Evening star., 1941-07-06

case now and on his feet People must know
you are in business before they can discuss
their problems with you, he said, brushing
the dust from his blue serge knees. II was
speaking to Miss Moses about the best place
to place small card. and she very kindly
arranged to have friend, who is in the busi-
ness of publishing programs, take my adver-
tisement.'
How much?"
Seventy dollars"
I've been stabbed MIR. Wigmore said
softly.
Brenda turned away. Wigmore followed her.
With her hand on the railing which guarded
her little enclosure, Brenda stopped.
Nov listen. Delicious" Wigmore began
BE reasonable No matter how you guard
this innocent, he isn't going to last long enough
to pay you any real dough. If don't take him,
somebody on the outside will. Why not keep
the money in the family?" He paused. "Ill
even cut you in so you won't be out -
MOI" the girl said sharply. And you're
wrong too You're all wrong! He may be tap
but he isn't fool. And like him for the very
things that make you laugh at him. He trusts
people He believes in them. He needs expert
ence.'
She nodded and went on:
He'll sure get plenty of that around here
if he stays solvent. This business he's trying
to start may be loopy. And you may be right.
Somebody on the outside may get the rest of
his money. But as long as he pays his rent here.
he's going to have all the cards dealt from the
top of the deck"
Mr.. Wigmore smiled down on her Loyal
tvs wonderful thing" he said mockingly.
but just remember this, Blushful: There are
more ways of killing a cat than stuffing it to
death with butter"
Try one," Brenda challenged him.
liz WAS tall, well-fed, well-dressed man
with forid face and pair of cold, slate
colored eyes that Brenda instantly disliked.
From bitter experience she distrusted eyes that
worked overtime to beam with warm SIM
plicity.
Mr. West in?"
May tell him who is calling?"
'Mr. Smeed." He coughed. Tell him it is
in connection with his advertisement"
Brenda walked across the long dark room
with the message. The tenant of the White
Elephant was reading book.
The message brought his feet off the desk
with an excited thump. Tell him to come
right in
Brenda stared at the little ring the kids had
given her at Christmastime "Its none of my
business" she said steadily, but Mr.. Sneed
doesn't look like the kind of person that would
be caught dead with one of Miss Moses's pro-
grams in his lap"
But West was too excited to heed the obser-
vation
Brenda started to speak, then changed her
mind and started for the door. After all it
was none of her business.
Thank you" West said. 1T may be the
break I've been waiting for
Il hope So" Brenda said politely.
What did she have to go on? A lot OF right
people probably had nickel-plated eyes. West
had departed with his visitor after an hour be-
hind the closed door of the White Elephant.
Though her fingers never missed key, Brenda
had studied the pair as they left. West was
walking on air. His ''See you later!' fairly
reeked with yoo-hoo. 1t was hard to say what
was wrong with Smeed. Without knowing why,
she had the uneasy feeling that she was wit
Messing an act.
Tenants drifted in and out. Lights danced
on the switchboard. Wigmore came in with
more bounce than usual