Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-04-01

H3ckett lett 1t bare OF commerce, creaCeo
within his store an oasis where trade was
0Gtlawed and dedicated it to the public
In this court he placed memorial. tablet.
a few ported palms and large statue, rep :
reSentng a knight in full armor.
On the base of the pedestal three
!: !: !:
words were carved-Justice, Loyalty
Honor. They were supposed to ex- =
press the spirit of Hackett's store.
The knight stood at rest. as
though catching his breath after a
hard tussle with the dragon of I'M
fair competition. His right hand,
extended in the direction of the ~
jewery department, seemed to say:
'Continuez. enfants! Here 1
zee nothing but fair dealing!' His -
head was bare and his face benign
in its frame of bronze curs. ap- -
proved the operations of commerce su
in HackettS store. Illus
To the distress of his competitors.
Henry Hackett's public spirited ges-
ture turned out to be profitable
as all the rest of his actions. The
Knights Court paid. People discov-
cred that it was extremely easy to find. 1t was
an excellent landmark, and it was simple to
say: I'll meet you by the knight in Hsckett's."
The counters bounding the court were not
expected to pay. and did not. For that rea-
son, the personnel department often put new
girls there to get them used to public life IL
was thus that Leslie Quinn found herself. on
LII
vieW. of the knights left profile.
I ESLIE was very pretty girl, even for
l. Hacketts. All her life. until she came to
HackettS, she had played a subordinate role
to her two sisters. AS result she had a re-
served air which the other salesgirls in her
department miStOOk for hauteur. To them Sne
looked like one Of these aristocrats who work
for the experience" and take the bread out
of honest girls mouths. .,
They made point of squeezing past her in
the narrow aisle between counter and stock
shelves. and stepping on her feet. two-inch
spike heel driven into your toes can hurt. Even
though they always said: Beg pardon!" or
e4xcuse it. pleased" in very refined way.
Her name was not Quinn for nothing; On
her second day she came suitably armed, with
spike heels, and after that there was no trou-
BILE, They decided Leslie all right you
are o. K, KID" Alice Carr told her some time
later I'll be sorry when you leave u.s."
I'm not going to leave"
with those eyes and that complexionI
Don't tell me there isn't some man around
Honestly there isn't
There win be- Alice predicted.
But for some time Leslie's only man was
the handsome knight who faced the jewelry
department.. He was nice. but unsatisfactory.
THEN J. Wilkie Smith discovered her on
] one of his stalking expeditions. He made
q speciality OF girls in Hackett's He was stand
ing by the knights statue day, and his
eyes met Lesle's.
She had been looking at him for some time,
attracted by his height his broad shoulders.
his red face. his gray military mustache. Sar-
tOFially he ran to Sing collars and spats. but
they went well with his English walking stick
and his noble appearance
He crossed the court to her counter. ana
there they talked together for few minutes.
What did he say to you?" Alice demanded.
0ter he had gone.
HE asked me to have dinner with him."
Leslie admitted
Are you going2"
Certainly am. Why not?"
Don't you know J. wilkie Smith? thought
everybody knew who he was" .
well, he's just an evening out to me- l
can take care Of myself" Leslie remarked.
"An right, kid. You might as we'll learn
for yourself. went out to dinner with him.
when I was new here. He'll pull the same
old line on you. Trip to the Mediterranean,
Egypt, cover you with diamonds, and all the
rest Of it,"
Leslie looked thoughtful Her salary was $l2
a week. Her parents were dead and she shared
expenses with her two sisters. Does he mean
OF course he means it, II that interests
you." Alice said suspiciously. He has plenty
OF money and he spends it like a drunken
bootlegger." ..~-
Leslie went to dinner a theater and q night
club with J. Wilkie Smith At the night club
he leaned across the table and took both her
hands in his Little girl" he husked. Dear
little grill"
Here it comes" Leslie thought. She felt
4f6nd and all friphtenad uo -rona nm