The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-18
CHAPTER VII

CHAPTER VII
 The apartment was on the fourth fioor of Q walk-up in Flatbush. As Toby Masters turned the key in the lock, she told Beatrice gaily, We have to be careful not to get up from c chair too suddenly, or we knock each other down.
 But when the door opened, Bea. trice saw that the apartment had been lovingly decorated. There was . studio couch doing duty as . sofa. It was covered in gay, lowered linen.
 T made that myself. Remnants from Huntington's, at employe dis- count" Toby explained.
 There were two club chairs "Reduced," said Toby. There was c long table with a radio, maga- zines, c cigaret box and really handsome lamp.
 Here's the kitchenet." It had been managed out of closet Shelves held dishes, pots a can- 1ster of coffee, a tiny bread box, Underneath was tiny bread box Underneath was a tiny sink, a two-burner gas stove, and a It, tie cabinet hung above the stove "That's our grocery cupboard Spaghetti, canned soup. other "tuff we keep for the end of th0 week. when we're broke ."
 T think it's lovely" Beatrice said.
 Wait till you see our Sedrooml"
 Their bedroom was smaller, if possible, than the Tying room Two narrow, headless beds and a tall chest of drawers crowded it 50 that you could barely navigate from door to closet. "The beds are simly twin mat tresses on twin springs with legs. Clever huh? The chest belongs to Vera so I contributed the full-length mirror on the closet door instead of bureau"
 Toby took Beatrices hat and jacket. Just before she slowed them in the closet. she turned the little mink topknot of her finger and said, "Nicep She stroked the fur. Very nice. Mind If I try 1t on?"
 "Go ahead Beatrice avoided her eyes. Tt was reduced, at a little shop in Fifty-seventh
 Toby admired herself in the hat. T almost hope you don't get a job at the store, so can help you out by buying the hat"
 Vera, it developed, had already arrived. But it's her night to get dinner. I suppose she ran down to the corner for something"
 T hate to inconveniece you" Beatrice murmured. Perhaps your friend isn't going to like my
 "Vera2 You don't know herl Why, last winter, a reporter friend of hers--a male, mind you!--spent weeks on that studio couch, while I locked our door every night with Q key from the five-and.ten, and put on my winter coat every morning to navigate to the bath room!'
 Beatrice couldn't help laughing. She was still laughing when the door opened, and tall amaz- ingly beautiful girl with coal black hair walked in.
 Toby cried Vera, where have you been? Not even a package? Do you mean to say you didn't start dinner?"
 "Of course, l didn't start dinner. I have seven cents, exactly. I for- got to mention 1t this morning"
 Well, where have you been?"
 Walking around the block with Terry"
 Toby turned to Beatrice. "Terry is one of Vera's insanities. He's a photographer, without grain of common sense. He spends his money for films, flash bulbs, chemicals and $l00 cameras, on the irstallment plan. And right now, he's downstairs waiting for Vera to get me talked around to inviting him up here for dinner. Isn't that 1t, Vera? You have seven cents and Terry's probbaly got one"
 Vera sank down into a chair and stretched out her long, lovely legs. "As a matter of fact, today that's 1t. thought maybe he had some money, so I phoned him but"
 You thought maybe he had some money!" Tobey's sarcasm was devastating. "Well, 90 on dowr and haul him up here. No, wait Here's a dollar. Send him around to the delicatessen, first"
 Beatrice opened her handbag '-roby, let me. After all, I'm the one who"
 "Yes, I forgot to tell you," Toby put in, carelessly, to Vera. '"Thii is Bee Davis, she's spending the night with us. I'm taking her down to the store in the morning to see about a job."