The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-20

peared she flashed a searching lool
around the office, which included
every man.
Tt came to rest on Jim, an I'm.
mistakable, come-hither, I-mean.
to-get-you look which obviously
registered, for Connie saw jim
straighten up, tighten his necktie
and button his coat as though ex-
pecting a summons from the boss
Almost Immediately it came
when Connie heard j. DIS buzzel
ring her heart sank and, watching
jim walk through the door marked
private, she felt as though he were
passing forever from her life.
Apparently he had done just that
for in two weeks time it was al
over town that Agatha Jones, visit
ing her uncle, had taken up jim
Wheeler to such an extent that
their engagement was momentar
lily expected.
TT didn't take people long to dis
Il cover that Agatha was a selfish
disagreeable, snooty little cat. which
merely proved that all a man asked
for in girl was looks and every
thing that Jim had said that night
at dinner was nothing more or less
than hooey.
That was the situation on June
Is, when the annual get-together
office picnic fell due. Fifty strong
they went out to Blair's Woods
Connie always enjoyed these out
ings, for they meant a long motor
ride, a day in the real country and
a general good time.
Miss Jones had joined the pic
nickers because her uncle made her
and greatly against her will. Bored
and listless she sat aloof and from
under the cool comfort of a shady
tree watched the others wrestle with
the lunch baskets.
DREPARING food for so people
Il was no joke but cleaning I'D
after them was even less amusing.
Connie disliked the job as much as
anybody; she didn't want to scrape
dirty plates and burn rubbish but
it was all part of the picnic and
as such she accepted it without a
thought of Sinking.
Finally, apparently unable to
bear the picnic any longer, the
boss niece called out to jim, Lets
go for a ride!"
At the moment it so happened
that Jim was helping Connie; to-
gether they struggled with sar-
dine that refused to release its
clutch on a tin plate.
Jim jabbed it savagely; it bounded
into the air So absurdly that they
both laughed and looked into each
others eyes just look but in
it was something of their old in
timacy.
Connie !" began Jim, but on
the instant came again that soft,
but Enthusiastically insistent call
from the new sport roadster
Jimmy! Come on!"
THERE was fraction of a Sec
l. ond's pause and it flashed
across Comics mind that if she
asked Jim to stay with her he would.
She had a wild impulse to lay her
hand on his arm and say please
don't go with that grill" and then
she saw him glance out at Agatha
who, cool and exquisite and desir-
able, sat waiting.
Jim took one look at the mound
OF waiting plates and without a
word STROBE away. Connie turned
her back SO as not to see him go with
Agatha, but try as she would not tt
listen in another minute upon hel
unwilling ears fell the sound of the
smart, new sport roadster purrine
evenly down the country road.
."CONNIE!" said a voice behind
~ her quietly. Startled, she
turned. There stood Jim.
why you drove away with
Miss Jones!"
That's what you Think" re-
piled Jim, only I didn't. I came
back to see you and get something
off my chest. Will you listen To
me?"
why not?" asked Connie scrap
ing furiously.
For the past six weeks" con-
tinued Jim, I've been making an
awful fool of myself" Connie
agreed but she let it pass. Agatha
Jones is pretty darned easy to look
at and for while she had me 60
ing and I don't mean maybe. But
on this picnic I snapped out of it
&. i. Just like thst."
"why?"
Because I've been watching you
manicure these filthy dishes"
g OMEBODY has to clean up"
~ Exactly. Connie, I was
brought up in the country and all
of us high school kids had a sure
fire, non-breakable test by which to
judge our girl friends. I've never
known it to fail"
What was it, the length of their
eyelashes?"
Not on your life! It was. Watch
a girl on picnic. If she won't help
clean up she's :. well, never mind
what, but believe me. old Solomon
himself never made a wiser crack
than that. I love you, dear. Have /
got a chance?"
Wait till I finish these dishes. /"
answered Connie, land I'll think it
over"
THE END.