Evening star., 1932-04-19
CHAPTER vi.
ROGER CAMERON'S ADVICE.

sented the intrusion-or that
he was willing to have the favor asked.
will you take me into the ONCE Of
the paper mill, Mr.. Cameron-give me
an Office position?"
Then, quickly. before he could an
sWer, II know I haven't much to offer
that is, in the way of training. But
can learn. I could do filing. Or
figures-Im quick at figures. I do a
lot of the bookkeeping here. And I'd
try so awfully hard!"
A moment of silence while the mans
bright gray eyes went over the vivid
appealing face as though he appraised
her
Then he shook his head mo. And
I'll tell you why, my girl-you're too
pretty. If I took you into the office,
before a week was out some fool man
would lose his head over you. I'd be
lucky if it was only one! Wasted time.
Hard feelings. incoming around. No.
MOI"
Joyce had dropped as he talked, and
the violet eyes were dark with feeling.
The smoldering rebellion he read in
her face prompted him to ask curl
ously: Why are you so set on getting
into the Office of the mill?"
I'm not trained for office work, :"
she answered honestly I've thought
but knew I couldn't fill typist's po-
sition. Once 1 wanted to go to school
and learn shorthand and typing-but
somehow I didn't get there. :"
The girls voice trailed away. She
would never forget the scene when she
had asked her uncle to send her to the
Riverton Business College. The dishes
had ratified on the shelves with the ex-
plosion Aunt Clara had cried. Mad
i tive iy1 nj ipr
Mysteries had put sudden ana I'M
expected end TO the scene. But Joyce
had never asked again.
Now there was an edge OF despera-
ton in her voice.
"Oh, I've got to do something to get
away from-this!" She flung her hand
at the shadowy room. II feel like a
fly in a web! want to rise-to be
some onel'
Roger Cameron was not so much lis
tening to Joyce as looking at her.
A glorious young fury! Eyes like
purple flames in her white face
and that dark red mop of hair.
For a moment admiration stirred in
Roger Cameron's dry old heart. But
a sour hunor stirred as well. 1t would
be as soothing as taking net Of hor-
nets into the Office. Young Carriers
would go off his head about her. And
even that old fool Montgomery
Nevertheless he felt secret sympathy
for the rebel. Unsuspected, old Roger
had been a rebel for years.
II won't take you in the Office" he
said testify, but I'll give you some
darned sound advice. You're stuck
here. You're set in the town life. If
you want to better yourself, leave this
town. Go to the city"
ITO the city?"
Sure. You're a bright girl And
o pretty one. You'll get chances there
you'll never get here"
ITO the city," Joyce repeated. There
was a dry little edge to her laugh.
''On what"
Roger Cameron shrugged and picked
up his hat. After all 1t was none Of
his affair. BY the time he had reached
the porch he had put the whole subject
from his mind-the deal with the Free
Press was so much more engrossing.
Alone in the shaded dining room.
Joyce folded her arms on the desk and
laid her head on them. Sick disappoint-
ment in her heart-and wry sense Of
humor
Go to the city Howq When she
didn't have a cent of her own? Ezra
did not believe in spelling his niece
with money He'd given her a roof
and board, hadn't he? He let her keep
her own tips and buy clothes with
them. Well, thenI And after all,
what did a 20-year- girl need money
for when she had a good home! Only
put foolish ideas in girls heads and
the Lord knows they didn't need any
new onesl
Like fly in a web Joyce thought
duly. A fly-struggling futilely in
spider web.
The shrill ring of the telephone
made her jump painfully.
Norman's voice coming over the wire
to drive the color from her face.
Hello Joyce?" Embarrassed
constraint in his tone "Say, honey
I've been trying to get you all day and
tell you why didn't show up last night
I just got showed under. You know
some people came in and-and I was
stuck. I suppose you're peeved at me
but I couldn't help it"
Joyce drew a long breath. Her lips
twisted in proud little smile.
"Oh-no wasn't angry"
Good little kidd" Relief and false
heartiness in his voice. IF I could
have skipped out I would have; you
know that, don't you"
''Of course"
your voice sounds funny. You're
angry with me- aren't you?"
Joyce had closed her eyes. The
sharp edge of the transmitter was dig
ging into her cheek.
'I can't talk she lied. There's
some one here"
No question about the relief in his
voice now. ooh, that's 1t. Well =.
I'll get down tomorrow, If can. /
I'm tied up tonight again-some of
mothers friends, you know
"Oh yes"
Joyce heard him hang up at the
other cad She carefully replaced the
receiver. Then, with sudden murderous
revulsion of feeling she struck the
phone to the floor and burst into tears.
1t was the end. Norman was begin
ming to evade her. He had come down
last night because he was afraid to stay
away. but he was already chaf1ng to
terminate their affair. She was losing
him to Natalie Cameron. The spider
web holding her fast.
After a moment Joyce stopped and
carefully picked up the telephone. She
went upstairs to her own bed room and
flung herself on the bed.
Maddy was sitting in a low rocker by
the window turning up the hem Of
pink georgette dress. She stopped TO
bite thread while she looked over at
her cousin with bright, curious eyes.
Whats Wrong?"
Just tired" came Joyce's mufied
voice She lay motionleSs on the bed,
as though utterly spent. One arm was
flung over her eyes as though she
shielded them from the glare of the
windoW-or hid her face that Maddy
might not read it. In. spite OF the
cheap pink underwear-she had pulled
off her dress for coolness-there was
something so graceful about the long
slender body, something so lovely about
the satin sheen Of her skin and the