The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-03-17

orandum for you. You're 80 prick
" with pride that I want you to
know haven't created the job on
the spur of the moment"
He drew three typed sheets of
paper clipped together from O draw
err and slid them across the desk.
Ellen read them, wondering. The
first was from Lorene Elcott. the
buyer of misses dresses. She need.
ed an assistant buyer and asked for
suggestion. The second, from
Steven to her, recited Ellen's quali-
fications and asked for the buyers
approval. Across the bottom Of the
sheet Lorene had scrawled 20. X.
Jet me see her." The third con-
tanned a brief request that Ellen
call in Stevens Office.
"These buyers are emperors
and expresses In their own fields,
Steven explained as Ellen looked
up at him. Miss Elcott telephoned
me about Is minutes ago asking
you to come to see her some time
this morning"
Ellen glanced again at the slips
in her hand. A faint color rose IN
her face. It was the dream OF
every salesgirl to become a buyer.
dream few realized. Buyers
moved in world apart from ordi.
nary employees. They came and
went almost at will. The girl felt
an unexpected thrill at the idea Of
becoming included In such q select
group, O. thrill that was colored by
the thought of leaping over the
heads of her fellows and escaping
the reach of their cruel tongues.
"Don't think I'm impertinent,"
she said with youthful awkward
ness, "but did you suggest me Tor
this lob because you thought
was qualified to be q buyer or be-
cause--you liked me?"
IT was afraid you'd ask that" he
responded with o rueful, confused
laugh. "1'll try to be honest. ! think
It was O mixture of the two. You're
Intelligent and you have taste ana
that qualities you. AS for the rest
did suggest you because Ike you
although that's a pale way OF
putting It,"
Ellen flushed furiously.
You're to understand there are
no strings to the job" he remark
ed suddenly, flushing In turn. But
you do understand that, don't your
He longed to tell her, he wanted
her to know, that she held o place
human being. He wanted her to
know that it was not O prosaic,
workaday Job that he desired to lay
in her lap but everything beautiful
and lovely in the world. Jewels she
should have-jewels and furs and
clothes. He wanted to wrap her In
the.garment Of his love and lay the
world at her feet. But he lacked
the words to say those things.
Ellen suspected dimly what 1t
must have cost him to say SO little.
How easy and simple he had made
her path and with what infinite gra-
ciousness he had done so! In her
gratitude and relief she was near
saying just then the words that he
longed to her.
II know you wouldn't tie strings
| to anything you offered" she said
at last tremulously, feeling for the
second time q subtle, treacherous
weakness running through her
body. II could never think that.
I know you're the kindest man
I've ever met"
The kindest man she had ever
met! Steven would have preferred
something else, perhaps. But she
had said that. His dark eyes light
ed. He leaned across the desk that
separated them.
Then you won't be afraid Of me
any more, Elem"
mo"
you won't suspect my motives
AGAIN." y
mo" she murmured.
How grateful she was just then!
| How much she admired and re-
spected him! Victory was In Stew
ems hands. As he reached out to
grasp II the telephone on the desk
rang shatteringly. The moment
was gone and the spell that had en-
| trapped the girl was broken.
Though he removed the receiver
and did not answer Barclay saw
that Ellen was relieved, saw that
the telephone had robbed him Of
his triumph. He was too wise to at
tempt to recapture O mood that
had passed.
"You'd better see Miss Elcott i'm
mediately," he said in matter Of
fact way.
"I'il do that. And thank you
again"
AS the girl slipped out Of the
Office she-wondered.
ITO Be COntinued)