The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-02

tian name Ruth flushed with resent.
lment, but she obediently gathered up
1.-The finished correspondence and fol-
lowed Borden into the private office,
but not before she had caught the
Hook Of sullen hatred with which Ben
my was glazing at his employers
back. So Benny had noticed that cE3-
Iually dropped Ruth" too, and was
rcsenting it passionatsly. -.
"Guess I'm tort Of nervous today"
Borden confessed, with wry grin.
IA weekend at Winter Haven will
do me good. Who was that chap
that came in this morning, al het up
over losing money on some Of my
stock :" he asked suddenly.
HE wouldn't give me his name"
Ruth answered. HE insisted on see.
ling you personally-said he would be
back. I dealt with him ~ tactfully
as I could"
"Tact and efficiency are your long
suits, aren't they, child?" Borden
smiled. "Draw your chair around TO
this side of the desk. We'd better 70
over the figures in this letter to Ma
than. I'm nrt sure I'm going to let
him hold me up for bigger COM
mission. Looks confoundedly like
blackmail to me"
There was nothing for Ruth to do
but to obey. She dragged her chair
from it's usual place at the big flat
topped desk opposite Borden, and
placed It where Borden indicated,
with Z pointing finger-so close to
his own chair that the legs almost
touched.
"Look!" he pointed to the letter
under his large, well.manicured
hands. Wouldn't you think that was
a big enough commission for any fly
by-night like Nathan to make"
Ruth leaned forward and peered
through her spectacles. Borden
laughed suddenly. "Bet you could see
better without those goggles, RUTH
Come! I'm going to take 'em off for
you. I'll bet Q hundred dollars your
eyes are just the right shade Of blue
to 60 with these yellow curls Of
yours" and his hands reached out,
were about TO lay hold upon the last
item Of the girls disguise, which
men Of Harry Borden's type had
made necessary, II she was to be al
lowed to work in peace.
Ruth's head jerked back, her small
hands going up to hold his back.
"Please, Mr.. Borden! The light real
" hurts my eyes," she lied frant-
Iically.
Then somehow she was out Of her
chair, and Borden's left arm was
about her shoulders, % his right
hand reached determinedly for the
spectacles. A hundred times, after
wards, she reproached herself Bit
terly for the scream that tore out
Of her throat. After all, he was only
trying, half jokingly, to take her
glasses off. But a. his flushed
face almost touched hers, and his
eyes glittered with something more
than laugher, she lost control Of
nerves which had been curiously taut
all morning screamed.
what are you trying to do, you
little devil ?-arouse the building?
make them think I'm numbering
you?" Borden demanded furiously.
4 "Look! That chaps getting an eye
full across the airshaft and-get out
Of here and stay out, or I'll knock
those pop eyes OF yours out OF your
lhead!"
| Ruth, who had obeyed his COM
mand to look, and who was taking .
staggering, uncertain step toward
Jack Hayward, framed in the oppo-
site window and being forcibly re.
strained by another man from leap
ling through it, thought ct first that
Borden's last furious sentence was
q directed ct her. But Benny's voice
from the doorway told her the truth.
4 III you're hurting Miss Lester,
!. his fists clenched.
Get out, and mind your own bust
nessl You, tool" Borden added vici-
ously, nodding furiously and gesticu-
lating toward Jack Hayward, who
Was calling out something ia . rage
strangled voice. Sit down again Miss
; Lester" he added, more normally.
"And keep your COMPOUNDED glasses
on, il you're 80 crazy about them.
= Where's that letter to my lawyer I"
Before she obeyed, Ruth turned to-
ward the window again. shaking her
head slightly and laying her finger
against her lips. Then. trembling,
shs 81 down and was not again mo-
> Tested while Borden signed the let
ters.
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