The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-21

hopeQ ms WorK would not takt
 long.
 He went through the agreement slowly, thoughtfully. Occasionally ht dictated a paragraph to be added, ol changed. AS she took down the notes, she could feel his eyes burn. ing into her.
 She made a pretty picture sit ting there, in her simple little
 Hack schoolgirl dress, with the crisp white collars and cuffs 1 Through the window a sunbeam entered, and caught up the high lights in her golden curls. Her eyes were cast down, intent upon her notes, and their long dark lashes seemed to rest on the vel vet of her cheeks = cheeks which were a little pink now with a flush of embarrassment. Norton regarded her with undisguised appreciation.
 After ten or fifteen minutes, he laid the papers aside, deliberately, He noticed that the tiny clock on her desk marked the hour of noon.
 Its twelve o'clock he re- marked. I'm keeping you floln your lunch"
 That's quite all right" Joan assured him, her tone crisp and businesSlike.
 T think it would be very much nicer" he suggested, If I Cook you to lunch. We could return later and finish this"
 Joan started, uneasily. "i'!n very sorry" she stammered. T can't-not today"
 Norton smiled again. T dis tinctly heard MT. Hendry tell you to take the afternoon off. Why can't we spend it together?"
 1T have an engagement"
 Don't tell me that!" He laughed at her, waving aside her excuses. How can you have an engagement when you just learned a moment ago that you would be free?"
 He rose carelessly, walked over to the window and pointed out doors.
 Its too perfect an afternoon to waste in an office" he con- mented. And I'm a stranger in your city. Surely you could show me little hospitality ."
 He returned to his chair, and as he passed in back of Joan, he too dropped his hand to pat her Shoul- der. But in his manner of doing it there was none of the fatherly kind ness which MT. Hendry's similar &C., ton had denoted. Norton's touch on her shoulder was deliberate, pur- poseful, and unpleasant. Joan writh- ed under it.
 T do have a luncheon engage ment," she insisted. Do you mind if we finish this as quickly as possible? I should not like to be late"
 Joan wondered now if the minor changes he had suggested in the agreement were so very important, just little plan of his own to spend the afternoon with her? If it was companionship, why pick on her? There were a million girls in New York. What was the reason he sought her out so craftily?
 Its quite impossible" she re- torted sharply. There is no way in which I can reach the friend I am to meet ."
 "A lady friend, I suppose?" he asked irnpertinently.
 "Yes."
 "Then suppose take you both to lunch, and you and I can en- joy ourselves alone, later on"
 Won't he understand that I'm not going with him, Joan thought. Must I run out of the office and leave him sitting here? If only Bob would drop by now! Bob! She'd forgotten for the moment that she wore a symbol of Bob'S protection against just this sort of unpleasantness.
 I'm sorry, MT. Norton. Your invitation really is little - em- barrassing."
 She laid her left hand on the desk, where the sunlight picked up the brilliant sparkle of the diamond in her ring. The ges- ture was not lost on Norton. He laughed, brazenly.
 50 that's the reason!" he re- marked. The boy friends Jeal- ous, eh?"
 "No-not exactly"
 Still laughing, he patted the hand that wore the ring. Joau pulled it way quickly.
 Don't be so old-fashioned, cly dear!" Norton advised. What the boy friend doesn't know will never matter. While he's work ing hard this lovely afternoon, you and I can steal a march"
 Please understand, MT. Norton. It's quite impossible. I'm engaged to marry MT, Andrews, of this Of-