The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-29
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Helen laughed gleefully. IT
wish I could dance on my toes
the way she does. Then she
does a step something like this.
Sort of a cakewalk." She
Strutted across the cleared
space, her eyes rolling stiffly in
her head. All the girls now
were singing and beating time
with their feet.
So intent were they all that
Miss Vera at the door forgot
her vigil, and without warning
Walter Riley stood behind her
in the doorway, watching. His
first impulse was to smile at
the charming little figure strut.
ting in the center of the room.
He knew her by sight-even
knew her name was Schiller.
Then he remembered the Riley
discipline. He was in a d.
Jenna. He was too sensitive to
clear his throat and make his
presence known. So he slipped
out and then came in again
banging the door to the re-
ception room. Miss Vera now
saw him. She gave a long
piercing whistle and when Wal.
ter came through to his sisters
office the salon was quiet, the
girls busy at their cubicles. He
looked neither to the right nor
to the left. but went directly to
Stella'S office. He closed the
door behind him and took off
his great coat.
Luxury
Stella's office was a small
drawing room-in the best West
Avenue manner; luxurious
Chinese rug, needlepoint chairs,
tabouretS, carved figure lamps.
In the center of the room there
was a carved mahogany desk
and in the corner a simple
Stenographer's desk. No one
was in yet. Walter consulted
his wrist watch. It was ten
minutes to nine. Stella's Sec
rotary wasn't due till nine.
He sat down uneasily on the
edge of Stella's desk. Ought
he tell Stella about the dancing
outside or should he talk to the
Schiller girl him self? 1t
wouldn't do to let discipline be-
come lax. Still, the salon wasn't
officially opened. The girls
could really do what they liked
these few minutes that they
were free. But dancing was out
of order. He frowned. He was
q slim, tall dark, nervous look
ing chap, Immediately groomed
in contrasting dark blue and
snowy white linen. His black
hair was combed back from his
rather low, square forehead.
The scalp line was a white
path through the thick blue
black hair. He had a small
that he habitually
gnawed with his strong white
teeth. He had a harassed air,
but this only made his dark,
rather somber face more attrac-
tive. He had a full wide
mouth and his rare smile was
unexpectedly charming.
Walter Riley's father had
been Irish, his mother Polish.
The fusion of these two strains
had, curiously enough, produced
in Walter a type that was more
French or Spanish than either
Irish or Polish. He had a steel
like frame and he moved with
q quick, tense efficiency.
CHAPTER III
Miss Kunitz, Stella'S secretary,
came in, holding her umbrella
carefully, so that it wouldn't
drip on the rug and, seeing Wal.
ter, Immediately became all
"Oh. good morning, Mr.. Riley.
Dreadful morning, isn't it? Been
waiting long? Anything I can
do?"
Good morning. No, thanks.
I'm waiting for Mr.. Masker."
"Of course. This is the first
Of November. She sighed as
she ripped the page from her
desk calendar.
Walter took a bunch of keys
from his sisters desk and walked
out with them. On his way to
the steel vault in the book
keepers office, he detourned to
look into the salon. The girls
were already busy with the early
Miss Irma'S tones
1T the phone were more dulcet
than ever. Whenever he looked
ut her-at any Of the girls, they
looked at him coyly. He was
hall amused, half annoyed.
But Walter looked coldly past
them. Through the door he
caught sight Of the Schiller girl.