The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-09-16


liked her knowing important pco-
pie.
Its salcsman'S weakness,
darling" he told her. "ContactS,
we call them. They help plenty.
His own contacts had proven
valuable because his work was
coming on eXcellently. So good in
fact that only last week he had
brought quick tears of happiness
to her eyes.
It's been five months now,
Pat. What about it? You know |
love you. Shall We be engaged
And 50 now her life was full,
complete. \ few more months
preparing for their home, and
then marriage. Larry had prom
iScd to get the boys during vaca-
ton. so that worry was leSscned.
And the family liked him. Liked
his caSygoing manner, his ac-
Quaintancc with the big city, with
those magic names that meant so
cicty out i'm the west end.
The memories faded. Judge
Kelly came back to the bench;
the gavcl raped for order. Pat
frightened her grip on the pencil
and filled another sheet with
notes.
The day wore on. Tom Sweeney
sat Sprawlcd out in the witness
chair, his brown hair with red
lights in it tumbled over his broad
forehead, his brown eyes friendly
as they looked at Pat Nothing
fearsome about him now. she
thought. but those same eyes
could be cold, searching when he
was questioning people. She Smll-
ed back at him. He was new on
the Job, and not yet at ease in the
court. He was well thought Of
over at police headquarters, she
had heard. That WAS why he had
been assigned to the tough traffic
job.
He pushed his hair back and
| leaned down from the chair.
Tough Saturday" he said in that
deep voice that had made many
people Suuirm earlier in the day.
we ran overtime. didn't We?
Hard on His Honor, too" He
nodded his head toward the
/ judges chamber. His witc'S on
the phone, and on the muscle. He
stood her up for lunch. "
Lunch-Pat realized it was in
deed late for lunch. She glanced
at the clocN. and then at the dark
ness outside. Rain WAS trickIlng
down the window and the smoke
IRON trcighter heading up river
hun low upon the water.
Going to finish all those notes
before you knock off for a hand
wich?" his voice came to her.
How about going down to the
drug store for something? You
WON'T have to take my words of
wisdom down then, you know
She smiled, but shook her head.
Il don't think I'll take time. |
have an orange in my desk. |
want TO get through early.
Thanks, though
| She wanted to finish up, wanted
] to get away to do some shopping
and hurry home to be ready when
| Larry came - Larry - the name
sang through her heart. The room
/ faded away. Nothing was real cX-
ccpt Larry and herself,
Ought to take time off to re-
laX." Toms voice came to her
again. "Or is all this rush for a
special reason! \ young man. |
suppose" He %rinncd and turned
to answer question as the desk
sergeant came over.
Back in the little cubbyhoIe
/ that she used for an office Pat
/ looked at her face in a tiny mir
ror. She wondered if her happi-
ness could be seen in her eyes as
flag. Soon it wouldn't be a Sc
/ cret. In another month they
would announce the engagement.
| She could imagine the words star
/ ing at her from the Sunday pa
perS: Mrs. Dennis McGraw an
nounces the engagement of her
daughter. Patricia Mary, to Laur-
ence Kent
Until then it was her own. Hers
and Larry's. She went back to her
work. her fingers flying over the
, keys, playing a melody of prom
Use.
/ Intermittent showers came and
went while she hurried through
her work. And then out on the
street. running to the shop where
she had seen the brightly colored
/ breakfast set. gay flowers against
a cream background, squat cups,
| a funny cream and sugar set, tea