Evening star., 1938-01-21

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Emerson, Phtrs cousin. John re-
cents PhiPs interference and tells
Chris te,D days later that he Il
determined to get euen NTH him.
Antoine begins to shotp affection
tor Babe, and Mr. Bascombe. Chris
boss, showers her ,pith attention. .
Phil gets q ne1D car and takes Chris
for a rtre. Something goes Wronp
NTH Il and they haze to stay at a
tdrnaohuse all night. Johnnie hears
OF It, and his i,.stnuations cause
PHI to lose his Job.
CHAPTER
= re WAS sitting disconsolately
at . corner table, q half-fin-
ished glass Of orangeade be-
L L fore him. She sat down across
from him, and II he had looked he
could have seen her love for him shin
Ing boldly in her eyes. But he stared
morosely at the table top.
This was = different Phi. than she
had ever seen. He had come to her
often with worries, but never had he
been 70 sipiritless, so crushed and
bitter She was amazed.
Well" he finally said, news travels
FAST indeed In these days Of modern
inventions, my friend. How did john
ME find out about our getting ma
sooned in the wilds last sunday?"
That's simple enough. You told
Minna, or perhaps Babe did, and she
told Johnnie. Why do you ask?"
He shrugged his shoulders. THAT
was all the lad needed to know. You
and I in a strange house together all
night started his clever brain going
and then his tongue"
The implication Of his statement
sent the blood rushing to her cheeks.
He was talking on, but for a second
she watched his mobile mouth and
wondered with delicious audacity what
It would be like If she kissed him.
His father is good friend of my
employer-he told the old man and
pop told my boss. Shouldn't have that
type Of man In his organization, you
know. Mr.. Leonard-that's my en-
ployer-is stufIy old gentleman at
best. which made everything perfect"
How'd you know Johnnie was be-
hind it?"
Leonard told me when he called
mo In few minutes ago and said
I could collect the rest of this months
pay on the way out Nice Of him.
For two bits I'd hunt that skunk down
and give him a good smack in the
face. And to think this all started
because he drank too much one night
last January. I know the loveliest
things I'd be saying right now If you
weren't here"
well, I'm of and away, SO have
yourself good swear and then buck
up, little man. I'll do what I can,
although right now I can't imagine
what"
CHE stood up and looked at him,
slumped in the little chair, toy
ing With the glass. A great longing
to take him In her arms and make
. sweet, maternal fuss over him was
In her. ...
After ALL" she concluded, "if I
hadn't been along they couldn't have
found all those Juicy things to say,
70 it's half my fault, isn't it?"
II she stayed another moment she
knew shed be making a scene, so
she made a hasty retreat, leaving him
with . reassuring smile and q pat on
the shoulder.
Up In the ofdce she paced the floor.
What could they do. to clear up the
ridiculous affair? What was there to
work on? How in the world could
they ever kill the talk, get back Phils
position for him? She stood In front
Of the window, the light falling with
summer softness on her face
In the next room Mr.. Boscombe
heard her walking to and fro. He
went IN and stood beside her. To his
eyes there was something pathetic
about her, leaning against the sill,
motionless, so lost in thought that his
presence was unnoticed.
Il say, Miss Sherman, Is there. any,
thing can do? You mentioned on
your way out few minutes ago that
. friend Of yours was in trouble. II
was wondering II I could be Of any
help"
There was 4 gentle quality to his
voice that was new, and she felt un-
expected tears come to her eyes, much
10 her embarrassment. The urge to
unload her woes on friendly shoulders
% dtsarmed her that in a few mo-
ments Mr.. Boscombe knew the whole
sorry little story.
And he's so down in the Dumps"
she added, Hes the kind that can't
take it philosophically. If he doesn't
get his Job back soon. he'll be sunk.
Heaven only knows what he'll do"
"You seem to know him pretty thor
oughly." Mr.. Boscombe observed.
Chris felt herself grow pink, and he
saved her the necessity Of a reply by
going of into a brown study, leaning
back in his chair, eyes closed, fingers
folded.
Eventually he said: Look here. II
you don't mind, We'll start from the
very beginning again and see If there
isn't something that might settle this.
Begin" =:
Chris protested. But you've things
70 do. There's a man from New York
waiting to see you. and that business
with Kansas City"
Nonsense" said Mr.. Boscombe
0erenely. Begin"
R1T by bit, step by step. she went
over it again. And then she
took me to the guest room and said
Good night and then" Chris
laughed suddenly. that's it! She
locked the door" -.
Good girl. But are you positive?"
"I'll say I am. She read the two
Of US a morality speech and then in
formed me of her intentions before
she turned the key and marched OF.
She slept with the key under her
pillow to be extra safe. She told me
that the next morning.
Prom here on it's very simple"
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