Evening star., 1932-10-02
CHAPTER I4.


TT took Judy long while to go to
sleep that night. She said to Elsie:
But I can't let Dick do whatever
i he intends to do. He shouldn't.
It isn't right" She got no further.
Elsie would not listen.
Hes doing what he wants to do.
He's got good Job, and lot OF
people like him. Like him lot better
than they like Elton Day, I'll bet. And
if he can do something for you. then let
him. Andsgo to sleep, will you2'
So, when her eyes would not stay
open, when her mouth would form no
more objections. Judy slept. And then
Elsie pulled the covers up aIouno
Judy,s small round face and left the
room very quietly.
And if, in her own room, she stared
at Dick Mason's picture for long time,
and if she brushed her eyes, once, Win
a large strong hand, Judy never knew,
nor did Dick. ;.
And then it was morning. And it
rained.
The first thing Judy saw was the
rain slanting down outside her WlnooW.
The rain had come in. The carpet was
soaked. And the little blue shoes, Ior-
gotten. cast aside, were peuraseieo'
crump!ed, ruined forever.
A bad way to start day. So much
so that she closed her eyes. she 1erKeo
the covers up over her head, sne salo
again. I'm not going to do 1t. IL not
90 down there again. I don't want 10
see Elton Day. I don't want the Jop.
I want to go home.
Home? The word made her sit up.
Home? Never!
She was almost dressed, no more tnan
five minutes later. when there was
booming rap on the door
Come in" Judy said.
Elsie's head appeared around the cor
ner of the door.
going places, we are. 80,
But shouldn't you be at WorK?
Elsie grinned
I'm the kind of girl nobody misses,
Judy. l could be gone month ana
the only thing anybody'd say would pe'
Where's that homely girl who used 70
be around here?' I gives va m word,
lady. It's tn truth"
Judy laughed.
And if you were gone more than q
dav the Office would stop running ana
they'd be sending a police squad to
make you come back" she said. Ihey
couldn't get along without you, Elsie,
and you know it"
Elsie nodded.
That's right. And SO what? So l
could eat an elephant on toast. 30
let's see if they have any elephants at
the corner restaurant"
There were no elephants. But there
was coffee, not very good and toast,
not very warm, and bacon, not very
crisp, and eggs, not very new YET
none Of that mattered. somehow
listening to Elsie, Judy had forgotten
all about the rain. Somehow remem-
bering Dick Mason's confident smile,
she had forgotten to worry about Elton
Day, and about Iona Burdette, VINO
always made trouble.
Judy felt her chin stiffen. Shed
never had to fight with anybody be-
fore, but she could. She could fight
lust as hard as Iona Burdette. And
harder. She was sure.
She reached for the checks.
"Uh-uh," Elsie said. Swallowing
last lusty bite of toast. she repeated
firmly, "Uh-uh." And, Come on. Judy.
Let's go where we ought to De.
car stopped. jerked forward, stopped
again, judy knew her heart was pound
ing knew she vas afraid, knew she
wanted to be anywhere else in the world
but bacl: st WAoA, where she would
be in a moment.
She sai1, suddenly, I'm sorry, Elsie,
! cant CO it"
why rot?'
Its too much"
"Oh?9 Elsie stared at her. Listen,
Judy, I thought .'ol wanted to stay IN
Chicago I thought yol Gidnt want to
90 home and s-v2 up.
L Go. TIA. Is, I don't. 1 mea,l-
Elsie laughed You mean you're
going to walk ri-h- into thet broad
casting place as ii you owned it. And
you're going TO get that job before you
ccme cut You hear me, Judy AlliSon?'
Judy heard But panic rose again
when, getting out of the CAD in front
of the building, she discovered that
Elsie had no intention Of joining her.
"Uh-uh," said Elsie. L brought you
here, but III be no help to you from
now on. I'm going On down to the
office. And you phone me when you're
all fixed up for that job. Here's the
number. She scrthbled it on bit OF
paper. "And-better take this, too,
judy. Lunch money" She handed
Judy creased, bearded dollar bill.
That was the touch that did the
work Perhaps Elsie knew it would.
Charity! 1t was almost like that, Judy
knew People having to help her, peo-
pie having to take care of her, having
to make her stand up for herself. She
didn't need help and judy Allison
didn't take dollar bills from any one,
not even from Elsie.
NO" she said Thanks, Elsie. I've
enough. And Ill see you when I get
the job" Then, because there was
lump in her throat and she knew Elsie
would hate to be thanked, Go on away,
will you? Can't girl be left alone
at all?"
Elsie chuckled, and the taxicab moved
away. And now, going in through the
tall doors, Judy saw what she had seen
before-saw girls hurrytng, showing for
places in the elevator: saw an enormous
man with a bass fiddle trying to wedge
himself and the fiddle into a corner
far too small; saw two small boys-the
boys, Dick had told her, who did
'Skippy" on the air More and more
people jammed into the car.
All these people trying to get on the
air. Some of them must be on the air,
of course. Judy tried turning to see II
she knew any Of the faces. No. There
was a man with a double chin and a
mustache who might be-who was Paul
Whiteman. But he wouldn't remember
her now, even if he had been SO
gracious last night. she remembered
the first Whiteman record she bought,
when she was freshman in high
school. A long time ago, she thought.
A long time ago, when she was at home
and never thought about Chicago, and
thought it was enough just going to
parties once in a while and practicing
eight hours some days, four hours every
day. And now
The car stopped. the people streamed
out, and Judy, tossed this way, that
way. stepped back hurriedly to escape
a scowling woman who apparently was
about to sing a high c, and stepped
squarely into some one else, and turned.
oh" said Elton Day. Hello, Miss
Allison. Visiting us again?"