The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-24
CHAPTER TWO


aware when her employer arose and
left the Office and that half an hour
later he returned. That meant he
had lunched
Hamilton drove all those who
worked for him, but he drove him
self even more strenuously. He
probably would remain at his desk
throughout the afternoon.
"Finished?" He looked up and
smiled as she laid the letters on his
desk.
"All but the memorandum"
Haven't had lunch, have your"
Janet said that she had not. Her
employer rested his arms on his
desk.
Leave the memo until Monday,
Hamilton suggested indulgently. 1T
can wait. Been keeping you over
time too much lately"
Il don't mind" Janet began, but
the half-hearted offer was silenced.
Hamilton was in one Of those rare
moods when he realized that those
who worked with him were human
beings instead of machines. At such
times he was kindness and consid-
Grafton itself.
ITS fine afternoon" he said.
Take Walk-get out in the park
treat yourself to a real holiday"
20 q ,f
course she had no idea of doing any
such thing The birthday party
for Rolf would give her more pleas
IRE than any outing could.
Janet put paper and pencils away,
cleared her desk and drew the oil
cloth cover over her typewriter. A
moment later, wearing the year-old
felt hat, her coat over her arm,
Janet paused in the doorway.
"Goodby until Monday" she said,
smiling
"Goodby."
Two minutes later she emerged
through the street door into the
early afternoon traffic. A fine aft
ernoon it was, as Mr. Hamilton had
said Late February sunshine shone
down warmly. Across the street
where there had been a patch of
snow the earth was moist now and
dark.
The wind, cool and refreshing
struck Janet's cheeks and brought
delicate surge of color into the
creamy whiteness. The girl drew
deep breath, swung into the pro-
cession heading east.
n II
A BLOCK in the distance she
i n could see the tower of the Sc
curlty building, the hands on its
clock pointing to 40 minutes after /
1t had been nice of Mr.. Hamilton
to let her leave without finishing the
memorandum. 1t gave her twenty
minutes more than she had expected
to have.
Suddenly the thought of lunching
at the corner drug store became dis
tasteful. Janet knew the menu
there on Saturday. pea soup, the
sandwich specials ham salad, pi-
mento cheese, and egg-and-l lettuce
and two kinds of pie, Yes, in
deed. She could recite every item
on that menu. And the coffee never
was served with real cream.
I've time to go to Rooney's," she
decided hastily. Its after the noon
rush and thereIl be quick service
Besides, it's on the way to Hay
slips"
Hsyslips' jewelry store was the
oldest in Lancaster and carried the
finest stock. 1t was at Hayslips
Janet had determined to buy the
pen and pencil set for Rolf. 1t was
not really an eXtravagance-or may
be it was. but surely it was justi-
fed! Rolls present had to be the
best.
AT Rooney's the food was appetiz-
ing and inexpensive. The luxury
of a quiet table and few minutes
rest was too great a temptation t.
resist. So, instead of entering the
drug store, Janet Hill turned at the
corner.
1t was that turn that changed
everything.
Two blocks beyond-with thu
cafeteria only half block farther
was the Brewster hotel. In Ian.
caster the Brewster had all tn,
pretige of Ritz-Carlton Or a May,
flower. Janet never had crossed thu
threshold, but frequently she haC
made reservations there for Mr.
Hamilton.
His wealthieSt business associates
stopped there when they came t
Lancaster. Janet knew that thu
smartest luncheons and dinner par
ties, the ones described in the col
umnS Of the Gazette and the Times
were always at the Brewster.
Meet me at the Brewster COTE,
shop" Mr.. Hamilton would sa,
casually in a telephone conversation
1t always would be at least tw,
hours before he returned from Sucl
a luncheon.
The Coffee Shop had a street en-
trance on the side of the building
Janet was approaching. The nam
Brewster Coffee Shop" was letteret
neatly on small glass sign that a
night was illuminated.
Janet, busy with her thoughts
was not a dozen yards from tina
sign when suddenly she looked ur
Her heart seemed to stop beating
She caught her breath.
A girl in a dark fur coat was en-
tering the coffee shop. She wa
slender, rather small, and she wor
a red hat. Very pretty the gil
looked, very gay and charming. Sh
had turned and was smiling up a
her> escort. The young man besid
her was Rolf Carlyle.
TN another instant the girl in tn
Il fur coat and the )ung man be
side her had disappeared. Jane
barely had seen them, had hear
her heart cry out. its Rolf" an
still was struggling with the shoe
when the door of the coffee Sho
closed.
Immediately common sense re
turned. OF course, it couldn't hay
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