Show l e R Rs s 1 ae LEEN ft a a 1 I ai COPYRIGHT KATHLEEN NORRIS SYNOPSIS Antoinette Tat twenty three twenty nt and but unable to bold a Job jok Urea lives In a a drab San Ran Fran Fran- Francisco cisco ele o flat lt with her slater Brenda and brother Cliff who are ar older her sev- sev v- v year rear brother Bruce Druce and their Aunt Meg In her Job hunting round rounds round she h Interviews w Lawrence Lawrenc Del Hel- l lamy my editor of ot the th Journal of ot Com Com- Com Commerce coerce merce but finds finch ho he h has ha no plAce for woman writer wrItT Tony goes oe home and nd busies herself with housework Dren Brenda a and Aunt Meg Me feg arrive CHAPTER II 2 2 I DI Im CL Tony you have c a wonderful nature I she lie said she she Brenda asked You Hatter flatter and charm me mt la in ladles dies said ald Tony rony and nud drifted Into the sitting room A Ion Ions lean len tousle tousle headed t boy bor WM teas stretched upon the room sitting sitting couch now his file heavy lesson boot bool slid sUd to this the ground as he turned to fuce Tony Boo she said saltI ald I didn't hear bear you OU come In how was WIlS the meet 1 Fire Five and live flue we w tied cm em In Inthe Inthe n the last three seconds the lie by b y raid with a stretch and a Ia yawn n Dinner Danner nearly ready Presently the they were at dinner Tony at nt them all said sud sud- suddenly suddenly dP denly ly lInt Isitt anyone going to ash Die lac about the Job on tile the Journal I I knew the minute 1 I saw you IOU that thU there ro WitS was nothing doln doing Bren da Ia said ahL Nope lope opet Tony enid t heroically nothing doing lh I l Alt Ah h my my dear Im I'm go so sorry I That means menns Tony TOllY said star star- starIng star Ins trig Ing Into space playing with her knife that Ive I've been beeD to every ery elt city editor and every ery Sunday editor In InthIs inthis thIs city I 1 am nm not destined to en- en enJoy enjoy en enjoy joy u Il newspaper newspaper cn career reer I 1 Aw geel gee cel Break Brenk you up Asked 1 hoarse hoarse young voice olce aU all aUf f Kind hind 1 or of or Tony blinked and J he say Bay the Journal man Tony Oh Ula he was ViliS nice enough But Buthe Buthe he wasn't want Interested old miser Brenda said herself to more strawberries strawberries ries ales Oh no hes he's not B Bendy lIes lIe's liesa n a stunning ns as n tall as not Taff-not not much more than thirty I 1 should think nod aud very Tory much the Ule gent ent I What t did dill he ho say MY ay t He no wanted me roe to get tt adver adver t of or course I wonder onder Tony on sold paid musingly her elbow on 00 the table her square chin In one lt JI nd I 1 wonder wonter If Ie Its It's horribly to net get et advertisements Some Someone one Ine roust must do It there are of lr them fhern on all fides Maybe I l 11 bt to try It It It might get WP me mein In anoS anyway anyway- It doesn't doe ut seem to me the thin thing for or a n girl to do Miss Hiss Bruce said w lh h n a decision th that H sat oddly upon her ller smallness and frailness Ill U get et something Tony said uld lt ln but It seems so useless to get started In anything I rt really dont don't want to do As AI A Tony Touy and Brenda washed the dishes 11 he there was a Ir at t the ha hall 11 door loor a mans man's man voice volee Hello 11 everyone Cliff here r lies lie's really shy Barney by Barney bes be's l Steen Nn o standing thero there hating to make the break brenk Tony thought as 88 she called back cordially Come In Barney Varney No No hes hea hes not lie went 10 Sacramento Barneys Barney's bl big bulk slid aUd Into tb the chair hair that Aunt Messy fluttering fluttering ly ly Ir departing de left empty I cant can't stay Barney laid said half bait heartedly half Tony Brenda and Barney sat Kit on lazily Idly at the opened wide window y In the dim light Bruce Druce was snoring audibly on UI the couch We Ve can hue have a light lIht It t there theres there's any purpose In It Tony observed No 0 I 1 have C to go go Barney Duney said ld not flot stirring What took Cliff curr to Sac Jc punched the th switchboard wrong ronG for the th Wt thin thins Tony stated Indifferently Who said Mid Id fOr toV so Barneys Barney's words were fre like bullets Cliff CHIT Cliff did dilL did he be say It If you roust must know Bar Bar r flew ew Cliff was shaving tills this morn morn- morn las la lag and Sir air telephoned Cliffs Cliff's first speech was TIle The beU hellI I IThen Then he rUb rushed out like n a fire wagon and and the tl next thin 1 I knew kne he be had hut telephoned that be ho was wu oft off for Sacramento Ill Ill I'll bet you It Wit was all right then hen he be got cot ot there l Barney Bahl after thought I that bad Barney n Bren Brenda n eta 4 da ft naked asked anxiously Darling Dirling Old Bendy 1 Tf y thought she h had had t so o much anxiety In her twenty twenty- Oh Ob Oh kinder Was kinder Was wu It-wu It was t-was was It Cliffs Cliff's fault It all our faults I guess We did the drawings ln It I hIt It teems seems Tony volunteered that that they wanted this marble slab to stand up op vertically as os It t were and It was cut to lie down sIde sIde- sIdewise wise side wise and they ther said they'd have bave to take out a piece of or wall In Jo the basement Who said so Barney asked In Inthe Inthe Inthe the explosive Incredulous manner