Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-04-19
she handed triumphantly to Foggy
who frowned as she read:
]. G. Thurman Service
Dinner Companions
Dinner Companions

"In the name of heaven, Belinda,
have you taken leave of your sanity
completely? 1t is disgraceful to have
this disreputable card in your pos
session. Dinner companions! Why,
you make me believe you shouldn't
be trusted on the streets of New York
alone! Where did you get this card?"
Belinda snatched the piece of paste
board and returned it, as she grinned
to her bag. She was thinking of the
manner in which she'd come by it: it
had, almost, blown out of a gust Of
57th Street wind. The plump, baldish
little man who had dashed out Of a
taxi and thrust it in her hand, cried:
"Come to see me!"-and disappeared.
It was probably the last-winter's fur
coat, in mid-April, which had given
him the notion. She had been furious,
And now, a moment ago, she had re-
membered.
"Why not? I was raised to be a
charming dinner companion. know
all about the handling of everything
from artichokes to the most elusive
asparagus. Why shouldn't cash
in on the only thing know"
Miss Fogg's imposing jaw moved.
Belinda didn't wait for the rush Of
reasons. She dived toward the bath
room and shower.
She promised Foggy she wouldn't,
finally.
But Belinda set forth for the J. G.
Thurman Service from the spring.
board of refreshed resentment of John
ny Parkes--and hcmiliation. There had
been the problem of exit. Mrs.
O'Hara, the landlady was capable of
taking post of vantage in the small
parlor whence she could intercept, with
a militant glare, the goings and COM
ings of defaulting tenants. The two
rooms and bath-Miss Fogg slept on
a day-bed in the living room-occupied
by the Misses Fogg and Terrell had
not been paid for in nearly two weeks.
That, perhaps, is not long time for
residents of the Ritz Tower, but it
is perilous hiatus for West Seventy
fourth Street. Belinda had opened,
slow motion, the door into the hall.
She was prepared to stink, to GRIM
son with excuses, promises, alibis.
Mrs. O'Hara--an astonishingly beam
ing and obsequious Mrs. O'Hara-
bounced from her parlor ambush.
| "It's fine day, Miss Terrell, you're
| choosin' for your stroll. I'm for get
, ting bit of it meself little later.
, Here's a paper for We dearie."
I Honestly, Mrs. O'Hara-" She
had begun the stall before her eyes
. comprehended the message on the bit
! of white paper. The message, a re-
ceipt, conveyed the fact that the rent
for the Misses Terrell and Fogg had
been paid a month in advance.
, Belinda went suddenly rigid with
, the impact of her guess.
. "Who paid you, Mrs. O'Hara
"Why, I'm shure the both of we did.
1t was a fine figure of a chauffeur
, that handed me the money, sayin' that
, We had sent him with it."
, Belinda bit her lip, mumbled some
, thing idiotic and walked quickly past
| Mrs. O'Hara. So Johnny Parkes, had
had the insulting brass!
, If only her father were alive: he'd
put Johnny Parkes in his place quick
, ly enough. But would he? It made
| her angrier than ever to recall how on
one occasion Johnny had incurred the
elder Terrell's wrath-in the matter
of swiping the Terrell sailboat and
capsizing it mile from shore; he had
swum in, while Belinda chung to the
|. rudder, to talk Mr.. Terrell into re-
garding him as a hero in five min
utes. He was fifteen then, learning
rapidly.
But she saw now, more clearly than
ever, the need to escape from Johnny
) Parkes. Let him marry some meek
little girl-preferably slightly fad
ed blonde-over whose ego he could
gallop to little gurgles of admiration.
But not over hers! "Oh, Lord" she
, murmured under her breath, fervent-
| ly, as she neared Columbus Avenue,
"iet the Thurman Service be decent,
safe concern, crazy as it is-and Lord,
let them hire mel"
At that moment her nerves jumped
. with the Groom of pert French horn.
, She wheeled and, sure enough, Johnny
r Parkes' ridiculously, boyishly long
!. and nickeled motor was careening to-
{ ward her. She had once told Johnny
: that he occupied the tonneau of his