Evening star., 1932-08-16

fingers Cramming the suit into the
brief case that her father had used for
SO many years, she emerged fearfully
Her heart was clamoring so that she
could scarcely breathe.
Reaching the station, she thrust the
$40 note under the ticket window graf
ing, and waited impatiently for the
change, conscious Of number of per-
sons behind here. Jean was the first
passenger inside the train, but she did
not feel safe until she was actually on
her way to New York. Right now she
was too excited and apprehensive TO
realize the enormity Of her action. Re-
morse was to come later. Now, she
must think what to do, for she was not
only running away from Jim, but the
man from whom she had borrowed
money without his consent.
She decided that her brief case would
have to serve as luggage for the night,
also that she would get as far away
from the vicinity of West Tenth street
as possible. Her father planned to send
her to Columbia University long ago,
and now an irresistible impulse drew
| her to that neighborhood. At Pennsyl-
vania Station she changed to the sub
| way and went uptown, where she be-
gan a canvas of clubs and rooming
houses. The influx of Summer students
| had absorbed most of the moderate
priced rooms and she had to search
| long time before she found a room
commensurate with the small amount
of money which she had in her purse
Luck was with her finally, however, and
a grumbling landlady conducted her to
the fourth floor, and awarded her
cubby hole in the rear for S6 week.
Jean closed the door and looked at
hI1U i
emotions. 1t had the advantage of be-
ing clean, at least, and certainly her
person was inviolate here. She hung up
her bathing suit and placed a few toilet
articles she had bought at drug store
on the dresser. She counted the money
left in her purse. Would that last un-
til she earned more? AS fer eating. she
felt that she would never again want
anything to eat. The very thought of
food reyolted her
Weary and sick in body and soul: she
crept into bed. She soon fell into
disturbed. troubled sleep. She had no
notion of how long a time had elapsed
when she was brought back to con-
seriousness by knock at the door. In
stantly she was in a panic Her folly
of the afternoon then loomed gigantic
She had been traced here and the police
were at her door,
Softly she crept out Of bed and stole
TO the window, where she waited with a
thuddlng heart. She would never sub
init TO arrest. never! She saw
then, that the screen was in the way
and with frantic, futile fingers tried to
pry 1t loose, so that she could fling her
self TO the courtyard below If the door
was broken open. But nothing hap
pened except the sound of receding
footsteps echoing on the linoleum- COW
cred hall. Her tension relaxed and Jean
dropped to the floor, sobbing hysteri-
cally.
1t was not long until another knock
came at the door. This time it was a
gentle, tapping sort Of knock that some
how managed to convey the impression
OF kindness. Jean got up, biting her
lips for composure. and taking the bed
spread from the bed, wound it about
her nude little body. Then she opened
the door.
This must be my day for redheads. 4"
thought Jean, for the girl On the
threshold had mass of red hair: a
tall, slender sprite of a girl, several
years older than Jean. with round blue
eyes and a few freckles on her tilted
little nose. She had bundle Of towels
over her arm.
Our landlady brought these up a
while ago, but you didn't answer the
door, so 1 told her I've give them to you
when you came in"
Jean did not answer. She merely
stared back. her big gray eyes full of
frouble, valiantly fighting back the
fears, not trusting herself to speak.
With quick understanding, the girl
stepped in and closed the door. Placing
hhe towels on the washstand, she came