Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17

Patrick. "Show me how you did it?"
Rludga hesitated, shuffled his feet Then
he leaned over the rail to give Patrick hand
up.
Sure" he said grufHy.
That night Patrick had dinner with Stacia
Willoughby. Patrick's eye had turned the color
of a purple plum. Patrick1s lip had swollen.
but his grin was just as ready. Patrick was
elated. For there was Stacia sitting across the
table from him and she was smiling at him.
Well" he said, 1T got promoted"
Stacia's smile faded unaccOuntably. You're
in the molding room," she guessed.
How 2" began Patrick He felt a
discomfort about coal dust, though he had
really quite thoroughly removed it. He put
careful finger to his lip Il got it fighting"
he explained
"Bludge?" Staca guessed again.
YES said Patrick, surprised II guess I'm
not a very good fighter, but couldn't let him
drive me out when I'd just got there. Besides
it made me feel kind of-as if I was fighting
for you"
He blushed and grinned so charmingly when
he said it that no one could have been much
annoyed. Besides there is a little bit of the
primitive in every civilized young lady, and the
idea was not half as distastefu to Stacia as it
should have been. She neatly ignored it.
What should you say" she asked slowly, "if
I told you that was going to marry Trevor
Mcuwain?"
Patricks fingers closed down tight over the
end Of the table.
81 should say it was too bad" said Patrick.
II should say let's go and ride while tell you
how bad it Is"
IAN right, let's" said Stacia.
DATRICK was not born fireman. But
everybody liked him. He was subject to
lapses when he leaned on his shovel and stared
into red space, unmindful Of the blistering heat
Aricb 1,F~
Scme of the men kidded him about it in good
natured way
LET de boy alone, can't yuh?" demanded
Bulge drawing down his black brows Likely
he's thinkin' bout his girul. Amt yuh got no
feelns?"
Patrick thought lot about Stacia those days
Rather often he saw her. You could not explain
to Stacia in Just one meeting how really
awfully bad it would be for her to marry Trevor
McIlwain, and every time he thought of new
reasons Patrick had to take her out again to
tell her about them.
But he doesn't really love you," said Patrick.
Doesn't hep" asked Stacia.
'You don't really love him."
How do you know?" asked Stacia.
"You couldn't" explained Patrick. :'You
yo1?"
80" agreed Stacia. But :"
Patrick did not wait for that but: HE
ism. the kind of man for you to marry"
What kind of man would that be?"
We'll" said Patrick "say o man o
little more like me-"
Stacia laughed when he said things like that,
but she did not stop him. And then that night
-. Patrick had drawn the car out Of the road
into little woody place above pond as big
as pint measure.
That night Stacia did not laugh She sat
very still beside Patrick very grave and stiT.
and her face looked pale under the moon, like
the white wool coat drawn up about her chin,
and her hands were locked together.
When Patrick saw Stacia sitting there beside
him. so still and small and white, not laughing
at all, her hands tight together In her lap
then something happened to him. He put his
arms around Stacia and kissed her on the lips.
That night 1t took him IS minutes to say
good-by to her on the Willoughby doorstep.
And some time during that IS minutes Jared
Willoughby looked out Of the window.
The next morning Jared Willoughby and
Tidweiler had conference. Tfdweiler wanted
to fire Patrick right out. But Jared willoughby
had other ideas. II he fired Patrick Stacia
might be sorry for him. But II Patrick just
naturally went, well and good.
Wen transfer him to sales" he said land
send him to get an order from Ivor McIwain."
Tidweiler rubbed his hands together sound
1essly, as IL they were buttered. "Tee-hee," said
Tidweiler.
Five years before Ivor McLwain had been
willoughby's biggest customer He owned the
McIlwain Chain, retail optical supplies. Ivor
McIlwain was q mean customer to lose. It was
a small thing. too, that had caused the trouble
no bigger than a mosquito In fact, it was
q mosquito
This mesquite bit Rudy Gilloran, crack lens
inspector on the eyelid and caused the eye to
swell most painfully. Gilloran continued to in
spect lenses, the eye continued to swell, his
vision was impaired, an imperfect lens escaped
his attention. This lens was made into pair
of eyeglasses for Mr.. Horsford Bates, and he
wore them six months Mr.. Bates began to see
black spots floating In the air, and was badly