The Washington times., 1936-12-19

Renita, normally, was brlght
and perhaps might work alongside
young Gavin in the big advertls'
ing layout for the dress depart
ment. That would give them a
chance to get together and maybe
patch up their differences.
For the ACCOMPLISHMENTS
as will be seen, had a soft spot
for romance, though he would be
the last person to admit it.
He remembered seeing Ann Del,
afield lunching with Gordon Gavin
in the store restaurant the very
day he had engaged her. Did the
wind lie in that quarter? Was
that why Renita had been drink
ing lately?
No time to dwadle. He pulled
out his watch.
Dangling close to it on the thin
chain was the absurd black onyx
cat that the masked and hooded
girl had given him at the car
nival!
'Mr. Bradley, may I speak to
you a minute?" Ann Delafield
stood before him, her slim hands
clasped in front of her.
Light from the window caught
q bracelet on her wrist that was
strung with tiny toy animals.
His gaze went to an infinitesimal
black cat with emerald eyes. He
stared. It was an exact replica
of the one on his watch chain
given him by the masked girl at
the carnival!
what do you want, Miss Della
field?" he asked curtly.
AIMS quick movement to cover
the bracelet by putting her right
hand over her left wrist had not
been lost on him.
"I've come to apologize for a
dreadful mistake. I overStepped
myself in letting the order for the
masks and dominoes from the
gift shop go through. People at
the ice carnival apparently only
purchased one-quarter of the
order"
He did not tell her that he
knew all about it via Brenda SelZ.
Nor that Herman Weiss, one of
the two owners of the great store,
had wanted to fire her for her
mistake.
He looked at her steadily for a
moment.
Had she come here to trade on
their filtration at the Carnival?
Deliberately worn the bracelet with
the similar souvenir upon it, so as
to make her identity known?
A flash of his former dislike for
the ways of society women Strug-
gled with something else in the
merchandise-manager. He wanted
to shake her, to humiliate her, and
yet at the same time he had a
mad impulse to kiss her.
But all he said was, briefly:
''Who is responsible for the order?"
''The carnival committee, but
they disclaim it. It was really my
fault for not having things clear.
We all thought that the masks
and dominoes would go like hot
cakes, since everyone had to be
incognito. But people really are
so hard up," said loyal Ann, that
it's understandable lots of them
couldn't afford the extra money
for the evening, and made their
masks and dominoes at home. I
should have known that"
There was a pause. What would
he say? Would she lose her job?
Initiative is important in a
store, Miss Delafield, but" he
tapped his desk with pencil, look
ing away from her for a moment
when it is braSh order it has to
be-er-curbed."
IT know. I'm sorry" She bit on
her underlip to steady it. What
was coming now?
CHAPTER XII
"You said you we're willing to
begin at the bottom. I believe that
direct selling contact with the Gus
toner would be beneficial to you.
Hitherto, you see, you have always
dealt with yourself. You are SEN
Sitive, Miss Delafield, and to a cer-
tain extent self-centered. 1t would
be good for you to learn to take
orders, and to become a mixer
with all kinds of people, as a sales
girl must become a mixer. I shall
put you, I think, in the depart
ment of misses dresses, on the
second floor"
"Oh! That will be perfectly all
right" Ann managed to stammer.
She was to be salesgirl in the dress
department, in the domain of Re
nita Parrish who detested her!