Evening star., 1940-02-27
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Glancing up nervously, she found
James eyes upon her and forced .
smile to her lips. But she knew
she was not fooling Jane. Her
roommate knew she was worried.
Worried? But Of course she wasn't
worried. Something had come up
to delay Eric. He would come i. .
Eric Knocks On Door.
The loud. knock on the door
brought her eagerly to her feet.
She fairly fiew across the room,
elation displacing the gloom and
nervousness Of . moment before.
With q happy smile she flung open
the door.
"Eric!"
Elaine caught him by the hand
and fairly dragged him into the
apartment. Closing the door with
q bang, she glanced eagerly up into
his face, cheeks radiant with hap
piness. Il was beginning to think
you'd never come. What delayed
you?"
Delayed me?" he asked quizzically
at the clock across the room. ''Why,
it's just nine. That isn't so late"
Jane snickered as she rose from
her chair and sauntered slowly to-
wards them. She paused with mad
dening deliberation before Eric, her
eyes frankly appraising him, and
Elaine, realizing that her roommate
was consciously prolonging the sus-
pense, ached with the desire to
throw her from the room.
But before she could say one
word to hasten James departure,
the girl turned with an eloquent
shrug to the door, "I1l be down in
Mamma Gambino's," she told Elaine
with a sniff.
Eric fidgeted uneasily as the door
closed softly behind her. With q
peculiar, wistful sort of smile he
crossed the room and sat down or
the couch. I'm sorry she doesnr
like me-" he said with q sigh. "I've
known all along that she doesn't
think I'm good enough for you"
Elaine Breaks the Ice.
Elaine shrugged her shoulders
more annoyed with Jane than she
cared to admit. She crossed the
room and sank to the couch beside
him.
Jane is just the type of girl who
doesn't think any man is good
enough for any woman" she said
attempting to sooth his injured feel
ings. She sighed and tapped hel
hands restlessly together. When
would they stop talking around the
subject that interested them most?
She was well aware Of the fact that
Helen had visited him too. How else
could she have learned where she
worked? And from his preoccupiec
manner she guessed that this visit
was uppermost in his thoughts. The
tension in the room seemed tt
heighten with each passing, silent
minute and finally, unable to with.
stand the suspense any longer anc
instinctively knowing that he was al
a loss as to how to begin, she tool
a deep breath and plunged in.
I saw Helen this afternoon" sh
told him abruptly, eagerly watchin,
his face for hint of what his feel
ings were. "She offered me a checl
If I promised to leave you alone"
He looked at her sharply. "Wh,
didn't you accept it? Fifty thousan,
dollars Is a lot of money"
Elaine laughed softly. mo on,
has to pay me to leave you alone
Eric. If-if you don't want t,
marry me all you have to do is sa,
so. I won't ever bother you again.
Eric Finds = Job.
His eyes frightened and with
speed almost magical, the grave, pre-
occupied expression vanished fron
his face. He grasped her hands Il
his and drew her close. Elaine
found job this afternoon!"
II she lived to be a hundred Elain
knew that never again would sh
know the happiness of that momen,
Speeches. with joy, she flung he
arms around his neck, too consume
with happiness to speak, too con
fused to do anything more thai
stare into his exultant eyes. Sh
knew she should say something, any
thing, just to let him know what sh
felt, but who could express joy, VIII
could reduce to cold, inanimat
words the mad, exciting, almost will
emotions that surged riotously with
in her?
1T isn't much of a job, though,
he said softly, holding her tight
only q stock clerk in the Blanchar
store and the salary is only SIG
week. But it's a start, Elaine VIII
knows how far I'll be able to go?"
You'll 60 long way" Elaine sal
confidently, running a tender han
through his hair. eyes shining wit
the warmth of her feelings. "I'r
positive Of that"
Elaine" Eric's eyes became plead
Ing, "let's not get married right away
Sixteen dollars isn't much money
want to give you so many thing
when you're my wife"
"You would be giving me NOR
than that" Elaine told him warmly
You would be giving me the mos
complete happiness I've eve
known"
Wants to Prove Himself.
Eric shook his head slowly, al
most sadly. I'm just beginning t
learn the value, the real value O
money, Elaine. But even q persol
as stupid about that as I am know
you can't live on love. And be
sides, well. I was thinking about tina
picture we saw at the Music Hall tn
other night. You know, the on
about the rich man who couldn'
take the hard knocks? I don't wan
that sort Of ending for us, Elaine.
want our love to always be as i'm
and pure and-and holy as it /
/ a