The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-18

think, I reason, and I know that
 there is Q chance for someone
 like me.
 civilization is changing; so-
 ciety is taking on a new form,
 and I'm going to help. A man
 needs someone to work along with
 him, though. Someone whom he
 can trust, believe in, love-"
 Nick's love was becoming some-
 thing to deal with. It frightened
 Sue Mary. There had been boys
 back home in high school days.
 Nice young boys who took her to
 dances and high school parties. Then there was Joe, whose love she couldn't doubt, but whose love was not like this.
 Nick frightened and thrilled her at the same time. His words left her with a sense of embarrass- ment. In her bewilderment she could only try to steer him back to workaday matters.
 Mick, please - let's talk about Vera's job. You know I'll help her; show her how things work in the office. It won't be hard"
 But the work there isn't easy" he reminded her. You say there is much legal work. What do you mean by that?"
 She tried to explain, glad for the interest that took his thoughts away from herself. It was filing and stenographic work, she ex- plained.
 Orders keep coming in; plans have to be checked and they keep changing the machines out there in the plants all the time now, it seems, since the plane factory is working for the government on pursuit and bomber planes.
 At first, you know, I used to get sort of sick thinking that all those papers those drawings, those figures would eventually become machines of death. II could close my eyes and picture the sky overhead filled with them carrying guns and bombs. But of course that was silly. We need those planes for defense - and I can't believe we'll ever have to use them. Not here, Nick. Not in America"
 His arms about her had relaxed and he pressed his face against her hair and laughed softly. of course not. Only it's natural to wonder about the things with which you work. But certainly you can't under stand all those plans, those figures that you speak about"
 No, silly. Of course not. At least not much. And then, any, way, I don't see them often. The really important ones never get out of Miss Grants hands. She's /! MT. Ross secretary and he has to put the final signature on every thing that goes out of the office, i so naturally she handles them. l
 But they're valuable. Why, I | guess they're government prop erty. Anyway, they're guarded in the vault as though they were diamonds"
 Diamonds aren't a good com- parison, dearest" he said. Those | plans can't be bought. I should | think they'd want to keep them l some place safer"
 T don't think they do keep them there very long," Sue Mary confessed. ''Men government men, we girls think = come in | often and have conferences. II guess they take the plans away. Anyway hope so.
 Wouldn't it be terrible if some secret agent stole them? Why, Nick - I never thought of it be- fore, but if antoher country got l them - what would happen?"
 He laughed and kissed her. You've been reading G-men stories, sceeing too many movies. Don't bother your pretty head about it. After all, you aren't re- sponsible, and no one is going to try such stunt"
 While she was with Nick she was happy. He had brought something into her drab, hum-drum life that It had lacked before. No longer did '1lc 4dCc empty QayS, dragging noure, sense of nothing ahead. Nick had picked her up and plump ed her into a world where things happened. Where there were other young people - kind that thought and planned for tomorrow.
 In a few short weeks Nick had become more than mere play mate. He kept her supplied with reading material; novels, some of which she couldn't understand, put which she read because he asked her to, and because he dis ,ussed them with her later; maga- dnes with articles about govern nent problems affecting the man on the street; editorials in out-of- own papers commenting on world 
 Constantly she was striving to please him, reach a state where 'he could talk with him as thougf 'he were something more than a
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