The Washington times., 1935-10-19

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Nobody put me through
school. don't know why I
should work myself to death for
the rest Of 'em. Oh, it'll come
out somehow. Do you mind
phoning my office as you go
out, Mary? Tell them I don't
feel like working today. Say
I've got neuralgia; that's better
than a cold, don't you think?
Oh, use your own Judgment
make it sound GOODm
That's the way it goes. You
think you don't care what hap
pens in the office, but you do.
Mary found herself caring.
She hadn't set foot in the eleva-
tor before she'd started worry
ing about Lalla, and the scan
dal. BY 9:15 she was all upset
because Bennett telephoned that
he'd be late; he was meeting
Samson's wife, and would prob
ably drive out to the hospital,
too.
And then he walked in, be-
fore she was ready for him.
He was greatly agitated-you
could see that at a glance.
He walked right past her desk
to his own office, called to her
over his shoulder. Edwin Sam
son is dead. He died five min
utes before we got there"
Edwin Samson dead.
It was just too much. With
out knowing why, she put her
head down on the desk and
cried. And once started, she
couldn't stop.
After a long while she realized
that Bennett was trying to speak
to her, to tell her something
about SamSon's death.
She lifted her tear,streaked
face.
"Oh, you don't understand.
I'm sorry he's dead. / wish it
were I, instead! But I'm crying
about him! I'm selfishly weep
ing about something else. I'd
been worrying and when you
said that, don't know why
but it just seemed that I
couldn't bear it-everything
just seemed to break and I
I'm sorry-I can't help it."
He sat down beside her.
why don't you tell me about
1t? We ought to be pretty good
friends, after all we've been
through together. Tell me, is
that why you've been so cool
since I came back? Because
you had other things on your
mind? Worries?"
"I haven't meant to be-cool.
But II have been worried"
"And you haven't let me
help?"
He smiled and squeezed her
hand reassuringly. His hand
was hard and comfortably
warm.
Poor little Mary Shannon
Little Red Riding Hood
among the wolves!"
That last wasn't necessary.
If he only knew it, she'd taken
care of herself very nicely, as
any of the wolves" could
testify. But it did her good to
know that he thought she'd
been cool. She had thought he
had been the cool one.
She sang a little as she did
her filing.
He was gone a long time.
She began to get nervous
again.
When he did come back she
turned to him expectantly, but
he walked right past her, into
his own office.
She waited, fidgeting.
"Oh, Miss Shannon, I'll give
you some letters!"
She came in with her book,
determined not to ask, if it
killed her.
But he said: IT saw Sid
Breen. Went up to his attor.
ney's office with him, in fact.
You are not to worry any more.
1t will be settled. And with Ed
win Samson's widow in town,
thinking that you and Lalla
Kinney are one and the same
person, in spite of all I can say
to the contrary, you can con-
slider yourself lucky. This let
ter is to C. C. Thompson, Atlas
Mills. My dear Mr.. Thompson.
answering yours of the 17th-"
He talked so fast she could
hardly keep up with him. Her
fingers grew cramped, her whole
right arm hurt.
Only when the 5 o'clock