The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-05
TAKE A LETTER
BY Alma and Paul EIIerbe

now" And he wagged his head as
one who knew.
There had been time, when
Jean was in New York. when Raw
mond Peter was very much a part
of the scene. He had money, taste.
a fair for all the visual beauties
OF varied earth, and it had been
pleasant having him Parade the
great flambouyant place before her
eyes. 1t was extraordinarily pleas
ant coming upon him now. She
was in a mood for him. They
even danced afterward in the Poin-
settia's Orange Room.
1t was quite late when she got
home and to bed in the little cold
servantless house on side street
Tobey rolled in at 2 a. m.
Tobey! And he'd had a most sue
cessful business trip. And why he
had come back was:
Il wanted to see you. Isn't it
idiotic? I thought: There's only
going to be one Wednesday, Feb. S,
1895, out of all time, and I'm
spending a great chunk of it away
from her that 1 could spend with
herP And went right from that
meeting at the Dayton House to
my car and I drove like hell till
l got here. Can you understand
how fellow can be such a fool?"
DUT at the Office next day he was
- The Boss again.
You see," he said, pushing papers
aside and getting up and beginning
to 5wagger just a little-"You see,
honey, in business like ours. ="
And he went on and gave what he
evidently thought was bang-up
lecture on business like theirs-of
which, it appeared, the haunch and
the hump and the hoof were, &C
curacy.
YEAH" she said when he had
finished. TRUE enough. But some
are born accurate, some achieve
accuracy, some have accuracy thrust
upon them and some remain mac
curate to their dying day and that's
me, so what?"
He stared at her, panied.
DO you mean to say you can't
learn? 1t wasn't easy for me at
first; had to work like the devil:
and YOU"
Listen, Tobey: What I can't do
Is get interested, see? If il was
designs for dresses, now, or how to
fix up house, or something Gre
ative-Oh, L don't mean that. Some
thing up my street, I mean. But
you could replace me here for SIS
week and"
Sure I could, the way you are
now" he said patiently, "but
there's no reason why you shouldn't
go on, If you'll really put your mind
on it (you aren't like a lot of
women I know-youve got a miri
to put), and become invaluable to
me. BesideS"-he spraddled his
legs apart and looked at her with
that cocky, little-boy, half lover,
half stage, big businessman air that
delighted her-"I haven't got the
SIS"
"TOBEY," she said fearfully,
l. wondering if what was COM
ing would take some of the strut
and youth and charm out of him,
suppose that I-T-'wten the tele-
phone rang.
AS buffer-State it was her duty
to answer it, 1t was their conven-
ton that the great mans time was
valuable and must be saved.
Yes" she said, ''it's Jean !.
Oh, Raymond, you're sure? :.
How absolutely too perfectly top
ping! -. Yes, the Poinsettia, by
all means; it's the best location in
town. +. No, no, not the east
room-sunshine's everywhere here
the south one, just off the main
dining room. But Raymond.
I'd come for much less than that!
That-that's immense! why
why tomorrow, if you want me.
Tobey could fill my place in 10
minutes by telephone" -.
There was silence in the office
of the Tobias Grantland Agency as
she hung up the receiver. She turned
slowly toward the head of it.
I'm going to open up for Ray
mond Porter" she said, with adj
ding machines and bookkeepers and
everything like that to assist me
the smartest gown shop south of
Mason and Dixon's line, beginning
at the earliest possible moment
at salary-hang on to yourself,
Tobey-of one hundred and fifty a
week"
And she's still wondering
whether there was more pleasure or
pain to him in the announcement.
THE END