The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-09-18
SYNOPSIS

BOOTS RAEBCRN, 18, and lovely, eIOpes with RUSS LUND,
 handsome swimming instructor, because her pride has been hurt
 by some petty social snubs. Russ goes Co Miami, promising to send
 for her later. Boots gets q job tl1 department store. Shc is living In a tiny room in GreeD- Wich Village when she Is strick- en with influenza. DENIS FEN
 WAY, young author, befriends her and later introduces her 10 some of his friends. Boots finds
 herself resenting the possessiye
 air beautiful KAY CHILLING FORD has toward Denis.
 Just before her illness Boots received a telegram telling her Russ had ben killed in a mOtor-
 boat accident. she goes back to the store to work. too proud to appeal to her parents.
 She secs EDWARD VAN
 SCIVER. one of Denis friends. frequently. Months pass and Boots hears nothing from Denis. Then ono Sunday afternoon he calls and asks her to go for a drive.
 CHAPTER XXXII
 Boots and Denis lunched at an inn hanging over 8 willow-cir- cled pond where ducks swam lazily in the dappled water. Denis was at his most charming-neithcr ab- stracted nor titfully interested. He was solicitious for her comfort But his long, lean brown hands lighted cigaret after cigaret and Boots noticed that he ate little. He seemed thinner: he had a fine drawn look about his mouth.
 She had sent him a money order for $10 the week before. her first payment against the debt caused by her illness and Russ's burial He spoke of this gently. He hadn't written to acknowledge it, he said. because he'd wanted to see her first. She was not to bother about that until things were better with her. It was simply loan between friends.
 "How are you liking the work ?" hc wanted to know.
 She shrugged. No one was to know how dreadful the long days at Lacy's seemed to her. It was all right, she said. A little tiring sometimes. It was a job; that was all.
 He gave her a thought full look. I-had something in mind" he said. Remember Masterson. that publisher chap I talked to you about a year ago?"
 She remembered. It had been when she was so desperate. so un- happy, not knowing which way to turn.
 His firm has an outlet bookshop over on Eighth street. Nice little place. Copper kettles and spin ming wheels, that sort of thing. You know?"
 She knew. She remembered pass ing by, stopping to read the titles on the bright jackets.
 Well, the girl-one of the girls, I should say = is leaving in two weeks She's a southerner. I think she's getting married. They want someone. When I was in Master sons office the other day he was talking to someone on the tele- phone about it. I thought of you"
 But" she cried. her heart thud- ding painfully. happily at the thought, maybe the jobs already been taken. Oh, probably it has!"
 Il was cruel of Denis to tell her about it too late to do anything about 1t. Because of course there were always dozens of girls after jobs of the sort. So different from Lacy's with its time clock, and its eternal vigilance. the wary eyes of the supervisor. the steady ache in back and feet
 T don't know. It's a chance any how. Worth looking into" Denis warmed to the idea. Look, I'll call you to-morrow-or can IF"
 Were not supposed to have tele- phone calls at the store." she told him. Cant I call you instead ?"
 That was all right, Denis said. She would call him about noon then? Good.
 To-day he was delightful com panion, easy to talk to, interested amusing. He told lazy stories ex- pertly; he flashed his remembered smile at her occasionally; and when the girl, relaxing in the pleasant atmosphere, responded in kind he laughed heartily at her