Evening star., 1938-01-24
CHAPTER VII.

ToR the next 10 weeks Chris
- worked harder than she had
ever worked before Between
4 the travelling and the business
calls 1t was remarkable that she got
any rest at all. but the abrupt shift
in routine was vacation in itself.
Meanwhile she was not lacking in
GOSSIP from home. A substantial
batch OF letters was usually waiting
for her when she reached the hotels
and she would spend a happy half
hour reading them. even before she
would unpack. Week by week the
bunch of them in her suitcase grew.
last night your Romeo blew in"
Bate wrote early In the second week
that Chris was gone He looked so
sad and nournful that I took him
Under my wing-maternal instincts,
/ vou know. We went to the Feather
Fsn-rtten food but he likes the
dump, Had q fairly good time, but
wish you'd come home and take
care Of him. He seems to need your
gentle touch on his feverish brow"
Phil wrote about the date, too.
Went stepping last night with the
Kid Sister. She's nice little tidbit
Incidentally, l found out from Minna
that she and Uncle and Aunt Emer-
sfn intend going on trip. and after
comparing notes We discovered that
they may cross your path some time
before you come home. They aren't
leaving for at least month, though,
so don't expect to see them soon"
The notes she received from Mr..
Bosconbe we're for the most part
j formal, busine esslike and remote. Ex-
Get for an occasional hastily scraWled
note inclosed with the letter, she
would have found it hard to recognize
1ln at all. Il am more than pleased
With the results you are having"
This came not long after she had sent
n another successful report. 1T is
indeed boost in itself for our firm
to have you as one of us" That was
all that was in the letter dictated TO
his secretary. but stuck in the en-
velope was another sheet of paper
that read, MY dear. am thinking
OF you today as We rush to get our
copy out on time. I miss your sensl-
bic head and your delightful smile.
I an so proud of you that l feel
like shouting from housetops. Come
beck soon.''
DILL and Babe continued to 60
out evenings now and then. each !
writing dutifully to Chris and giving
her all the details She was not Wor-
rled about their dating She could |
hardly expect an undeclared lover to
sit home alone while she chased |
around the Midwest after customers. |
Babe found him nice company and |
said so. but in mild way that |
registered complete indifference. Phil |
vas having a nice enough time, but |!
his letters ended in mournful pleas !
to come home quick-you're much !
missed or hurry back, Chris, we're |
losing out On the sWellest rides these
gorgeous days i
Then came an especially Joyous
letter from Babe. I've found me a
studio. It's run by q handsome devil !
named Stone, and l like it loads"
Chris was seeking the reason for the
name of Stone being particularly |
familiar. She had run across it
somewhere in business way. per-
haps. 1t belonged somewhere in her
past associations. "A handsome devil |
named Stone" It clicked again as she
reread the letter. She had it at her
hngertlps. but could not quite grasp It. |
So the news drifted through to her. |
The letters came and went. Then |
gradually, 30 gradually that at first |
she did not notice it. the letters from
them changed. Babe had less and |
less to say about Phil; Phil seldom
mentioned Babe, She was busy, and |
ne was busy. But one evening after |
reading two from them that had |
become strangely like others she had |
received lately, Chris found herself
considering just what it was that
was keeping them so busy. They
both wrote pages and pages, but told
her nothing. She frowned, wondering
what the trouble was From. Babe:
Il bought the darlingest dress yes
terday-a heavenly green print with
fiuf1y white collar and cuffs I wore
1t last night when" there was a
space scratched out there From Phil
came reports of how hard he was
working, that he had seen Johnnie
and Minna one night, that the city
was hot, that Minna and her family
had left the day before for q vacation.
Neither letter mentioned the other.
CHRIS considered the possibility Of
having had a spat. Babe was
inclined to short temper, and Phil |
had solemn moments that Babe prob |
ably couldn't or would not attempt to
understand.
It was still in her mind when she
vent to bed that night. and she de-
cided that at the first opportunity
she would write Babe, casually curl
GUS. not too anxious. She didn't want
them to quarrel. She didn't want to
think of any other reason for their
splitting, either. No one knew how
she felt about Phil save Mr.. Boscombe.
As far as the outside world was con-
cerned, she and Phil were close friends
and no more.
But she dio not get to writing Babe
the next day, nor the next, and then
one evening she came back to the
hotel, tired and hungry, to fnd Minna
waiting In the lobby.
well, traveller, we've finally caught
up with you!" Minna Rugged her
eagerly. Chris wondered at this un-
expected display of affection Mother
and dad insist on your having dinner
With US. We're spending the night
here, anyhow, so we can have nice
long evening together"
Chris did the only thing she could
possibly do under the circumstances.
Suppose you bring your stuff to my
room, Minna, and stay with me over
night" She knew from the broad
ness and almost Cheshirecatness Of
Minna'e smile that she was bursting
with something about Phil. or perhaps
!. Babe and Johnnie, It would certainly