Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1936-10-16
NINTH INSTALMENT

That was soon after she'd met
Rod, and he was perfect in her
eyes. How she had wished then that
one day he'd ask her to marry him,
for then she thought surely it
would be heaven to have a husband
like him. She smiled in the dark.
Now Rod had asked her tt marry
him, and she had refused. Had
made a fatal mistake? Was it bet
ter to marry within your own class
and rise OR sink together? But,
worn out with all the strain, she
fell asleep, a smile On her lips as
though she were still at one with
Rod, loving him with all the fevor
of her youth.
Say Maris, I guess you made a
tremendous hit last night. Look
what the papers say about you"
Maris was entering the correspond
ence room, and Mil1y darted to her
side with the morning papers.
Maris' cheeks were rosy as the
different statesmen came up and
told her what they thought of her
presentation. But all their words
of praise meant nothing to her, for
she felt that what Stan might say
to her would make a big differ
ence in her life.
Presently Miss Riggs hurried
down the aisle. "Mr. Stanley wants
you in his office right away" she
said breathlessly.
"All right" answered Maris
nonchalantly, but beneath her ap-
parent calm, her heart was beating
like a sledge hammer. What would
he say to her? Had those girls aired
their opinions to him, or did they
despise him and blame him as they
blamed her?
She opened the door of his office,
and he rose up quickly, and, taking
her hand in his, shook it enthusiast
t%icallv. "Well, Maris, you put it
over big and Pm mighty proud of
you. But where did you vanish to
last night? Didn't you know I was
going to take you home?" the ca
ressing note in his voice seemed to
blot out all the harsh accusations
that the girls had made against her.
"Oh, I never thought of that.
It's very kind of you to have
thought of such a thing, but I'm
sure you'd plenty to see to, and I
got home all right"
"We11, there was quite a lot to
see to, but I did think after the af-
fair was over I might have a chance
to tell YOU how splendid1y you'd
done. But maybe you'll let me
show my appreciation tonight?
How about having dinner with me
and then dancing afterwards"
The color dyed Maris' cheeks
and she could not keep the sparkle.
out of her eyes as she said, "YouI
don't have to feel you must reward
me for what I did. I had a good
time wearing that lovely gown. I
enjoyed the affair immensely" she
added as though she would con-
vince herself she was really speak
ing the truth.
"But surely you won't deny me
the pleasure of having you as my
quest tonight? There's something
else I want to talk over with you,
and, well, there never seems to be
time for anything but conferences
and so forth in the office. Tell me
I may call for you tonight" His
eyes seemed to burn into hers, and
quickly banishing all Patsy's words
of warning and her own new an
tagonism against his set, she said,
every we'll, I'll be glad to go with
you.
"That's right" he said, but
something seemed to jar her. Had
she been too ready to acquiesce to
his wishes?
As she returned to her desk, she
had a strange sort Of disturbed
feeling. She'd never noticed his lips
before. Were they smiling at her?
But she shook herself. She was
getting fanciful. That surely show
ed she wasn't accustomed to late