Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

she's building a new house and wants green
bathtubs and purple shower baths and"
The phone shrilled again Larry? Wait q
minute" His eye ran over psnciled memo
randa attached to the phone. Then: Thirty
two Mayfair street-diamond ring in sink
trap" he announced.
He hung up turned back to Nicky. THAT Is
to be one of your duties-assgning men to
jobs Instead of having them come all the
way back to the shop when they're through
with a job have them call up"
He glanced up at a man in overalls who
appeared in the doorway
Come in Sam" he directed, land meet
Miss Jones. She's going to handle Office details
from now on To Nicky he added as Sam
shambled in, Sans my right-hand man"
Pleased to meetcha," suffered Sam.
Nicky liked him, overalls, = awkwardness.
grizzled head and all. AS, miraculously, she
liked the Office and its activities Or perhaps
not so mraculously, after all 1t gave her a
sense of solid ground under her feet, a chance
to forget Newfield.
She hated Newield, that narrow little town
that her ancestors had had so much to do
with. The Judsons had owned everything
almost-the village water supply; the gas plant
Nicky's grandfather had built-and what they
did not own they dominated.
Believe it or not" Nicky had told her
intimates at finishing school, but at home
we still use gas just because my grandfather
built the gas works and fought to keep cleo
tricity out"
How quaint" one had commented.
You how darned inconvenient,"
Nicky had corrected. Electricity did get in
after my grandfather died, and every house
has it except ours-just because he made
father promise he'd never wire it,
That was what it meant to be Judson Of
Newfeld. Newf1eld was a challenge to every
perverse caprice her youth could invent And"
she confessed in all sincerity st bores me to
death"
The Office did not bore her. Bill was in and
out of it, a dynamic, graceful figure in his
syeralls
Noon came and Bill paused at her desk.
I'm starting you at twenty" he announced,
land paying you the first week in advance"
Before she could thank him he was gone.
Something frightened in her throat. HE is
sweet" she thought.
Eventually o'clock came. Nicky fingered.
She had no idea what her hours were and did
not care.
AT half past five Bill doomed over her desk
again. He had changed from overalls, and it
was evident that his tailor well chosen.
IT wonder if you will go to dinner with me,~
he said. IT know that sounds awfully crude
but-well, want to talk to you and don't get
much chance around here. You-you won't
misunderstand?"
"Of course not" said Nicky
How could she? He was going to ask her
about the murder. She felt it in each of her
200 bones.
He had a car outside. He helped her in
swung in himself. AS he drove, he talked about
many things and when finally he stopped his
car, its headlights illumined stretch of hars
Dor, and ships at their mornings.
st hope you like fish," he said. This place
is famous for it."
The restaurant was actually built on an old
fish wharf, he explained. The atmosphere had
been preserved
His reason for bringing her not referred
to until they had finished their dinner. Then
his eyes met hers.
IN make this as brief possible" he prom
ised. 81 hate to bring it up at all. but you win
have TO face it sooner or later That landladY