Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-01-26
CHAPTER 4

THE LIGHT was red but Janet
didn't notice that. She stepped
from the curb and a hand jerked
her back roughly. She hadn't even
seen the taxi turning the corner.
She murmured her thanks and saw
that her rescuer was gone. The
slight adventure was enough to
unnerve her; she felt her eye1ids
string with the tears that sprang
: to her eyes.
The hot paveme nt burned
through the thin soles of her san
dals. The July sun beat merciless-
ly down upon her. It was a long
hot walk across the park to West
Seventy-third> street, but a bus
would have cost 10 cents. It was
an extravaganza she could i'll af-
ford and she resisted it, striking
out bravely on her path homeward.
There was no need to hurry for
Joel seldom returned to her before
6 and more than ever today she
dreaded going back to the airless
room where the bright colors were
less attractive in the hot light.
She was filed with unhappiness
but not with envy. thinking of the
lovely, cool apartment she had left
but a few minutes before.
She had been leaving the bank
where she deposited the check for
the rental of her old apartment, a
check that allowed no profit, when
she heard herself hailed by Mar
garet Peyton. Margaret, like her
self, was a bride and like Janet,
had been a minor executive at the
Faber-Johnston store.
Margaret, sitting at the wheel
Of a smart little roadster, said,
"Come along with me, Janet, I'm
dying to hear about what has been
happening to you. I've got to get
home early and want you to see
nay place."
So Janet, having nothing to do
but worry, had gotten in.
Margaret was bride who might
have been created by a woman's
magazine. She had radiance; she
had, also, an air Of assurance, of
security. She had a trousseau with
everything a bride could want.
Janet exclaimed over the lovely
hostess gowns, the smart little
evening frocks, the jaunty sports
things. She murmured lovely"
and chow fortunate" and all the
other things that were expected Of
her over the linens and glass and
china. And she missed none Of the
beauty and completeness Of the
big, comfortable, cool living room,
the spacious kitchen. the well
stocked pantry.
She slipped her iced tea and nib
bled imported English biscuits and
told Margaret that Joel was item
porarily at liberty" but they
couldn't get away this summer
Margaret and her husband were
going to Maine for the month Of
August-because "Joel is consider
ing a part in a new production"
Ellis show closed in March,
didn't it?" Margaret asked. ST
was interested in it when I heard
you had married him and I wanted
to see it but when we got back
from our honeymoon, it had
closed"
Janet smiled very brightly.
eyes, I was glad it did. I had
hardly had him to myself. We
didn't have a real. honeymoon, you
know. 1t was nice to have him
more of the time"
It HAD been at first when they
were both filled with optimism.
There were new shows in produc-
ton then, shows that would go on
the road for the summer. There
had been no need to worry then.
They'd had over 5000 in the bank,
including Martha's wedding pres
ent.
There was less than $25 now.
The English biscuits that cost a
dollar a pound felt dry in Janet's
throat as she thought of the din
ner she had planned. Lamb stew