Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-02-25
CHAPTER TEN

IN THE DAYS that followed,
Iona was to learn how difficult 1t is
to shake off the memory Of depri-
walton. Often she recalled the days
when, as a child, she had fingered
too long on the sled track, unmind-
full of the cold until the pressure
of numbed feet, tingling hands and
cramped body could no longer be
denied, and she would have to run,
in tears, for home and the kitchen
stove. Her mother would wrap her
in a blanket, peel off her stiffened
stockings, scold her gently, make
her a hot drink, and in q few min
utes she would be toasting before
the fire, comfortable and droWsy.
But each time she moved, some
where deep inside of her there
would be a SILVER. AS if she
couldn't quite soak up enough heat
to wipe out entirely the singing
cold.
It was that way now. After all
those desperate, lonely months, to
find herself suddenly possessed OF
a Job and friend. It was too Won
derful to last. Something would
happen, she kept telling herself.
Something was bound TO happen.
Ever so often in those first few
days her finger would falter on the
typewriter keys, and she would re-
member Hardy and his threats
with a little inward shiver. If she
could only be sure he wouldn't
make good his threat, she would
tell herself wistfully, looking about
the big, CHEEKY Office room that had
come to be so familiar to her as to
seem almost like home. II only she
weren't so afraid.
When her first payday arrived she
waited with bated breath. If any,
thing turned up, if Sanders had
found out anything about her, sure
ly now was the time for it to come
out. But he handed her her check
at the end of the first Saturday
morning with the short, Good
work, Miss Alderman" which she
had learned to know passed for
praise with him, and she had taken
heart. Perhaps, after all, her luck
HAD changed,
She spent that Saturday after
noon shopping. Out of her twelve
dollars she put aside room rent and
lunch money and two dollars to be
given to Jim Claridge as a first in
Istalment. ana still managed a
new hat. A cheap hat, of neces-
sity. She had to shop diligently tc
find a becoming one that would fiji
her pocketbook. But it was such
fun. And the hat, when she found
1T finally, gave her. despite its film
'siness, the biggest thrill she had
ever had from mere hat. 1t was
a saucy little thing, gray with q
tiny blue feather, and flying wisr
'of veil from which her blue eyes
looked out merrily.
1t made a new woman Of her
that hat.
You're a knockout, grill" jim
lClaridge, waiting for her in the
stuffy boarding house parlor, &C.
knowledged it admiringly, his eyes
reminding her more than ever OF
Tiny's when she had done some
thing to please him!
Like it?" she asked, prolonginp
the moment as long as she could
1t was so wonderful to have some.
one giving her compliments, some.
one to whom she could talk with
out being on her guard, someone
who understood, as Daddy used t
understand.
In the week since she had me-
Jim, she had realized all over agar
1how terribly lonely she had been
He had fallen into the habit O.
stopping at the boarding house anC
taking her out to dinner with him
Because he was lonesome, :
stranger in strange town, he tolc
her. She had been suspicious tn,
first few times that he was reall,
doing it out of pity for her. Thel
she had come to realize that h
really wanted her, liked to talk t,
her, needed her. They had seen tw,
shows together since that first one
And tonight he was taking her t.
another when they had finishe,
dinner.
& Cant help but like it," he as