The Coolidge examiner., 1939-04-06
CHAPTER VIII-Continued


lifted brows.
Didn't Moby Dickstein tell you
I intended we should be engaged?"
He may have made some refer
ence to it."
MY instructions, said A. Leon
compacently. There was a swift
pass. suggestive of legerdemain,
and large. pure diamond was
sparkling into her eyes. "Whad
d'you think of that?"
ITS lovely" was her involuntary
admission.
TITS yours, darling"
'Oh, no! couldn't possibly"
He brandished the jewel before
her. then held it out at arms length
the better to emphasize his impress
sive statement. This is a bonny-
fed engagement ring"
But. Mr.. Snydacker, I'm not en-
gagged to you"
mo: but"
And l don't want to be-"
You don't want to be engaged to
be. married to me? A bonnyfied en-
gagement."
I'm afraid / don't"
'Lissen. When l say engaged, l
mean the real Mccoy. This is brass
tacks. Not just one of those news
paper engagements for publicity.
It's regular, see? I'm telling you III
marry you" He was putting his case
with a skill, a tact, a persuasive
inagnanimity which reused the live
Hest appreciation in his own mind.
Just as soon," he added in after
thought. "as can get my divorce. !"
1t was a painful shock to him to
hear her laugh And there was no
bitterness in her mirth; it was
whole-hearted. He was astute
enough to recognize this for bad
sign. And yet-surely she wasn't
turning him down. Not A. Leon
Snydacker, with his position, his au-
thority, his millions.
''Oh dear" she murmured. How
can l get it over to him? l don't
want to marry you, Mr.. Snydack-
err"
''You don't want to marry me?"
mo; if you don't mind. l don't
want to marry anybody"
Il don't get your point of view.
darling. l don't get it at ALL"
do you want me to leave the
company"
mo; no." he cried. alarmed.
Nothing like that"
1t all seemed to him so illogical.
Here he was offering her-Oh. well!
Let it go for the present.
"O-kay." he yielded sadly. We'll
leave it lay" He extended the soil
taire. You keep this to kinda hold
the thought"
''Oh, no! couldn't possibly"
'T'll charge it to the studio and
you can wear it as a prop" he
propounded in one of his bursts of
inspiration. Think it over anyway.
Think the whole proposition over"
Gloria and Moby Dickstein re-
Ieved the situation by appearing to
keep an appointment which their
boss had forgotten. When this had
been postponed and Marine had left
with them, the ring in its elegantly
embossed case still rested on the Of
hcial desk.
n,,t 1f bic n yo
of women, A. Leon Snydacker
evolved a measure of strategy to
resolve the deadlock. While all were
at dinner he had the precious box
smuggled into the stars room. That
night he slept well in the peace
giving assurance that all women,
even the classy ones, were essential
ly alike and all you needed was a
little tact.
Morning brought disillusionment.
It also brought the engagement ring.
plus the emeralds, back to their
purchaser. No word came with
them.
In uncomfortable anguish of soul
A. Leon began to suspect that he
was being played for sucker
which. to his proud spirit, was a
fate worse than death. He ragged.
He cursed. He sent for Moby Dick
stein and fired him again, re-hired
him, retired him, and finally told
him to get out. By the time the
Great Man, once more reconsider
ing, had shouted, wait a minute, +"
the for-once-resentful Mr.. Dickstein
either was out of hearing or pre-
tended to be.
The two secretaries were sum-
moned to the Presence They
found their chief striding up and
down with haggard eyes.
"Tll show her!" he shouted.
Both took it down and then, de-
Gliding to scratch it out, waited for
more. 1t came, fiood-tide. For an
hour and a quarter Mr.. Snydacker
dictated notes. He then ordered his
valet to pack, after which he locked
himself in the west wing for ses-
sion of self-communion, officially
designated as a conference and 9TH
erwise known as the sulks.
Memoranda were the aerial
bombs of A. Icons professional op-
erations. Shortly after the presid-
ing genius had withdrawn into the