Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-17
.Bess.

beSS.
Four thirty o'clock on smothering
Summer afternoon in downtown Of
flee five floors up, so darkened by the
tall building across the narrow alley
that electric lights must burn all day
long. Most oflce-working girls know
that dead-alive feeling when they are
tired out and it seems too late to begin
some new task, yet there is whole
half hour before release.
But Is minutes later-how different
A sudden wake-up, closing Of desks,
busy mirrors and powder puffs, a
in their chiffon stockings. Cheerful ex-
changes Of What you goin' to do to-
night?"
Voices In the adjoining room and
the pleasant fragrance OF cigar pro-
claimed the return Of Mr. Fred Argyle,
the debonair son of the wholesale jewel
er at the head of this firm. BeSs, the
dreSSy typist. hummed the latest dance
hit as she quickly sorted and clipped To-
gether her many papers. The clerk. LII
liam, eyed her crictically from the top
of the sleek brown bob to the shapely
bumps then announced: II see BesS has
another heavy date with our Freddy to-
night All dolled up. You're a fast
worker, kid" With sly undertones.
"Guess again." tossed Bess, slipping
the cover over her typewriter which
each evening, she removed to a small
desk by the window, leaving her table
clear for other work next morning
Now she lifted the heavy machine and
with def, swinging motion, made the
exchange.
Look here, my young lady!" Fred
Argyle had stepped In and his tones
| were cross. "Some fine day that thing
will slip from your fingers and go right
out that open window. Kindly prac.
tice your iuggler's art somewhere else!
"How should / know it's window:
It lets in neither air nor light!' Bess
knew the other girls were snickerine
| into their discreet "vanitieS," but she
soon babe them goodnight as though
nothing had occurred. She walked the
two miles home to avoid the damned
cars and to enjoy any possible breeze
on the way through the park. But the
more she recalled that episode the hot
ter she grew. "Juggler's art!" And she
had not even been aware how she did
handle the typewriter anyway that came
most easily. She had observed that
| Fred had never yet offered to lift ii
| for her. He was too lazy to even reach
across his own desk for the extension
phone-some one must always run anc
shove 1t over to him! At his present
rate, by the time he reached 80 his
physical profile would resemble thai
s,lnfish she had seen at Field Museum.
A week and more passed with no fur
Their mention Of the matter. She felt
| that Lillian was trying to hide q little
triumph-or trying to display it. Young
Argyle was off on one of his frequent
trips for the company. Bess refused to
| acknowledge to herself that she hao
developed a slight uneasiness and sc
handled the machine with more care
strictly on the sly and taking great
pains that no one should notice it.
Then. on Saturday, near quitting
time, the Stenographer stepped in from
the other Office with letter she in
tended to type herself, but, instead OF
her usual last-minute haste. she DELHI
erately placed her ear against the edge
of the closed door and raised hand fol
silence.
Wondering, the other girls watched
until she tiptoed to them, whispering
Erred is back but something's wrong
They're searching frantically through
the safe" Then she stole back to heal
more. Lillian followed. Bess made 8
move to join them-heard steps-anc
hastily picked up her already covered
| typewriter instead.
Fred opened the door so suddenly he
nearly upset the two girls there, but he
seemed too agitated to observe them
did any Of you see" he began. A
scream from BesS q grating sound, hel
body perilously out the window-Frec
there, his arm clutching her back. Their
his angry, Didn't I warn you that
would happen!"