The Washington times., 1935-10-22

ple), Milt said something about
the little lady not having made
up her mind yet, and then he
said:
"The funny part is that you
probably know her. She works
in the Heeley Steamship Com
pany's offices!"
She said something stupid.
"Oh. that's the way it hap
pened!" or something like that.
And Bennett said: $50, Of
course, I knew it was you, but
I'm sure Mr.. Holden was under
the impression that there are a
number of girls employed here.
It's plain you don't talk much
about the office!"
"Oh! No, I don't talk very
much to him. I mean, I be-
lieve he does think some Of the
girls I've spoken of work in this
office-like Evelyn Piper and
some of the other girls in Alex
ander's office. 1t doesn't mat
ter. 1t isn't of the slightest con-
sequence"
She stopped short. Something
in her high-pitched, rambling
chatter reminded her Of Aunt
Willie. That was the way she
used to talk. She must pull her
self together, stop it!
$50 I hope you'll forgive my
clumsiness and realize that it
was no fault of Mr.. Holden. He
had no idea that I knew"
"Of course" she said, while
her face ached with the strain
Of the silly smile she couldn't
erase. "Of course! It's of no
consequence"
Then she managed to get out
of the room.
When she was. back at her
typewriter, trying to work again,
she noticed that the ring was
still on her finger. She started
to take it off. But there was
no point in taking it off now.
She left it on. She thought,
well, Margot will be surprised.
anyway"
She thought Of going across
the hall to show it to Ethelyn
everyone might as well know
now-bllt il seemed hardly
worth the effort.
She typed on steadily, slowly.
Concentrating. Making no mis-
takes.
After a while she realized
that her head was aching. She
was comforted for a moment
because that meant she could
get out of going to the theater
tonight. She was much too tired
to go, and with a headache. :.
No! She'd go if it killed her!
Why should Milt be disap-
pointed just because her head
ached? She'd go. And she
saw herself going with him, to
theaters, to restaurants-every.
where-all the days Of her life.
CHAPTER XVII
Margot was out again, so
Mary had the room to herself.
She took hours dressing, though
they were only going to a movie.
But it comforted her to make
up with infinite pains, to pat
fragrant powder on smooth
cheeks, to color her pretty
mouth scarlet, to pencil her
dark, sweeping brows.
There might be brighter girls
in this town, but there weren't
many prettier. Not when she
had something decent to wear,
and had plenty of time to do
her hair, and make up her eyes.
There was a time when she'd
thought she had brains. when
she'd thought she might get
somewhere.
She was going to marry a
man with a lot of money. Not
that she was marrying him for
the money, of course.
She came down the stairway,
smiling a little, conscious that
the Misses Frick were taking a
good look at her, and that Milt,
waiting on the landing below,
was worshiping.
Everything went beautifully
at first. She was bright and
happy, and Milt was delight
full. He bought her an orchid,
to pin on her coat. He pur-
chased the tickets earlier, so
that they didn't have to stand
in line like the others.
The picture was one that
everyone was talking about,
and she'd wanted so much to
see.
ITO Be COntinued),