The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27

ANENAtNNs ~ W w lldl l nGoO
a job with YOU
DO you know anything about
bier"
She flushed. do you think they
would have sent me if l didn't?
He studied her While the color
flooded her cheeks and the old re.
sentiment came back to her ewes.
"You're stalling. Miss Norman"
he said at last. You don't know
anything about RUBBER found
that out on the plane coming down.
And l don't believe you really care
d darn about rubber. There's no
place for a woman in this work,
and don't want people around me
just to be decorative"
Her e y flashed. WHY don't
you say what you really mean,
Mr.. Bogard? You don't trust me-"
Unperturbed by the angry out
burst, he answered, 81 don't trust
you because l don't know what
your game is. l like all the cards
on the table, and for some reason
you've been keeping half of them
UP YOUR sleeve. So before we talk
about a job for you let's see what
happens tomorrow. Right now your
only job is to help me get started"
He saw the anger yelling up
again-they couldn't get along.
She answered evenly, THE trou-
BILE with you is you just don't like
women"
He gave a short laugh. Il can
do without the executive type, if
that's what you mean"
"And l can do without your Of
fensive arrogance" Her whole
body %stiffened, she crossed the
room to the stairs. then turned.
"Whatever you think of me isn't
important, but for both our sakes
let me do the talking tomorrow.
That's all l ask of you-leave it
to me. Good night"
Her footsteps died away, and
from the perch behind him Cliff
heard the macaw's derisive
squawk. Walking to the window. he
lighted a cigarette. Leave it to
me-" He was beginning to dislike
that phrase. and he had no conf
dence in her. She vas a badly
frightened girl, trying to hide her
incompetence beneath a cloak of
assumed authority. Yet he had to
depend on her.
And not on her alone-there was
also this %juggernaut they called
Claribel. BY some disastrous twist
of fate two women had become the
sole arbiters of his fortunes--he
who had always shut out women
from business affairs.
Never in his life had he felt so
poWerless to help himself, and sud-
denly the memory of Janet
Norman's words came back to
him. Leave it to me-" she had
said.
The devil of it is" he confided
to the macaw, there's nothing
else l CAN do
The sun was streaming in the
window when he aWoke. The air
felt like spring, and Cliff jumped
from bed, conscious that his
nerves were singing with the ex-
element of knowing that the next
few hours should decide his fate.
Once again the elaborate plumb
ing fulfilled its promise of hot
water. and dressing quickly, he
ran downstairs. Janet. they tolo
him. was having breakfast in her
room, so Cliff finished his coffee
and warm rolls, then walked back
to Claribel's office.
Except for the macaw, it was
empty. Through the window he
looked down over the village,
where two boys were driving
a herd of milk cows to pasture,
and from every chimney smoke
was rising. Peace and tranquility
and a sense of quite. UNMARRIED
living pervaded the scene, and he
selt a glow Of pleasure as he looked
down over the little checkerboard
village and the lush green hills be-
You'd.
Good morning" Janet slipped
through h e doorway. "Claribel's
up. She'll be here any minute"
Her voice trembled a little, and
she began moving nervously about
the room. He saw her fingers
twisting at her handkerchief, ano
sudden fear for her seized him
now of all times there was nc
place for nerves.
Casually h e suggested, MAYBE
YOU better let me handle the ole
b%attle-ax."
That's just what I don't want!
Please. Oh, please, keep out of it,
He walked away. They were botE
getting edgy.
Upstairs a door slammed. He
saw Janet start, and crushing gu
his cigarette, walked over to the
macaw. The bird b1inked at hin
solemnly from its high perch, the1
lowering its head, sided gingerl1
toward him, and smiling, Cliff
raised his hand. "Want the old top
knot scratched?"
In a very ecstasy of indignation
the macaw uttered a shrill, metal
lie scream, and at that momen
the door opened.
Young man." a voice rasped
stop Fostering that bird?'
Claribel had arrived.
Taller than most men, she Woult
have commanded attention any
where. An erect, deep-bosomee
woman in the sixties, her square
chin, high-arched nose, and wide
Spaced cold blue eyes attested al
| enormous inner vitality. Every
thing about her was vigorous; Shit
seemed to dominate even the huge
room.
Hand on the knob, she scoWles
briefly at Cliff then her blue eye:
searched Janet's face.