The Washington times., 1932-12-21
CHAPTER K

a word he went on:
"A man in an office trains
himself not to take a personal
or sentimental interest in the
young women he sees there all
day long. It's one of the rules
Of good business that he should
see them simply as fellow
workers. think that's why
I've accustomed myself to think
of you simply as a valuable
assistant of mine and not as
the very attractive girl that you
are"
Mary Faith looked at him
gravely. That had not been
Ki1n's way of looking at the
girl who worked in his office.
For an instant Kim's fate
was in her mind. flushed and
sullen as she had seen it that
last morning in Haltnorth Park.
For an instant she could hear
his voice telling her once more
that he had fallen in love with
the Janet-girl in his office.
And now let's see about
these letters. - Mark Mes
bits voice brought her back to
the present.
1t was three o'clock when
she finished her work.
LOTUS will come for you
tomorrow morning along about
eleven" Mark Nesbit told her
when she was leaving. You're
the real victim if this accident
of mine, Mary Faith. Coming
out here every day for the next
couple of weeks isn't going to
be very pleasant for you"
ooh, I really enjoyed coming
out here today. 1t was like
playing hooky from school"
Mary Faith beamed at him
from the threSnold.
From the landing, on her
way downstairs, she could look
into an astonishingly large
room at the end of the hall:
A room of great carved tables
and wide sofas, gilt picture
frames that Shone in the fire
glow, twin crystal chandeliers
that looked like two frozen
fountains, books and maga-
zines everywhere. A room that
had a comfortable lived in"
look in spite of its size and
Splendor.
InSpects the Room.
Mary Faith gaZed at it as
she might have gazed at one OF
the model rooms on the top
floor of Hanscombe's furniture
store downtown.
Not for one fleeting second
oil she picture herself in it.
When she got back into the
plum-colored car there was a
bunch Of roses lying on the
seat. They were wrapped in
heavy brown paper.
"Miz Nesbit, she lef' dem
dere for YOU" Lotus told her.
"She had to go to Circle meet
in, but she says was to tell
you she got all her rose bushes
wrop in paper like you said.
Dat glass room where she
grow her flowers is turrible
cold when de winds in de
north"
He started the car. well,
here we takes our life in our
hands again, Miss Fenton. We
dom have ice and snow over all
de roads down in Georgia where
Miz Nesbit's old home is, no
ma ami" he said. 1--WE got it
nice and warm down dere."
His voice had the slow deep
roll of his own Suwannee River.
Mary Faith, was carrying the
roses in her arms when she
walked into the office at half
past four. Jean Bartlett took
a long look at them, got up
from her desk and followed
her into her little office.
We'll, I certainly hope you
had a pleasant afternoon at
the meeting of the Garden
Club, Miss Fenton," she said
in a mock society voice. "Or
did you play bridge and were
these the BOBBY prize?"
Mr.. Nesbit's mother gave
them to me-" Mary Faith ex-
planned, laughing. Aren't they
lovely?. She grows them her
self. I'm going to give half Of
them to you."
Jean Questions
did you meet his sisters,
too, Mary Faith?" Jean asked.
whats their house like? What
did you have for lunch? Are
you going out again tomor-
row?" Her questions ratified
around Mary Faiths head like
bullets.
Then she counted the roses
that lay on the desk.
Two dozen of them! Does
the woman keep greenhouse?
You must have a terrible
drag with her already. Mary
Faith, to have her hang a
bouquet like that on you" she
remarked in her sharp way.
mo. l haven't any drag
with her at all, Jean. She's
Just plain nice. She and Mr..
Nesbit treated me as if I were
some honored guest in their
hAOSe instead of inst q Sacre.