The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-03-20
. SERIAL STORY
SIS A WEEK
Continued From Page 81
By LOUISE HOLMES
lsao. SEA ser.le.. Ine.

and slowly undressed Well. she'd
been on a party and that was that.
Shed never do it again.
Thinking of Steve, she smiled.
He was a rascal. but an engaging
rascal.
Clara was still fast asleep when
Ann went to church the next morn
ing. She was grumpy through
dinner and mapped all afternoon.
At 4 Florabelle, evidently Just out
of bed. crossed the hall. Her face
sagged with WEAKNESS. Ann de-
cided again that Florabelle was
not so young as she pretended to
be.
Come in. Florabelle," she said.
Clara is asleep" She braced her
self for storm of criticism.
None was Forthcoming. Flora
belle said. Sorry you didn't like
the party"
You see. don't drink" Ann
explained alphabetically. Il have
seen a lot of it in my day and
oh. I don't know"
You're smart" Florabelle let
il 60 at that. You certainly went
over in big way with Steve"
Did II"
"1'll say you did She jumped
to another topic. Wasn't Clara
a mess ?"
Poor Clara Ann said.
After a little more desultory con-
versation, Florabelle rose to leave.
Opening the door, she gasped, oh,
it's you"
A man stood in the hall. He
was short and thin and dressed in
his Sunday best. In his hand he
carried what was obviously A box
OF candy. His eyes, gazing Al
Florabelle, were worshipful. Ann
recognized him as the postman.
How do you do" he said timid1
ly. Il was just passing"
Florabelle went to her own door,
Come in" she groaned.
Ann returned to her book
Poor fellow" she thought.
The next morning. by the timd
the girls reached the corner OF
State and Dearborn, Clara had re-
gained her usual cheerfulness. In
fact. she was beginning to recount
and enjoy the experiences Of sat
urdsy night.
"A lot of it was fun" she said
II loved the cabs and the dinner
and seeing how swell people live
DO you call Clancy and Jake
swell people ?" Ann asked.
They must be. They have
scads Of money. The taxi fare waa
over SIS each way
Money doesn't make people
SWELL" Ann said
Nnht uOes tnen
Knowing how to behave,
guess"
you know how to behave. Ann
Gee, it was swell the way you
ordered the dinner"
My father used to take nj
around"
Clara went on to the notion
counter. 1t wasn't in her to keep
silent. Within an hour the entire
store knew that Clara Brooks had
been on a party Saturday night
that she had dined on Turkey
breast and mushrooms, that she
had gone and returned via taxi
cab. Paul Hayden came to the
counter with a truck load of nos
tions while she was wildly de-
scribing the elegance of the hote
apartment.
"oh, II was swell" she was saw
ing. Great big divans and squshy
chairs and a radio-waiters rush.
ing in and out-highballs and
cocktails You should have seen
Ann-she's my roommate-you bel
she wasn't impressed. AIMS beer
around. She tossed off her drinks
and never turned a hair-oh
hello, Mr.. Hayden-gee. it's hard
TO settle down to work Ann and
l went on a party Saturday night
Paul nodded. Some of AIMS
friends?" he asked casually.
No. Florabelle's friends"
He raised his eyebrows. Il see,
he said.
Clara went on proudly. Steve
Claybourne was there-you know
he's that rich guy who's always
getting his picture in the paper
polo and everything Gee, he's
keen. He said to me, he said, ITS
incredible that our paths have
never crossed. Miss Brooks II
was when I asked him where he'd
been all my life. Cute, wasn't
it." She surgled happily.
Paul asked, Are the circles
under AIMS eyes any blacker than
yours ?"
clara's laugh got out of CONTROL
"You say the craziest things, Mr.
Hayden. Ann didn't stay as long
as I did. She and Steve-I called
him Steve just like he was Any-
body-they left early"
She stopped, gazing after Pauf
very straight back. What's ne
got 10 be huffy about" she asked
sr N Ho..futtadA