Evening star., 1941-01-16

0SSAScWAJs
At five-minute intervals Kelly '
hastily avert his eyes to the wall
clock. He hadn't accustomed himself
to the painful fact of his recent
pawnshop visit
A buzzer sounded sharply. The
intricately waved hair of the secre-
tary was given a final. careful pat
as she disappeared into the inner
ONCE. Kelly grinned wryly. He
thought, she won't 60 through that
motion before she comes out here
again.
Kelly could not avert his eyes from
the glass-paneled door. Behind 1t
a decision had already been made.
He knew that because he had waited
too long. If this yarn had been any
good he would be inside by now
listening to comments. changes. con-
tract terms. He would be laughing
at his future.
But this publishers office was his
last stop. He had to give up now.
He would return to his old job at
s35 a week, If he could get that much
after his last wild exit.
Kelly sighed resignedly. He was,
by now, accustomed to frigid secre-
taries. Lately they knew what he
wanted before he set down his
script, and they nodded their faces
into incredible, frosty masks. But
he had to keep on, doggedly. Now
the end was here.
He'd Always Remember.
The door at the far end Of the
office opened abruptly. The beauty
parlor temptation was bobbing to-
ward him. He hadn't noticed the
girls face; he wouldn't ever again
be able to recognize her nose or
chin, but could describe the appear
ance Of her down to the approxi-
mate width and length Of each wave
and curl If ever again he en-
countered her without hat Kelly
knew that he would dof his own
hat in immediate salute.
I'm sorry, SIR" she was saying
remotely-and Kelly grinned at the
careful avoidance of his name
"but Mr.. Buckley has full sched-
ule for the year. Perhaps" she was
looking down at him squarely, and
an odd note of regret crept into her
voice. ".if you come back In six
months"
yeah" Kelly Madigan answered
calmly, "six months. Sure. III be
back. On a stretcher."
Out in the street, Kelly Madigan
swung uptown, sauntering slowly.
The day was just ending. The city
streets were quiet and almost de-
serted. 1t was just before the after
work rush. Kelly wondered f1tfully
what he could do now. He reached
into his pocket. He counted $2.35
His room rent was paid for another
week. He could still pawn his type
writer. He had two good suits and
four shirts. A job was Immediately
needed.
The cries of a small, bedraggled
newsboy attracted Kelly's attention
"Extree! Extree! Heiress jilts
multimillionaire! Extree"
Paper, mister?"
Sure" said Kelly.
His Funds Dwindle.
He glanced at the picture that
was spread on the front page. In
spite Of his own trouble. Kelly could
grin at what he saw. An enter
prising photographer had got a sho'
OF the grom-to-be, standing alone
outside the church. The mans
mouth was open in an expression OF
amazement, as though he could not
realize what had happened.
Under the picture, Kelly read:
| HE Just can't believe that It's
trueI George Beetham Gregory
multimillionaire playboy and sports
man. waiting at the church for his
bride-never- -to-be."
At the side Of this revealing pho
tograph was a two-column cut OF q
girl Kelly was about to pass over
! that, but even though the picture
was only a newspaper shot, his at
tention was concentrated abruptly
She was a tall girl. Kelly saw
and there was direct candor about
her eyes that the print could not
erase; yet an indefinite air OF bore
dom set the lines of her mouth in q
sultry mold and those two effects
together puzzled Kelly. Her face
possessed that subtle, definite mold
ing of a fine breed and her high
cheekbones accentuated the effect.
Kelly shook himself abruptly
What was he doing standing here
on a suddenly crowded sidewalk
reading about some half-baked mil
lionaire's comical romance? Amos
savagely he folded the paper anc
continued his stalk toward midtown
The clock on the high wall read
when Kelly finished his evening
meal. He had purposely delayed ir
the restaurant. He had nothing tt
do. The waiter was eying him
anxiously. Kelly folded his paper
and arose. He paid his check ano
pushed his way through the revolv-