Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-07-03


the lnrSest department stores Of New
York. She has matured. but in a rath-
er sclf-suiliclent, slim way that char
acteri2es the development of the mod
ern girl. She is little older, but no
heavier She is little sadder, but
no less clever. She is great deal
wiser.
Life for Shirley has been a quick
panorama since those days which she
spent in recuperatiOn mt Browns Glen.
Her marriage, which threatened, to-
ward the end, to turn into dsapoint-
ment, was abruptly spared what might
have been disruption by the sudden
death Of her husband in Il motor acct
dent, when his hand at the wheel was
the unsteady one of INVESTIGATION.
quick emotional, economic and social
changes had resulted Almost over
night. us it were, Shirley Lang had
found herself out in the world She
had made good. The woman in the
smart restaurant was chic, up-to-
date one. There was about her the
sureness that goes with success, the
calm elaboration of the executive, the
rather cold demeanor of the woman
who has learned to hold her own in
vast and complicated world.
Two tables removed, youngish
man, dining with one considerably old
er, forces, with a reiteration that is
annoying, his bold dark glance against
the eyes of Shirley Lang. 1t is an in
sinuating glance, a specializing glance;
one of inquiry, not to say imperti-
nence.
Shirley Lang, whose experience
along these lines has been long and
bitter one, meets his eyes with cold
glitter in her own. She Is annoyed
even little dlsgusted. She points out
the man. with an excoriating remark,
to her companion. Her luncheon
guest, also buyer in a large depart
ment store, recognizes him as the new
general manager
Her annoyance is so apparent that
the young man. laughingly invited by
nod from Shirley's companion
crosses over in the mood of apology
He is frank and little boyish about
It, Yes, he had been boldly and un.
shamedly angling for the eye of Shlr-
ley Lang. 1t might sound absurd and
juvenile to admit it, but it had been
so long, five years, in fact, since he
had felt the slightest futter of inter
est in the futter of woman's eye.
that the emotion was one that got the
better of him. 1t had been five years
since his divorce. He had been gath
ering himself together since.
1t was all so simple. OF course, ac-
cording to the writing finger of the
long arm of coincidence, the man was
Raymond Harbor. He had heard of
Shirley in those two weeks before his
fathers death. He even had her let
ter and postcard to the old gentleman
tucked away in his packet Of precious
mementos.
The woOing and the mating of Shir-
ley and Raymond is not the point of
this story
The long, long arm isl
So much for the pattern of the sit
uation. Scarcely the one to catch up
the thread of these two lives into the
same fabric, An old colonel at peace
In his grave might have chuckled at
the weaving fingers Of time. In more
ways than one it might have gratined
the old eyes, long since asleep, to see
the eyes Of these two, Shirley and
a flock of conventional restaurant Ia
bles, Tighten brighten, flash!
A pair of lives had drifted together
In much the fashion that most human
beings find out their mates, and yet
the fact that Shirley had known the
when an old man delighted in her
youth. makes the meeting seem little
unreal.
Just any two, glancing, quickening
uniting after a glance or two in pub
lie place, is romance. Shirley and
Raymond, glanclng, quickening, unit
ing after a glance or two in public
place, is coincidence.
But In any event, none of these con-
sideratIons were to mar the meeting.
1t all came about quickly, rightly and
with the irrepressible velocity Of a
gale. There was never hesitancy ~
the capitalization of Raymond with
waryness more Characteristic of hsr
sex, Shirley fenced bit After al,
one didn't fall in love over a demi
tasse. Not If you we're thirty and had
tasted the dregs Of bitter expert
ence. But that was only Shirley pre-
tending with herself. She did fall IN
love over a demi tassc.
But the wooing and mating Of Shlr-
ley and Raymond Is not the point OF
this story.
The long, long arm Is!
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