The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-04


 noon Marcia telephones Jim and asks him to meet her at . tea room. He comes and they drive away in his roadster.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 June. drew to close. Then one afternoon as Jim Wallace was dic- tating some correspondence the tele- phone rang.
 ''swallace speaking" he said abruptly. For an instant there was no reply. Wallace speak" he be- gan again but a feminine voice cut in.
 "Is it you, Jim ?"
 Yes" he said and his tone had changed entirely. Is anything wrong?"
 .sNo. Yes. oh, Jim want to see you. I'm at, the Pine Grove tea room. Can't you come over?"
 "I can get there in 20 minutes Afraid I couldn't make it any sooner"
 "Then I'ls wait. Thanks, dear. I'll be looking for you!"
 Very well," said Jim. He spoke curtly with glance at Miss Otis. the secretary. He put down the telephone and returned to the letter before him. Let's see now. Just where were We"
 Its the letter to the Wells-Fai child Co. Shall I read what you've already given .me?"
 "Yes. please" The young mans forehead knitted. He finished the letter and dictated two more.
 That's all for to-day. Miss Otis. If anyone calsl say you don't eX- pcct me back. Tell Mills I'll turn that brief over to him in the morn- ing in case he asks. Well-rll see you tomorrow"
 He swung on his hat and disap- peared through the door. Tn 10 minutes he was entering a fashion, able downtown tea room. a place more frequented by women than by men. Across to the right at a small table he saw a familiar figure in blue. Jim made a line for this table. .+ ss,ea ,
 'sWell," he said, as he drew. out 8 chair, lam I on time?".
 The girl smiled up at him from beneath the bfim of her blue hat. Two minutes early" she informed him. "I hope didn't interrupt any tremendously important workings of the law?"
 Mot likely" Jim drowned slight ly. Listen, Marcia. do you think it was wise to come here?"
 The blue-gray eyes were innocent. "No." she admitted. "but Aunt Ellen has the Sewing Circle at the house and I wanted to see you. l couldn't come to your office. What else was there to do?"
 hsv10 n ordered?"
 "Yes. I had soda while was waiting. Won't you have some-
 Wallace shook his head. i've got the car outside" he said. Let's go somewhere"
 Marcia agreed. They left together and the girl stepped into the green roadster and Jim took the wheel. The engine purred gently as the car pulled away from the curb. Eff teen minutes later the roadster was swinging into a country road.
 CHAPTER XXxXVII.
 The girls shoulder touched Jim's. She was sitting low in the road ster. leaning back, chin raised to wind. The faint odor of perfume reached his nostrils. He stole glance at the pale, clear-cut pro- file. Marcia's lips were like gash of crimson. He could just see the gold of her hair beneath the hat brim. <.
 ''Where are we going?" Marcia asked without glancing up. sg
 Nowhere. Marcia, we can't go on like this. You shouldn't have telephoned me this afternoon and I ought not to have left the office. Don't you see it's dangerous?"
 Dangerous? Perhaps Marcia Phillips was pleased with the word She did not speak for several mo- ments. Then she said, "All right. You'd better turn around and take me back"
 Jim drove as though he had not heard. ''It isn't just to-day I'm talk ing about" he said. we've been seeing too much of each other, Mar cia. You know Forest City. as we'll as I do. Someone will cay some thing one of these days and then the whole town will start. You know what they'll say. I'd be fine one to let you in for a lot of ma- "Are you thinking of me. Jim?"
 I'm thinking of all of us. You and Gypsy The name slipped from him unconsciously and he looked slightly embarrassed. "Oh. you know yourself it's the right thing!" he wound up weakly.
 ''It's mostly because of-her. isn't it?' Marcia asked slowly. Do you think she suspects anything?"
 That's not the point, Marcia.