The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-29

up in Ladd. It was rather cneap of Mary to act this way. Not to tell him. His mind was seething She was going to hang on to her job till she got married. He could see 1t all now. He couid have seized Shirley by the throat and strangled him. Then he stopped suddenly. He hardly knew the man, only vaguely remembered what he looked like. Just as sud- denly the anger letf him. He be- came Respondent. Why shouldn't Mary like another man?
 Ladd picked up the Star again. This time his eyes travelled fur ther down Burt's column. An other paragraph caught his atten- ton, He studied 1t sharply, reached for his clipping shears, shipped it out, then rang for Pete, the copy boy.
 "Tell Miss Franklin I want to see her at once." There was grim ness in his tone.
 Mary had just lifted the top of her desk and was slipping the typewriter into place. Her neigh bor, the religious editor, better known as the Parson, seemed to be the only other person actually working.
 Good afternoon" he said, as she settled in her chair. Glad to see you. The office is brighter when you're here.'
 The Parson was a strange soul with a hay past. Many stories were told about him. Some said he'd been a bishop who'd been defrocked. He still wore the white clerical collar and black minis terial dicky, but otherwise his churchly background did not show. He swore constantly, his deep voice booming with rough cordiality, as it slipped over oaths. When he spoke to Mary his large, pink, clean shaven face dissolved into an amiable lump of putty. A monkish fringe of white hair trimmed his bald pink head.
 He reminded Mary of Friar Tuck. He had the same Rabelai- sian delight in spicy jokes, pretty women and comfortable living His little blue eyes, round as goosberries, twinkled as he talked.
 "A press agent doesn't know the meaning of the word mo-" he fumed, turning to answer a phone call. "I'll bet this is the fellow who boosts the old fool that breaches at"
 But Mary was never to learn the name of the minister who had 8 press agent. Pete, the copyboy came running up to say Tom Ladd wanted to see her.
 Eagerly she left her desk. You could see by the expression in her eyes that she had more than affec- tion for this battling managing editor. She smiled as she entered Ladd's office.
 Did you want to talk with me?"
 She wondered why she cared for him. He had never shown any personal interest in her aside from that morning he took her to the Plaza for breakfast, and even then his attentions were only casually pleasant.
 This afternoon that casual pleasantness was missing.
 What about this?" he de- manded abruptly, handing her a clipping from 8 Broadway column.
 She had to exercise all her self. control to disregard the sharpness; in his voice. Glancing down the column she read:
 Who is the hot little debutantt skiing around Chinatown anc Oh, so elsewhere, with Duke Mar. tin? What has happened when Harvard can't compete with Lovey Dover"
 "who is the girlP" he demanded
 "1t isn't news" said Mary defl- antly. She began to lose hel temper. One moment she found herself loving this man, another moment she was hating him.
 I'm judge of what's news around here," he shouted. "It we're going to be beaten up by that puss-puss columnist of the Star, I'll get a reporter who can give me the stuff. Who is the girl?"
 "Clem Shirley"
 Her words made him pause He looked at her sharply. Pete, he called. Get me the clips on Clem Shirley"
 | Warned by Ladd's tone, the copyboy scuttled to the reference room and returned carrying a bulging envelope.
 The editor ran nervous fingers through the clips. "Once tried to elope at 15," he read. Fired from Connecticut Finishing School Supposed to be engaged to John Burden. He looked up, And chasing around town with shoe polish gangster! Are you trying to protect this Park Avenue tramp?"
 "Clem is only a headstrong kid,'' Mary pleaded. And she comes of a reaJIv oood ho ckoro,,pd uer