The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-12-18

to save, herself, a time. Better to be
lonely, than to be fooled she reasoned
often.
Pete, the elevator boy, told her that
Cne name OF the man who lived below
her was Frank Grant. He didn't go
u much of evenings. Pete said.
Just stays in, Pete?" she asked.
"Yeh. Yer floor, Miss Allen"
Does he go out for meals or take
them in the restaurant here?"
Sometimes here and sometimes out,
Pete said.
What night does he usually take
them here?"
No special nights, it seemed .
That made it more difficult. Not that
she would ever chase a mar again, for
she had vowed she wouldn't . But
II they saw one another and became
friends . you needed friends, and
friendships had to start with a friendly
gesture. She never seemed to meet him
IN the foyer either, and that made it
hard.
vi and Helen said she was crazy.
They said it quite regularly. She said
always that she preferred the truth.
Not being worked -. drugged by some
drone who sponged!""
What do you do with YOURSELF"
I'm not bored! There's plenty to do!'
You had to remember to chew
methodically, for one thing. She kept
her chin up, but she was crying lonely
>. It made her hunt up girls she
had dismissed to see how they were
faring; to do for them what she could.
In January Pete told her that MI.
Grant was sick. This was as she rode
up. the day and its work over.
I'll get off at his floor, Pete"
"Yessem."
Clang, the gates opened and she was
out . and clang, they closed -.
and her heart-the way it whacked!
He barked in answer to her tap on
the door. She opened it to see him in
a bathrobe and thoroughly decorated
Now, what the help" he asked des-
pairingly with a b%etraying touch of his
chin.
Il heard you were sick, Mr.. Grant,
and I stopped to say I'd bring down
your dinner in about an hour"
The way he looked at her! Her heart
scudded again 49, baked potato. that
would be good for him. And a little
piece of steak, rather raw And a to-
mato salad-she had two tomatoes.
Heavens, she was happy. Then cheese
and crackers. He wouldn't like sweets,
you saw that looking at him. He'd
been touched by her coming.
The yellow tray, salt, pepper, the sill
YER and bowls for covering plates.
She found he had shaved when she
took the tray to him. He looked very
and she said o, no, that she loved to
cook.
But after working all day?" he
asked, voice gentle. She seemed to hear
10 speaking. She didn't know why.
1T does me good" she said, knowing
that was an echo.
They became friends" Now, a month
later, he :dined- with -her. once anyway
each week. She had q new wave, she
for it, but it was a beauty.
One night, leaving her, he kissed her.
It made the earth quake for her. And
in bed she cried. She was doing it again,
she realized. But better to be a woman
and fooled than to be alone.
She said aloud, Anyway, this time
-. or worse. She couldn't tell. Nor
could she stop it. At the office she be-
came superefficient again, and hard.
Give a girl a chance and then if she
fails, out! Her emotion was all waved
for the evenings, when she again hur-
ried homeward and Shopped enroute,
and shed her office wear and took a
bath and took on earrings after she
had wriggled into that vil!ainously
expensive new dress. But the line! It
was a marvel, especially across the
hips.
She knew his knock. It was two clat-
tiers, loud and male. JOS had been
three light taps.
He came the week before Christmas
carrying three short stemmed roses.
He said, "A few posies."
20 how utterly darling of you'll" she
said with a forced smile. And aren't
they exquisite!"
P~atty-caking again . climbing
chandeliers -. but what could you do?
Her eyes filled, and before she turned
away he saw their trimming. He put
strong hands on her shoulders to make
her face him. What is it?" he asked.
Being a woman" she answered, voice
tremulous, being a woman!"
Well, he'd vowed he would never
marry again, neve again.
But he heard himself saying, I'VE
won't have much, you know, because
of that damned alimony!"