The Coolidge examiner., 1935-11-15
CHAPTER XI

TT WAS already dark before Co
l. rinne returned home on the fol
lowing evening. Roddy had heard
the. muffled approach of Evelyn
Richters automobile. He went out
of the back door just as the car
came to stop in the yard.
Corinne stepped down and Roddy
put his arms about her.
"Corrie !" he cried. "What has
kept you so late? I've been imag-
lining all sorts of things-acci-
dents"
Corinne laughed and released her.
self. Nonsense! Help me get
these parcels out. Evelyn has to
hurry.
"Take this box, ROddy, darling,
but be careful with it. That's my
fprecious new haiti"
In moment Roddy's arms were
full and Evelyn called her hasty
good night and drove away.
In the living room, Corinne's pur-
chases were placed on the couch.
81 have some coffee percolating
for you, Corrie," Roddy said. "While
you unwrap those things I'll go and
get it,.
Sweet of you, Roddy," Corinne
said absently, while she united a
string that bound her hat-boX.
When he returned with the two
cups of coffee and set them on the
small table in the corner of the
room, Corinne came in from the hall
where she had put on her new hat
in front of the mirror in the hat
rack.
isn't it darling" she exclaimed,
resting her head sideways toward
her shoulder as she smiled up at
him.
"Very fetching" Roddy laughed.
"And, Roddy!" Corinne drew a
deep breath. "Only eight-fifty-re-
duced from twenty-One dollars
And it will do me until fall. Roddy
Don't you adore it?"
Sure! 1t looks great. but"
"Of course, it's exclusive. You've
got to pay for models like this un-
f1ess-"
'"What else did you get?" he
asked her, seating himself. you'd
better drink your coffee before II
gets cold"
Corinne unwrapped box contain
ing pair of high-heeled, blue-kid
pumps. "These. were on sale, too
Eighteen dOllars-reduccd to eleven
! fifty. Aren't they sweet? Cut steel
buckles-the buckles are expensive
you know, but they'll do on other
shoes later. I'll take the other
things upstairs to unpack them
| You wouldn't be interested in them
| IStockingS-gloveS-underwear-and
simply had to have a bottle OF
toilet water and some face cream
and powder. Those things look
small, but they count up when you
come to buy them" She laughed
Il have only forty-five cents left out
of what you gave me, Roddy."
Roddy regarded her with dull
wonder. Didn't you get yourself a
dress, or a coat, or anything-any-
thing substantial?" he asked her,
and felt Immediately that what he
had said was somewhat incoherent
Corinne laughed, but Roddy
thought there was hard little edge
to her laugh. How could with
what you gave me? There's no
economy in buying cheap things that
will look like rags in week. | can
wait until"
you'll probably have to wait for
quite a WHILE" he observed som
berly. Cant you see that well
need every penny just to keep 60
ing%
"Well-after all, l don't know
anything about such things" she
protested negligently. "And l hate
discussing money matters"
II guess there must be something
the matter with me-" he muttered,
and as he heard his own voice he
was struck with the utter strange
ness of it. 81 have done my best
to explain our position to you, Co
rinne. | told you | had Overdrawn
my account at the bank before we
sold the grain. You either can't
understand-yOr yon don't care. l
wish to God you'd tell me which
it is!
Corinne faced ROddy with blazing
eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED
"Flowage Rights"