Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-06-17

said that she had changed her mind
and would stay as a favor
Virgtnie suspected that Alec had told
Bemby to have a heart and not leave
Hanny. She felt hopeless, tired.
She paid little attention TO Delora
whose SlOe eyes careSSed men CUSTOM
ers, That was Hanny'S business. Soon
I Withered IN churches and he Is Risen
I no more in hourly sweet reverence
I from radios, Hanny would sternly deal
with Miss Siciliano.
/ But tired. unhappy Virginie was mis-
/ taken. Hanny did not get that chance
! Late Saturday afternoon. while the
HaSch chimes rang softly Resurrec-
/ ton, lean young black haired Levan-
I tine entered the shop, prowled swiftly
I like panther past fountains and tail
fragrant vases through heavy-scent-
ed showrooms and flower crammed
workroom and found Delora in the
packing room with an armful OF roses
for fussy old broker
Virgtnie was checking violets for
dinner table on Park Avenue No one
paid attention until q soft voice cut
through the clamor like steel through
a petal;
Get hat and coat. my little sister"
Delora half screamed and dropped
the long-stemmed roses as If they were
too thorny.
BENNY was there. 1t was Alecs US
ual time to drop in. with the last Car
CONNIE truck.
Delora said like a scared baby 81
wontl WON'T like to work in a
shopl"
Get theml" he repeated, softly.
Il have not my social security card"
she argued.
Your marriage tonight will be your
social security, my sister,"
Bemby spoke, using unfortunately
the same tone she might have taken
toward the bullying husband Of a
cowed housemaid.
How absurdl Are you her owner9
This is Americal Miss Siciliano, I'll
give you a card TO a good legal firm. "
The brother looked at Bemby-at
the perfect cut Of her crepe uniform,
at the expensive lustre Of her oaten
hair, at five-carat square emerald
on her left hand. And. looking, he
spat
"Oh, no. Tony" cried Delora, and
giggled. She is a rich girl She does
not need to work"
"She takes JOB and maybe bread
from someone who is poor?" Again
Tony spat
There seemed nothing for anyone to
say. BENNY was annoyed, but amused !
Delora put thumb in her little red
mouth
win Ferro buy me diamond shout |
der clips2" she bargained as II that !
had been an obstacle.
Probably" said her brother, with /
disapproval.
Then he spoke to the group.
"She has been more trouble 10 me /
than all the other seven OF my faith /
ers children" he said, simply. "She
works to make contacts, as she says.
tell her to such as her that Is a word !
for troubleSl Ferro Is a good man.
But he Is tired Of going on his knees
to her" He seemed young and wor-
ried. not sinister.
Brother and sister departed. Vir-
ginie returned to her checking. Bemby
and Alec chatted laughing little The
afternoon sped 10 its feverish end. Alec
had gone when Virginie again looked
toward the lily-filled passageway.
Virginie, too tired to feel. punched
the time-clock Old Hanny said, Take
a pot of lilies, II you like. But I bet
Alec left half load at your mammals
door"
Did Hanny say that merely to be
kind2
She took the pot. 1t was heavy. They
would believe that Alec gave 1t to her.
a thin gray snow was raining OUTSIDE.
coaches were steamtng from
wet feet. She had five blocks to walk
after she left the subway. The gray
snow yelled street bulbs. Taxi win .
dowS were now-curtained. Drivers
were intent on right Of way. Pedes-
TRANS, too. But on that fifth block
were no pedestrians, except Virginie.
With her head bent against the wet
and her coat collar turned high, she
did not see the curtained car which
drove along the curb, or the figure
which got out so swiftly.
A hand went over her mouth.
Through a muffler over his face, he
poke indistinctly BE quiet" The pot
II lilies fell, broke.
Her mind flashed back to the venom
n Tony Siciliano's stare at Bemby's
But surely any one would
NOW that Bemby went home In her
,wn luxurious car.
An arm went not painfully about
yirginie's neck. She was lifted into
he car, warned again 10 be silent.
She obeyed. She thought that the
ollls would not be worried at home.
3he might be working overtime.
He drove north, then east. Through
tunnel, over bridges Down streets
nth houses. Streets with warehouses.
through woods