The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-02
CHAPTER xxx

CHAPTER xxx
 Jenkins' hands were deep in thu pockets of Q striped purple suit, anc q elouch hat was pushed back on hi head. He had the air of man en- during inhunan punishment.
 He was protesting to his wife 1But listen, suppose she stays ir South America the rest of the Near? You think the old mans go-
 ng to keep me on @ salary for do- ing nothing7 I tell you, I might be out . job and you want to buy more dressesi"
 T might not buy 1t. I just want to try 1t on"
 Beatrice gained control of her. self even as Jenkins eyes wan- dered around the department. She turned her head just before the moment when that rowing eye would surely have lighted on her face. She dlved for the fitting room curtain, her heart racing. Behind her, she heard Mrs. Jen- kins saying, T think that's the girl who waited on me-"
 i've got to get out of here," Beatrice thought swiftly. T sim- ply can't face Jenkins. I can't have 1t all exposed nowl" It was an hour until lunchtime, and she had . customer in the fitting room. A customer who was trying to soothe whining little boy. "Tll be through in @ minute, Junior. In just c minute"
 Miss dets appeared, providen- tially, and Beatrice cried, "Oh, uetzie, please take my customer, in there. I--I don't feel we'll"
 Miss Getz stared, but Beatrice had turned and ran. She slipped through the curtains at the other end of the fitting room aisle. Miss Dane was on the phone, her back to Beatrice. Beatrice fled through Housewares and into e waiting elevator.
 Shed 90 up to the soda foun- tain, fingered over @ forbidden coke, and then she'd loiter on the main hoor. How long would MT. and Mrs. Jenkins wait down there? If he'd only talk her out of the wholr idea, and drag her awayl"
 Over the coke, she wondered again about what was happen ing upstairs. "I'll sign the slip for it," Hhe told the soda clerks
 "Is you ask me, they ought to give us the cokes," the girl said while Beatrice scribbled her name, number and department across the back of the ticket. "Whats 0 coke to the Duchess, anyway"
 Two thousand cokes might be something" Beatrice suggested
 Having finished her drink, she wandered into the stocking de- partment. T certainly need some, too. But sl.35 that's too much" She fingered 70-cent hose until the speculative eye of main floor section manager sent her scurrying again. As she passed one of the side street en- frances, @ sudden thought struck her. "Jenkins lives in Queens. bet he's riding around in my carl"
 She walked boldly out the door. Sure enough, there little way down the street, her shining black town car was parked. She re- garded 1t with strangely mingled emotions. T ride the subway, and Jenkins and his wife skylark around in that"
 She wondered maliciously, how Jenkins would like 1t If she simply got in the back seat and sat there, waiting for him. "The shoe would be on the other foot then, my good man," she thought. Yet she was aware that she was not half so outraged by Jenkins fragrant abuse of his privileges as she would have been before she came to work in Huntington's.
 The doorman, who had been busily handling an old woman into her car, shook his head at Bea- trice. You want to catch pneu- AAAOAtAWs 6sAD GJSo bWAAhAGu, ALly time you feel like sneaking out for Q breath of air, be sure it's me on the door, and not that other man. He'd tell on you quick as look at you"
 She took the escalator to the basement. From Children's Clothes, she peered into Budget. The Jen- lsinses had definitely left. Beatrice sighed with relief, and marched back. '
 Miss Dane was drumming danger. ously on the wrapping desk, her blood-red fingernails managing to call forth an unpleasantly loud sound from the scared wood. Where have you been?"
 Upstairs for e coke," Beatrice confessed meekly.
 Miss Danes throat purpled.