Evening star., 1936-02-02
THIS WEEK
"Section 2l3"
Continued from preceding page
Continued from preceding page

he was completely happy So was she.
But just because it was intolerably
sweet to have Valerie in his arms and
because she was so precious. Neal had
to put in little cynicism:
Lucky for me your man Rutledge
wasn't monopolizing you for the
moment"
He felt her stiffen in his arms and
lean away to stare at him as she
laughed unhappily:
And lucky for me that your Hazels
clutch on you was broken for a
moment"
My Hazel?"
Well. she may not be yours; but
she thinks you're hers. And so does
her aunt"
He tried to laugh that off, but the
enchantment was broken and they
found such acid in their hearts as only
lovers can distill from honey. They
finished the dance in bitter silence.
Mrs. Clifford was waiting for them,
and she seized on Valerie as if she we're
life preserver.
II can't find Hazel anywhere. That
terrible foreigner! Mr.. Douglas. won't
you 60 see if you can find her?'
When Neal obeyed. Mrs. Clifford
turned to Valerie: LAS l was telling
you. I'm in foreign country need
a guide. You we're brought up in So
ciety, Miss Gray, and you know
everything. Maybe you would know
of good social secretary for me-"
"At the moment l can't think of
one. but I'll try to-"
"If only you could. Id be obliged
to my dying day. Id pay almost any
thing to get good one"
Then Philip reappeared and asked
for the dance. He was soon telling her
as usual: You're the most beautiful
thing here, by thousand miles. You
belong in places like this To think of
your working at such a grind. with
no prospect of ever getting out of it!'
There's always a chance of being
fired"
What would you do then?"
"Starve slowly, or 60 on relief"
Unconsciously he raised his voice
above the music. Your whole life is
being wasted"
He did not note, nor did Valerie.
that Neal, once more in the clutches
OF Hazel, was revolving about them
in an orbit that grazed Philips arm.
Neal heard Philips last words.
What Philip said struck Neal as
so shockingly true that he suddenly
beheld himself as ruthless brute in
stead of devoted lover Philip could
relieve Valerie of toll, take care of her
father. put her in palace. Neal could
offer her only tantalizing parody of
marriage in cheap fiat with daylong.
lifelong labor ahead of them and
danger even in that.
If it were not for Section 2l3, Neal
and Valerie could be married and live
together in contentment, even though
there would be hardships But for
either of them to quit Office work
would throw five people on the salary
of one. AS things were, they could not
get married till God knew when, if
ever. No wonder Philip was protesting
against such life for Valerie.
All unwittingly Philip had con-
vinced Neal that the only way to
prove his love was to give her up. But
he would have to do more than offer
her release. He would have to drive
her away.
The only way his benumbed and
none too ingenious mind could ina
gine to turn Valerie from him was to
make her think he had fallen in love
with Hazers beauty or her uncle's
money, or both. Then Valerie would
let him go. not because of any petty
jealousy but for the sake of his happi-
ness He knew Valerie.
He was no actor, though, and to