Evening star., 1933-10-18

A minute later he stood wavering
herded him into the adjoining compartl
"Psst. I make the mend. say the
pardon. make the embrace-fool!'
The two were at it again, glaring with
indrawn breath and tensed muscles.
The tall young man removed his bat
tered hat. Even the close crop of his
hair, reddish and damp, too. with the
heat and the hurry, failed to tame its
stubborn growth.
Surprising how any one finds any
| thing in this hubbub," he said "All
right, men. get those bags out Of the
aisle. II the ladies care to remain,
shall be delighted to have them share
this compartment" The quizzical gray
eyes that had flashed message of COM
mand to the porter returned to Sue.
Then the occupant Of this compart-
ment wasn't an invalid. He wasn't a
poor devil. He was another kind Of
devil. The rich kind that buy compart-
ments for the pleasure Of putting poor
people out of their seats. Sue retrieved
her coat. Resentment flared up within
her again, brushing her cheeks to angry
crimson.
Porter" she ordered, ignoring the
| tall young man in the doorway, take
! the bags where they belong. We couldn't
think of intruding on those who OBJ
viously are so fond Of their own
| company"
The tall young mans chin thrust out
| as though it had been f1icked by rough
hand. Then he smiled, extracted a case
from his vest pocket, chose cigarette,
and lighted 1t while the ladies gathered
their effects and followed the muttering
Phjllipe through the door
The next compartment was, as Sue
suspected it would be, filled. Space for
Mathilda and herself, opposite each
| other, next to the passage. Reluctantly,
earlier comers made room for them. The
baggage racks were crowded. Sue spread
her coat over her lap. No use having
it tied into a knot.
Miss Fetherstone leaned forward and
tapped Sue on the knee.
Il think we'd have done better to
stay where we were," she said. trying
to edge herself inconpicuously into her
due OF the allotted space. The young
Sue shut her lips tight to stem the
bitterness that bubbled behind them.
Then: I'D walk to Havre first"
Tired of polite maneuver, Mathilda
showed herself backward and settled
into her seat. Sue closed her eyes. The
man next to her was being unpleasant
about close quarters. He was making
them closer than need be. Perhaps if
she ignored the fellow, shut herself up
behind the wall of her thoughts, he
would cease annoying her. Shed try.
Homeward bound. A few hours and
she would be on the ship, bound for
New York. A few days and she would
be back in the grind. Back on the tread
mill 1yho ~, rlCck would ka riy, o.
and she would drag herself up from
sleep, listening, hoping against hope that
the girl across the hall had not beaten
her to the bath.
Five days, six at the most, between
herself and the treadmill. With the
Summer no more than memory. No,
not even that-not even a memory. She
would have to blot it out of her mind.
Thinking about it, imagining all she
had missed, would be an aggravation
she could not endure. Like canker in
her heart.
With what high hope she had set out
upon the journey that was to be the
realization of all her youthful dreams.
leaped forward to anticipate the thrill
ing scenes of which she would be q
part, the fascinating people she would
meet, the gay adventure, the romance.
Life, so enriched, would never be the
same again, never be dull. never be q
succession of weary hours marked by
punches in time clocks.
She remembered the morning hope
was born. She was 10 minutes late for
work. There had been delay on the
subway. Sammy, the office boy was
waiting for her, working out cross
word puzzle on her desk when she
reached the Office.
The boss wants to see you" Sammy
meant to inspire awe. Hes been
waiting"
Hes early, isn't he?" Sue said hurry
ing her hat into drawer of her desk
and reaching for pencil and notebook
| Scudding along an aisle flanked by
desks, Sue paused before a door with
frosted glass, marked Private" If she
was to be taken to task for being 10
minutes late! Shed have had time tc
spare If it hadn't been for the subway
tie-up. She opened the door and stepped
into the room.
You wanted to see me, Mr..
Hume" Her voice trailed of to a
note, but still it was there. If she
should lose her job!
Yes. Miss Santry" A brisk man at
desk between two long windows
looked up from the papers he was
studying "It is necessary for me to
go to Paris to close q deal for the
firm. l will need two stenographers
to look after the clerical work. I have
decided to take Miss Fetherstone, and
I should like to have you 60 along to
assist her-that Is If there is nothing
to prevent your making such a trip
That was the way the gates Of dreams
had opened for her, Sue Santry. Now
the gates were closing. Gone and
never a chance for her to explore, even
little way, the beautiful Dreamland
emerged. Back to the treadmill. Back
to alarm clock Back to the punches
and the time clock The injustice OF
i si IA Ia <a1rn,e araix,