Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-08-22
copyrisht IsII BY News Syndicate Co. In
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE

IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
As the girls from the dress shop
ran downstairs for the last time their
high heels ratified unnaturally on bare
wood; for the carpets had been taken
up only that morning.
To Miss Croy, following more slowly
behind, the sound seemed painfully
appropriate: heel-taps. she thought,
drum-taps, muffled drums at a mill
tary funeral. and this was the funeral
OF the Maison Masque, wartime
casualty, because no one now wanted
the exclusive designs, the personal
models, which had brought so much
fame and prosperity to the little salon
In Bond Street. The Maison Masque
was dead.
But ! didn't go bankrupt" thought
Miss Croy grimly: Maison Masque had
at least gone down-to change the
metaphor from the military to the
naval-with flying colors. The FASH
ionable colors this year. to be flown
while going down, will be acajou and
From the hall below came the voice
Of Miss Pointer. the kind and efficient
head of the work-room.
Have We forgotten anything, Ma
dameP"
NO called back Miss Croy. I'm
coming"
What she had almost forgotten ner-
self was that she was taking the entire
staff out for a farewell supper. She
would have given much to avoid it. but
she never shirked her obligations. and
this last melancholy feast was one Of
them. Miss Croy continued slowly
downstairs. She had rented the upper
part of the house only: the ground
floor belonged to Hugh Brocard. pho
tographer: and now, as she joined the
group Of girls in the hall she saw that
he too was fitting. On his elegant
cream door was pinned large notice:
CLOSED" 1t wasn't even printed, 1t
was scrawled in big sprawling hand.
It looked almost light-hearted. But
then Hugh Brocard was quite young.
80 Mr.. Brocard's going tool" ex-
claimed Miss Pointer
Yes" said Miss Croy. The house
will be empty"
The little girl who matched patterns
ran to open the door. But some one
was there before her. small, wiry,
elderly body whom Miss Croy recog-
nized as the Scotch char-woman. She
lived in the basement with two grand
children, and had the whole house
spotless before nine each morning.
Miss Croy felt in her bag for a couple
Of pound notes.
Good bye, Mrs. Bride, and thank
you"
Good bye. my Teddy. and thank
you"
So that was that. and it was all
over and Miss Croy stepped briskly
out and did not look behind.
At the big table in the Coronation
Restaurant the rules Of precedence
were strictly observed as at any Am
bassadorial banquet: on Madame's
right sat Miss Pointer, on her left Miss
Dawlish, head of the showroom: the
foot was taken by Mrs. James. the
cutter, and in between were ranged
seven girls and the tiny hatcher.
Thank heaven I haven't to worry
about them" thought Miss Croy, OBJ
serving the cheerful faces: for the
girls were going all together into the
Women,s Auxiliary Air Force, Miss
Pointer intended to train as nurse,
the beautiful and languid Miss Daw-
lish was simply getting married and
Mrs. James had been snapped up by
a mass-producing dress factory. Even
the hatcher had found herself in de-
mand: she was going to be Mothers
Help to very nice lady with four
children
II am the only one unprovided for"