Evening star., 1932-01-30

/ covered that most things IN thlS
| world had price. Certainly fur
coats had price when they were
worn by poorly paid cashiers in
cheap dairy lunchrooms. Judy had
taken this job under the name of Miss
from suspecting the truth Some
wealthy friend" who discreetly lin
gered in the background seemed logical
explanation for the coat. Some friend
with whom the girl had quarreled, per-
haps-or who had tired of her.
This solution seemed borne out fur
ther when Judy appeared at work
Monday morning looking unusually
white and wretched. Judy had put in
the night fighting strange new fears q.
desperate planning-half hoping-half
fearing AS with every young wife,
the possibility had loomed large in the
early days of her marriage. The mir
acle of birth-and a child with STAINS
dark eyes, his willful winning ways. &.
All very well, the frightened girl told
herself, when that child would come
into the world amid the comfort and
security of the Carter house in Lock
wood But now! But now. =. Fierce
rebellion mounting in her This was
ul-de-sac of fate! Just when she got
in corner this had to happen She
was resentful, paniCky. Lying awake in
the cold dark room. listening to the
faint hacking cough in the next room.
Fear, pressing on her breast like
Sinbad's old man Of the sea.
But in the morning, her own familiar
white face in the glass .. the need Of
hurrying down to work-the dreary
routine which was becoming so familiar
these reassured her. Oh-things
would work out all right. Perhaps she
was mistaken.
Pete Constantine, looking at the
girls blue eyes, dark and enormous in
face grown perceptibly thinner, placed
his own Interpretation on affairs
You don't look so good" he null
INJURED, leaning on the counter as she
slipped out of her coat and seated her
self on the cashiers stool. Maybe you
don't like your job, eh?"
Her heart leaped at what she con-
sidered the menace in his tone. AL
ways the breath taking fear OF losing
her job. ..
oh. I'm fine. Maybe-a little cold
coming on. You know, this cold Wea-
ther"
You got nice warm coat. =" His
eyes were like black beads held be-
tween two flashy folds of flesh, she
thought with distaste But she an
swered gently, fighting down her repul-
siOn-never suspecting the suspicion in
his mind: "Oh, yes. It's fine for this
weather
Throughout the morning she felt his
scrutiny. Always, when she lifted her
head from her work, there he was in
the back of the restaurant, watching
her Did he suspect that she was not
handling the cash right! Was he pick
ing flaws in her work ready to fire her
80. ? The thought made Judy go chill
with fear, Oh, she must keep this job
She was beWildered when he came
to relieve her at her noon hour. You
take extra half hour, eh? I'll stay here
an make change Girls like to go
around looking at pretty things in the
shop windows, l know" He laughed,
with soft intake of his breath. You
go look around and see what you like
to buy-if you got money, eh?"
Judy forced smile, for he seemed
to expect it. AS she left, however, worry
gathered in her mind Was there cash
missing? Was that why he told her to
take that hour? So that he could check
in her absence? But the cash had bal
anced each night to a penny.
She went out to wander aimlessly in
the streets. There was a hint of
Christmas in the air, though it was
only the last of November The streets
were decorated-tall street lights draped
in white cotton, to simulate snow for
this western city which never had q
white Christmas. She thought of holi-
days back in Summerfeld. Roads piled
high with drifts. Windows cleaning
yellow over banks Of white Bare trees,
cloaked in ermine. Skating out at Mill
Pond. Happy granddaughter rising
on the thin air. Bright sweaters swoop-
ing across the pond. Ken Baker and
herself striking out together in long
free StreakS across the ice ..
II, in that happy careless time she
could have looked ahead and seen her
self scurrying along the streets of
strange city practically homeless.
Down at Lockwood the big homes
would be standing snug and CHEEKY in
the midst of their Winter fiower-gar-
denS. The toyon berries would be hang
ing in red clusters among the green
leaveS-California'S rougish parady of
holly. Big eucalyptus logs blazing in
great fireplaces, filling the rooms with
pungent incense. The smoky blue
light of November lowering under the
live-oaks on the green hills. e.
This was what she had run away
from. -.
Mary's boys running in, rosy and
breathless from play. And this time
next year-Judy caught her breath.
Walked faster against the wind sweep
ing about the corners.
Hot pride, surging back to straighten
her shoulders. No-she'd run away
from the humiliating position of being
an unWanted wife! She wanted no
man who didn't want heri
She sat on bench in Union Square
and watched the crowds surging by on
the pavement Cars drawing up &.
chauffeurS opening doors. Women get
ting out-sleek, we'll fed women in warm
furs. Now and then the flash of dia-
monds on some ungloved hand. Women
with packages-children rosy, well fed
children bouncing up and down on the
cushions :. Children had a right to
be rosy and well fed. This time next
year.
Judy found that she was walking
swiftly down the street, hands
clenched, breath coming painfully. Oh,
she would manage somehow. She must
manage! 1t mustn't suffer because of
Stan and herself Poor little thing
:. poor helpless thing! Well, she had
this fur coat. She could sell it for
enough to see her through And her
wrist watch. She thought with bitter
envy of Eunice's platinum and diamond
watch. This was platinum but 1t
wouldn't bring much, 1t was only set
with chip sapphires.
The thought of the watch brought
mn ed nr i'm nf ~ A,... = 4