The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-23

sY LAURA LOU BRookNAN
@ s,s AsI s.rse.. i.%

opened the window biting wind
swept into the room. Wrapped in
her bathrobe, Toby snuggled
against the pillows of the studio
couch and opened the newspaper
to read the help wanted" ads.
There were pages and pages be-
fore she came to the want adj sec
ton. Suddenly Toby stopped.
Looking out at her from the news
paper was the photograph of a
girl-a beautiful girl surrounded
by a group Of young men. OBJ
viously they were admiring her.
Beneath the picture was a caption
advertising a well-known bever-
age.
Toby stared at the girl in the
photograph. She knew how that
picture had been made in 9.
studio like Marty HATS. The girl
whose smile was So sparkling, who
looked so poised and sure of her
self, might have stood for hours
in intense heat and binding
lights before the photographer got
just the picture he wanted.
Toby, studying the photograph,
thought, But she's beautiful. Oh,
I know I haven't a chance"
Monday morning she left the
house early, a list of addresses
from the want ad pages in her
purse. At one place woman with
her hair in an fashioned
pompadour told Toby there might
be something in 10 days or so, and
advised her to come back. With
dozens of other girls, Toby stood
IN line in several offices, only to
hear, after waiting for an hour or
so, that the vacancies had been
filled. She rode subways and street
cars and trudged blocks on foot,
but she came home jobless.
1t was the same on Tuesday.
More offices, more interviews
but nowhere a job. It was the
middle of the afternoon and there
were two more addresses on
Toby's list when suddenly she
stopped in dismay. A wide and
ugly Inca run, several threads
wide-had appeared in her stock
ing. 1t went directly down her
instep, from the hemline of her
skirt to the top of her pump.
Toby thought, Another pair of
stockings ruined" That was bad
enough, but there was something
worse. She couldn't go looking
Tor job wearing such stockings.
Any one would see that run. A
new pair would cost Sc cents and
she'd have to buy them right
away.
Fifty-nine cents was all Toby
ever paid for stockings. She knew
shop where very serviceable ones
were sold at that price.
BY the time she reached the
shop and made her purchase it
was too late to do anything but
go home. The Offices would be
closed before she could reach
them.
Toby rode home on a surface
car. Yearly she opened the door
of the rooming house, went in
side. Almost instantly a door at
the far end of the dim hall opened
and a head appeared.
THAT you, Miss Ryan,"
- yes"
The broad outlines of Mrs. Noel
Ter, owner of the rooming house,
emerged from the gloom. There
was a telephone call for you," she
announced. about half an hour
ago"
who was it?" Toby asked ca
gerly. Did they leave any mes
Sage-?"
Mrs. Moeller shook her head.
at was woman's voice." she
said. Didn't give any name.
Didn't leave any message"
"Oh-!" Toby hesitated. Then
she said. I'm going to my room
now, Mrs. Moeller. If there's an
other call, I'll be there. 1t may
be important"
I'll let you know if any one
calls" the rooming house keeper
promised. Her manner implied
that she considered this extremely
doubtful
Toby climbed the two flights of
stairs. She decided after a wait
of nearly an hour that Mrs. Noel
Ter was right. There was not 60
ing to be another call that after
noon. Either the photographs had
been hopeless or Ben Blake had
forgotten all about her.
And then, almost magically, she
heard the muffled ringing of the
telephone. Toby was halfway
down the second flight before
Mrs. Moeller had finished the last
syllable of her shrill Miss
ami"
Toby said, yes, I'm here"
Breathlessly she took the receiver.
She said, Yes, this is Toby Ryan.
Yes" She spoke quickly, ex-
citedly, and then waited, listening
to the voice over the wire. Sud-
denly, with a quick intake of
breath, Toby said, Ooh" and
stopped as though she could not
60 on.