The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-31
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER II

handsome harry borden nAd CIV. |
en- her to do, for they gave her an
opportunity to review, in undisturbed
ecstacy, the miracle which had hap
pened to her. In a jaunty little brown
hat, against which the newly re-
leased golden curls chung like sprays
Of delicate embroidery, her new nu-
tria coat wrapped snugly about her
small body, her blue eyes unob-
scured by the hideous spectacles, she
stepped into the elevator which was
directly across the hall from the Bor-
den offices. t
Micky Moran, the jolly, impudent,
red headed lord Of the elevator cage,
did not recognize in the pink and
white and gold little beauty the timid
secretary who had been daily pas
senger for the last four months. His
bold eyes took her in at glance,
then he began to whistle significant
ly: eyes, sir, that's my baby!"
Just before the elevator reached
the ground floor, Ruth asked, in the
hesitant, meek voice which had been
part of her "disguise": lis your ia
Their recovering from that awful au-
tomobile accident, Micky?"
Before the astonished boy could
reply, Ruth, laughing at him over
her furred shoulder, stepped into the
lobby of the Starbridge Building.
"Vain little imp!" she character
lied herself, as a gust Of January
wind tugged at her coat. "But oh,
I'm so glad l can be me at last!
Four months Of being someone else!
But worth it, worth it, worth it,"
she chanted under her breath, as she
joined the Saturday morning shop
pers who milled about the busy cor
ner. =.
1t was uncanny how accurately
Benny Smith had diagnosed the alb
surd situation which had made dis
guise necessary. Perfect blond beau
ty had been pleasant possession,
one which would some day bring her
great happiness, she had thought, so
long as her father had been alive to
shield her.
She had been as proud Of him as
he Of her, for Colby Lester had been
one Of the greatest criminal lawyers
Of his day--a criminal lawyer whose
greatness lay in his keenness as
detective rather than in. jury-sway-
ing oratory. During the last five
years of his life he had talked over
all his cases with his daughter. Many
. night they had sat up until dawn,
Ruth curled kitten-wise in his arms,
her childish brows knit amusingly,
in the same fashion as his, her logi-
cal mind keeping pace with his and
sometimes leapine ahead Of it.
"Good work, Infant! You've got
the makings Of q Grade A detective
behind those yellow curls. But please
God, you'll never have to earn your
living in any such sordid fashion as
this" he had told her once.
A dignified home, exquisite
clothes, servants who adored Colby
Lester and his daughter, private
school, association with keen and cul-
tured minds-all these things Ruth
had enjoyed until Colby Testers sud-
den, tragic death.
He had been defending q woman
on the charge Of poisoning her lover,
a married man, and had been shot
down by the crazed widow of the VIC
tim. because she had believed that
Colby Lester would win the defend
ants freedom for her. And he had,
although his funeral took place while
the jury was bringing in its just ver-
dict Of mot guilty"
Even now Ruth could scarcely UNI
derstand why there had been SO little
for her when her fathers estate was
settled. But his books showed that
he had defended more penniless VIC
Tins Of tragic circumstance than
wealthy ones, because their cases
presented problems which intrigued
his detective instincts. And he had de-
MED his daughter nothing -nor him.
self. He had been conn0isseur Of
comfortable living, had thought he
could always make enough money to
Igratify the exquisite tastes he had
cultivated in himself and his daugh-
ter: And then he had died.
She had used what little money
there was to take an eight months
secretarial course, and had come out
Of business college primed with all
sorts Of useful knowledge, her little
| fingers capable Of astonishing speed
in shorthand and tipping.
But men had not let her do it..
They were like women who cry out
! to beautiful babies: "Oh, you preci-
Gus darling dumping! could eat
You up" And they tried to eat her
up, and she had to flee, from this
Job to that, from one humiliatine ex-