The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-15

to think what's the best thing to do, that's all."
 Il won't go back to Marks fathers house; I tell you I won'ti"
 Chris sighed. "Well," she said. "that settles that! As l said, I don't blame you much. If you won't go back think you'd better go to work. Why didn't you come to my place last night instead of going to that rooming placer"
 You know you've no room now, Dorothy's with you"
 double up."
 "No. I don't want you to do that. You see things are different now. Chris. I've got to stand on my own feet. It helps to tell you about things, to talk them over and feel there's one person who under stands. oh, I don't know what I'd do without you! But I'm not going to be one more to impose on your generosity"
 Silly! Why that's ridiculous!"
 "Maybe. Anyway, that's how l feel about it. This place I've moved to is all right. I'll want to see you often, Chris, but I've paid the rent for a week and l think I'll stay there.S
 Suit yourself. I suppose you'll come to dinner some time?'
 Love to. Tell me about Dorothy. Whats she like?"
 "Oh, Dorothy's all right We don't pal around the way you and I did but she's o. k. as a room mate. Say-' Chris dark eyes 1 iYac finf, "Why didn't I think of it? Why didn't l think-!"
 Think of what? What are you talking about?''
 "A job for you! Don't know what it pays but 1t would be a lot bet ter than nothing. Dorothy was tell- ing me about it last night. A girl she knows who works for liter ary agent on the same floor we're on is going to quit Saturday. Get ting married. I don't even re- member the girls name, though I met her once. Lucille something brother. She was going to tell her boss about it to-day. It's ten to one they haven't hired anyone else yet"
 whats a literary agent? What kind of job is it?''
 "Oh the job wouldn't be hard. Just regular secretarial work. Stuart is the mans name. Fred erick Stuart. People who write articles for magazines and stories sent them to him. He finds some- one to buy them. Dorothy says he's one of the best in the city"
 Do you think he'd hire mel"
 why not? You're a good secre- .1x.xt do! I'll get Dorothy to go in and see this girl in the morning and il nobody's taken the job I'll call you to come right down. How's that?'
 "Fine. Say, that'll be great Chris! I couldn't very we'll go tc Brooks and Welliver and ask for q recommendation when I left them the way I did"
 "We'll get Lucille to recommend you personally. She'd do that foi Dorothy. Pm sure."
 Ten minutes later they left the restaurant. Each boarded a differ ent street car. Chris urged Norma to spend the evening with her but the younger girl made excuses.
 It was nearly eight o'clock when Norma unlocked the door of hei newly rented room. The first flasf of the electric light was startling Everything looked strange and diff ferent. Shabby in the glow of vel low lamp light. She closed the door behind her and took off hei hat.
 Across the room, tackled to the faded wallpaper, Norma saw cal endar. She had not noticed il earlier in the day. The calendar bore the name of coal company printed in large lettering and be- heath this the head of flirtatiou' young woman dressed in red. The calendar had evidently been added to the room as a decoration. Nc one had bothered to remove the November sheet from the pad. Swiftly Norma crossed the room and tore off the ante-dated leaf Yesterday had been the second oi December. She counted down foul weeks. That brought her to tn, 3Oth. Four weeks-but it might be five! Painstakingly Norma drew d circle about the numeral 30. Il occurred to her for the first timt that Mark would be away or Christmas.
 For long time she sat ant stared at the calendar. Then she arose, drew a large cross over tho day that had just ended. There would be 27 more crosses to draw before she could hope to see Mark l again. Twenty-seven more crosses From childhood and Sunday school Norma remembered hymn about crosses. No, she told herself vehemently, it was not sacrilegious to think of such things! Every day away from Mark, every 24 hours calendar, was a literal cross to be represented by a cross upon hei borne on her shoulders.
 Oh, what good could telling her self to be brave do? What good could anything do?
 Norma was 20 years old. She was very much in love, desperate ! ly unhappy and lonesome. So, as } might have been expected of any , young girl in similar situation 7 she cried herself to sleep. Morning when 1t came was gray and dreary. A sunless December day threatening snow which did not fall. Norma did not go out for breakfast. She dallied through the 1. routine of dressing, made her bed . and rearranged a bureau drawer. . At ,9:45 she was summoned to the telephone. Chris voice at the other end of the wire said bright ly. "Everything's arranged. You're to come down as soon as you can and Dorothy'll take you to MI Stuart's office. How soon can you make it?"
 Half an hour, guess. IN start right away"
 "Then step on 1t! The jobs as good as yours now!"
 Chris was a dear. For her sake Norma tried to seem more enthu- siastic than she felt riding down. town on the street car. later meet ing the unknown Dorothy and be- ing led by her to the unknown Frederick Stuart's office.
 Halfway down the corridor Dor othy stopped. Wait a minute!" she said abruptly. You're not feel ing so high this morning, are you? Need a little rouge. Here-let's see