The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-09-05

! make the engineering department
! in this town see the advantages
and saving in our patented pipe !!
Pm sure there's going to be big
replacement job in the north end
and if l could put that job
across it would mean bonus. 1t
might even mean my old salary"
Then one evening, after Judith
had washed and put away the few
dinner dishes she found necessary
for a lone meal, there was rap at
tn door. 1t wasn't the knock of
either Bob or Virginia, and Judith
could think of no one else who
would be behind that door but
Stephen Fowler. Feeling the blood
mount to her temples, she discard
ed her apron and went into the
little hallway, opened the door
with a trembling hand.
There stood Francis Jarvis, hat
and stick in hand, smiling pleas
antly!
Good evening, Miss Howard.
l hope you won't mind my calling
unannounced like this. Matter of
fact, tried to telephone you this
afternoon. 49,,
"I-I work downtown" Judith
said, forgetting in her astonish-
ment to return his salutation. Il
won't you come in?" ,
THANK you =" Jarvis walked
into the room, tossed his hat and
stick onto the davenport, his
quick glance taking in the little
apartment.
please sit down." Judithrsaid:
81 hope you've quite recovered
from your accident. She held
out box of cigarets.
Jarvis laughed. 81 haven't come
to announce that Pm suing you
for damages, if that's what you
mean" He took one of the ciga-
rets, lighted it carefully. "This is
Just a friendly call"
From behind a gray cloud OF
cigaret smoke he studied her.
Then: "You know, I've thought
about you a great deal since you
were IN my Office.
"Yes?" Judith said, not know
ing what else to say. ...
''Yes," he repeated. "a great
deal. You-you intrigued me-"
It was then that Judith noticed
something she hadn't detected
when he first appeared. A faint
thickness in his speech, an odd
CLINT in his dark eyes, told her
that Francis Jarvis had been
drinking. She remembered that
afternoon in his office when he
had gone to the sideboard for a
drink; and she recalled, too, DR..
Harris intimation that liquor
might have had something to do
with the accident. Looking now
at his slightly florid, rather full
face, she decided that Jarvis was
more at home with alcohol than
not.
"Indeed, yes" Jarvis was say
ing, "you intrigued me very much
L" He stopped, looked at her,
"You know, of course, that I'm
not married" 49,
Judith laughed pleasantly. 81
must confess l didn't know it, Mr..
Jarvis. It's something l hadn't
thought about"
"Of course not" he agreed. But
plainly he was nettled by the re-
mark. He leaned forward sud
denly. "Look here. You can't
make me believe you came to my
office that day just for the pur-
pose of taking responsibility for
the accident" ,
Judith's face suddenly paled
with anger. "For what other pur-
pose would l Gomez"
"Well e. :" Jarvis smiled. tits
interesting to speculate upon that.
A number of possibilities occur to
me. For instance"
"I'd rather not hear of the pos
sibilities," Judith told him, rising
from her chair. 81 was in your
office for the purpose stated"
Jarvis held up hand. "Oh,
it's merely speculation. For IN,
stance, l was thinking that you'll
soon be taking your vacation.
And that l might possibly arrange
to be away at the same time. Had
you thought of a really exciting
vacation = something like Homo
lulu or Bermuda? Or you might
consider Alaska or California.
Somewhere that" -,
"Please get out" Judith said
quietly, her lpis dry and blood
less. "Please get out Of here.
Noww
Jarvis only smiled. Cant we
dispense with all the prolog,
Judith Howard? Let's Just pre-
tend we've been through all that
Let's"
He stopped at the sound of a
knock on the door. Clearly Judith
said, "Come ill.," without the
slightest notion of who was be-
yond. To her astonishment, Eden
Harris walked into the room. At
sight of the M on the daven-
mort. he stopped, embarrassed.
doctor Harris" Judith said
slowly, facing Eden, .'this is Fran
els Jarvis. You recall him, don't
YOU? I've just asked him to leave
but he seems to feel that Pm
not serious about the. invitation"
Ito be continued)