Nogales international., 1933-06-03
thought.
He raised his hat and was gone.
e 4

thought.
He raised his hat and was gone.
Joyce was frankly disappointed.
"He might have said he's like to see
me again." she thought. then added
"But oh dear, I've no right to go about
being charmed by Strange nenl Why
oh why, did | have to meet so vital and
intelligent a man-it1l only make life
harder for mel"
She opened the book, too upset in her
thoughts at first to grasp what she saw
| !, Beneath the sketch was written, II
an exceedingly beautiful handwriting,
Robert A;nsworth !"
1t was inevitable that Joyce should
think great deal about Robert Aims
worth in the days that followed. She
was an emotional girl, of warm,
staunch enthusiasrns and Robert Aims
worth won her unbounded admiration.
That she should ever meet him had
not cntered her widest dreams. In fact,
had she been introduced to him. she
would have been tongue-tied, covered
with the confusion Of awe. Even look
ing back. ~on their conversation, she
blushed to think how boldly she
had advanced her opinions before him !
At the same time, she glowed with the
realization that she had been absolutely
herself. and that he had regarded her
as at least intelligent enough to talk to.
1t had been such relief to shed the
mantle of Frills Packard and discuss
with frankaess the things that she,
Joyce Ashton. was interested III, that
she knew she had been unusually viva
cicuS and lacking in shyness. Apparent
ly, however, Ainsworth had been no
more than casually interested. He had
left her without protest, and ne had
made no effort to see her again. He had
notsdespised her intelligence. but he had
been indifferent TO her femininity! All
at once Joyce found this somewhat
bitter.
Days, went by and Joyce drifted on
until oie day she drew her thoughts up
sharply. She had allowed herself to
grow forgetful of her situation. to
viseaiize Frilis Packard as a separate
person, and to consider herself as de-
tacfed from Neil ard Matt and the
wtoic life in Manzanita. Little as she
had grown used to it. Friiis svos her
self ! Frilis' husband was her husband
Neil Packard: her husband. Neil,
! whom she had no more than barely
spoken to, but on whose bounty she
had been so lavishly living: here was
problem enough to occupy her. More
and more the subject Of his return grew
on her as formidable reality.
Joyce had time during these two
weeks to wonder about the friends she
had left in the East. Did they ever
think about herr She had been Secre-
tafy to one of the members OF the l.y-
man -Warde firm of advertising agents
| Mr.. John X. Lyman was an elderly. i'm
personal gentlemen who had never ap-
peared to recognize the fact that shf
might have a life outside of the otf7ce
At the end Of three years of this sor
Of existence Joyce was deatfty sick o
, the city and the monotonouS routine o
her days. from the early morning
scramble for her turn in the bathroom
to the evening crush IN the crowded
stuFy trolley cars.
/ Joyce had made sudden desperat
decision to get out Of It all an
try some other part Of the country
. Recklessly she gave up her position
sold her few Liberty Bonds, bought
ticket for San Francisco with stoI
over privileges at Chicago and Denve
! said goodbye to her friends, ar