The Washington times., 1937-01-08

! Horseshoe with her opera glasses,
recognizing friends and enemies
"of happier days." as she was
wont to refer, sentimentally, to
that period before the crash. Sew
eral of them came to visit her.
When the lights were again low
cred, and the curtain rung up
on Act II, Ann was presently to
sense a large presence on the hith-
erto vacant chair at her left.
A man-immaculate in evening
clothes, with a white gardenia in
the satin lapel Of his tail-coat.
Tim O'Hallahan! So he had stolen
a march on her? Got around her
refusal of coming here alone with
him! Indignant at his action, she
kept her eyes upon the stage, but
when the curtain was rung down
and the lights went up, of course
she had to speak to Tim, present
him to mother.
Through her jewelled lorgnette
QaSt relic of past GRANDEUR the
pretty, petulant Mrs. Delafield sur
veyed this possibility for Ann.
Marriage-with money-money
that would help the family for
tunes-Lollie'S small mind could
go no further...
The man looked like money!
Came the sibilant whisper from
her mother: What does he do,
Ann?"
"He's a silk manufacturer"
"You mean, the O'Hallahan
with the huge mill over in New
Jersey?"
Eyes! Careful! He'll hear you'll"
"And a bachelor?"
Ann nodded. do hush, dar-
ling"
Perhaps, Mr.. O'Hallahan," said
Lollie ever so Sweetly, and be-
fore Ann could check her, you'd
give us the pleasure Of your COM
pany at dinner one evening? My
daughter" with a complacent
smile at Ann-"has told me so
much about you that I quite seem
to know you already"
Delighted, I'm sure" said Tim.
Many eyes had been leveled
from all parts of the Metropol,
ian on the handsome trio.
But the eyes that viewed them
with the greatest satisfaction be.
longed to an unescorted woman in
a cheap gallery seat.
Brenda Selz enjoyed the Op
era, but had to pay for her own
ticket. Through powerful double
glasses, she scrutinized Tim O'Hal
lahan-and Ann Delafield. Her
mouth twisting Sardonically.
so the wind lies in that quar-
ter? I thought as much!"
Next morning at the store, she
fingered in AIMS department.
apparently in friendly fashion.
Mice little line of lingerie!"
Her sharp eyes scanned the price
tags. But aren't they bit high?"
"Oh, no. It's first-class mate
I1d1, Ann UOlQ ueT.
Brenda went off to her lunch.
She wasted little time on food,
however. She planned dropping in
at some rival stores. The lingerie
sections were her objective. The
particular line of lingerie she had
commented on, in AIMS depart
ment, was certainly not moving"
By the grapevine system she had
heard it, and rejoiced.
Making the rounds, Brenda fl
nally landed in Marcus & Pick.
ards big emporium, a stones
throw from Barclay & Weiss.
Prowling around the Silken gar
ments of the competitors, she
made a discovery! The identical
line of lingerie that Ann was fea-
turing-had even advertised on
Sunday in the layout-was selling
like hot cakes to the customers at
considerably less price. ..
"TheSe marked DOWN." she in
quired of saleSgirl, certain that
style, cut. material, finish were
identical with those of AIMS.
Certainly not. But they're ex-
cellent value" the salesgirl as.
Sured her.
Brenda sped across the street,
and within Is minutes was closeted
with Herman Weiss, co-owner of
the store with old Tom Barclay,
who was really in the nature of a
sleeping partner, and now sun
ming his bones on the sands of the
South.
I've come to you in confidence,
because I'm afraid there's some
thing going on in the lingerie de-
! partment OF which you should be
informed" 1t was not the first
time that the gift shop buyer had
tattled to the big shot" of the
store, who trusted her no more
than he trusted any other of his
employees, with the exception of
Paul Bradley. But he listened for
her spying proclivities were grade
A, and she was usually fairly &C.
curately informed, he had dis
covered.
"Humph!" grunted Herman.
turning a fiShy eye on Brenda,
go ahead"
You know that line of lingerie
we advertised last Sunday a week
ago, in the big double spread? {?
D'you know why we're stuck with
it? It's because Marcus & Pickard
are terrifically underselling us
with the same quality goods-the
identical same stuff as Miss Della.
field ordered in quantities from
|