hesitated.
while you" he plunged deliberately.
ARE so darned afraid that any man will
think you're chasing him that you
freeze up. You wouldn't lift q finger to
attract his attention"
Il wouldnt-not any man that ever
Hvedl" blazed Ann.
And" he commented imperturbably,
you ask me what TT Is. Isn't it merely
W HldhS yOuISc11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS y,
II, you can. provocatively. If you must?
Your sister doeS-but you just won't"
Never" Ann assured him emphati-
cally.
Except" he grinned, ito Italian boot
blacks and gray-headed letter carriers.
They find you attractive enough and
like you"
"Oh, they're old and married" ex-
planned Ann. They like me because
I'm interested in them and their prob
lens"
81 know what they like you for" he
informed her. "I-have eyes. You know
your interest won't be misconstrued, and
SO you let yourself be natural and
darned attractive" His eyes sought hers
and his nice grin flashed again. I'm
not DID," he told her, 'but am married
and I have problems. If I could per-
suade you to take the same interest in
them"
A CURIOUS thing happened then.
Ann had never dreamed, some
how, that he might be married. She
certainly had had no idea of his marry
ing her. And yet she felt-well, sud-
denly and subtly defrauded.
Won't you2" he pleaded beguilingly.
Ann wavered. "I-don't see what I
could do"
Gould you possibly get three days off
next week." he asked eagerly.
Ann hesitated. He was nice. And
married, too. AS he had said, that made
a difference. He couldn't misconstrue
her interest and-she was interested.
"I could get the days off," she ad-
mitted. "but-oh. If it's a question OF
being manikin. simply couldn't. I'm
not the type"
II don't want the ordinary type" he
persisted. THE styles I'm showing are
new and. hope, both distinctive and
bit revolutionary. want the same type
of manikin.'
"I'd be revolutionary enough. any,
way"
"And that's the point. I couldn't get
you out of my midland neither could
the buyers. You'd stand out"
IT." Ann maintained. would be car
lots of people there, and I'd simply
shrivel UP and die "
Nevertheless. she was weakening, in
spite of herself He saw that
Let me tell you bit more" he
begged. "I'm-well. I'm running fac
tory on shoestring. It's an old estab-
lished concern that has been going be-
nlIlQ LOT years. n UOWn oyIl0ICdIC HOS
been carrying it along and there was
talk of closing it down. That's where
stepped in" He paused. produced a
catalog and showed it to her. Specially
stuff" he explained. II sold the idea to
the syndicate. now I've got to sell 1t to
the world at large. And-its neck OF
nothing"
Already he had caught her interest
A clever young man. Tommy Adams
For:
Its not nv own neck that's worry
| ing me-" he assured her. Il Shan't sink
without trace. even if the thing does
prove to be a flop. But-do you realiz;
what it means to others? What shot
factory is to town."