The Washington times., 1936-12-21

III WOLlNCA lAASI ooAN 1AAAAA w
the buyer, IF you would give me
permission to phone to some OF
nv girl friends? I know half a
dozen girls who are going to Flor
ida before Christmas, and these
organdie evening gowns with the
little capes and ruffles are just the
adorable things they'd fancy"
go to it," allowed Miss Shell
fish, we'll pleased.
With Renita Parrish in the con-
dition she very often was (poor
Renita! she'd hate to report her,
but it was obvious that half the
time she didn't know what she was
doing, it was delightful to have
someone around with initiative.
Renita herself came into the
Misses Dress Department while
Ann was at the telephone. Miss
Shellfish had gone.
Renita walked a little unstead,
lily. Her face was flushed under
her auburn hair, her green eyes
strangely bright.
80? You here? Telephoning
the boy friend, huh?"
"Just a minute, Miss Parrish
It's business I'm after. Excuse me,
will you?" said Ann, continuing
what she was doing.
Renita drew up chair beside
her at Miss Shellfish's desk and
fixed her eyes, with definite hos
tility, on the very pretty face of
the new Salesgirl.
It was eleven o'clock in the
morning, and this was Rentals
first appearance in the store.
Last night she had 'phoned
Gordon Gavin at his rooming-
house, wanting him to come down
to her apartment in the Village,
but his landlady had informed her
that the young man had gone out.
Renita suspected that this in
formation was on his own orders.
She had called up so often that
the astute landlady recognized
her voice. Dodging her, was he?
Or probably out with Ann Dela-
field?
Hating her own company, and
extremely low in spirits, she had
headed for 1.-THE Pepper Pot" in
search Of human and liquid cheer.
Her quest was most successful,
but disastrous next morning, for
she had slept till half past nine,
and wakened with an appalling
hangover.
Bromo-Seltzer aspirin {.
were of no avail.
But she had contrived to dress
herself and wend her way back to
her late scene of conviviality, in
search of "a pick-meup."
Three stiff drinks in succession
had lifted the hangover, but sub
stituted in it's place a certain un-
steadiness in the feet and a buzz
ing In the head. Poor Renita!
Provided she could get past the
timekeeper and the detective at
the employees entrance, every
thing would be okay. Why not,
in fact, slide in at the main en-
trance?
There would be no trouble with
Miss Shellfish, the old fool!
Every time Renita looked at the
little spinster, it was as though
her own unloved future rose be-
fore her, like a dreadful warning.
For marriage particularly
marriage with Gordon Gavin, if it
could possibly be accomplished
was what Renita wanted
more than anything else on earth.
Hadn't she left her cheerful
little hotel and furnished a tiny
apartment in Greenwich Village
with the idea of entertaining him,
solo, of making him so comfor-
table that she would become alb
solutely essential to the lonely,
moody boy?
She didn't mind how poor he
was, how unsuccessful. If neces
sary she would work her fingers
to the bone to support both of
them, and do it gladly, for love.
The three thousand dollars she
had saved up in her ten years of
working (Renita was tWenty-fiVe)
would give them start.
Now with everything going
beautifully. enter Ann Delafield,
the girl from his own background,
from his happy, carefree past!
So close she was to Ann at the
telephone that the latter felt the
sweetiSh, sickly odor of spirits, cut
short her business conversation
and got up.
She smiled, half frightened, al
Renita, but contrived to say
brightly: I've been sent here to
work on the floor. I think it's a
perfectly lovely department, Miss
Parrish-"-but got no further
for with a brusque laugh Renita
shot at her: "Ha! you've been de.
moted?"
II wouldn't call it that" said
Ann braVely, II think it's swell
opportunity to learn the selling
game. If can
For q start" rejoned Renita