be haul had used before belore Well Rell that was It It That was the trouble Except for or repeating under uDder hIs breath ath Cliffords Clifford's own expletive Barney made no comment on this There re was silence n again See Bel nel- Bellamy tam lamy on OD the Journal Tony he be asked Yes Ye I 1 dill did This morning Noth Noth- oth- oth lag Ins came of oC It t I lIn ila Hal I Barney ejaculated and at athis athis his tone tono she felt her cheeks flush lushIn In the shadows shadon-s It was as If It f Bar Bar- Barney Barney ney felt himself personally charged with the business of ot getting eUln Tony Tons Tart Taft who had lost BO so many Jobs In the past few years still another What was It that your four Aunt Sally hat had In mind She wasn't at nt home when I tel tel- tel telephoned EO so I dont don't know Tony said untruthfully It was none nODe of hIs business whether she was work working In ing or Idle We I Miss irate race In our office Is go- go going go going o In ing to mur marry lay Jay Bars Bar Barsney Barney ney oey said after a n moment not such a n smart girl but we nil all feel badly battly to have hav her go so For Forone Forone one thing thin she's always on time The voice olce that he had been beeD try try- trying trying In ing ing to keep very cry casual over his pipe took look on u n slightly sententious note I hI think that's darned Im Important he went on Being eln on time dependable And AntI then she's a smartly dressed girl neat nat Men like women In 10 ollices to be neat neat- neat look look nice Then another thin thing you ou never hear her Quiet AU All AUthe the girls like lIle her but hut theres there's none ot of this giggling and whispering I loathe you you yoo smug III pig Tony said pleasantly In her heart ns as he paused Who are arc you to rub rubIt rubit rubIt It Into me that I dont don't get set to the of or office fice lice on time and that my clothes are shabby I loathe and despise you OU smoking there and feeling so 80 vure fure of ot yourself and If fr you hail forty Cort thousand n a week I wouldn't marry you yon under chloroform i Aloud she said saltI nothing and the raIn began to spatter and whisper In the dark again Barney said for forthe forthe the third time Gosh Ive I've not got ot to togo togo go o and this time did go with a little doorway murmuring to Eren Bren Bren da and a casual 1 ual Sl Night ht Tony TODY I Ito to the younger youner girl Irl After a while whilo Brenda Drenda said paid Feel awfully 11 had bad about that Jour Journal nal job Tony No No Tony ver answered l readily but butIn butin batIn In a tone so low V that the other girl Irl knew she was t holding it steady Sot Not so 50 much about that But But Dut- oh ob I dont don't know kno knothe the whole thin thing 1 Other IH persons get Into the work they like Uke and nn get tt paid for It and make good I seem to have t to todo todo do everything I 1 hate bookkeeping bate jobs In stores stores companion to crazy old ladles In love with their chaut- chaut chauffeurs feurs curs teaching In private ate schools that go JR bust owing me a hundred and twenty dollars 1 I It would 8 seem m that I cant can't do what I want to do doand and I hate to do what 1 I She In laughed presently resuming on a aless aless less Impatient note Dote I hate bat to do what I have to do she he said mild mild- mildly mildly ly Iy I hate hat i office work work Bendy It If It were the stage stase or a per per or doing anything In the movIes moT lea lea Ies Id I'd work liko a D do dos dog But nut Just to go Jo downtown toc tomorrow orro and Jet get geta geta II a Job taking letters from young foung pip pl- who haven't hll the th remotest idea what they're thyre talking about and hang my coat In a I locker ker and aDd go to a cafeteria for lunch antI lunch go 10 on 00 with It Brenda for three years and five Ore years and ten and tw twenty twenty- It If scares mel never drudge alon along In n If aul office for twenty years or for tor flyer 0 Brenda predicted In a troubled voice olce You Navel hue have I Tony thought Aloud she ahe said ald nothing marry Brenda Drenda salt Tony could feel b her r cheeks nash flush nu resentfully l Barney Barney- Barney Brenda went on 00 boldly I dont don't thin think It'll ItU be b Barney arn y Tony answered moderately wish wash she the went on her hr tone warm warm- warming warm Ins ing In I with wish you IOU could have hue heard the tle nice lIUI little sermon he heTal h was Tal just preaching to me met narn Barneys Barney's ys y's so out out- outrageously outrageously stuck on himself elt 1 Tony Interpolated d resentfully about being belul on 0 time at the tho th and dressing smartly lie didn't II lie He e dId did There was wu a silence It It only means that hes he's In 10 love with you lIes lies lie's In love Jove with Barney Kerr lerr that that's who hes he's In love Ion with I 1 INo So No honestly Tony Barney Isn't so 0 o conceited I But be likes you so O much that he worries worries about about you you- you honestly that's It Itoi it If Any oi man cao can ask ani any girl Tony observed after thought lIes never nefer said slId anything Not on a hundred bundred and nd fifty a month with a mother like Ills Hes nes really In love loe with the whole family and I dont don't him when you look at tit the family hc hes he's got goti I Tony said lies Hes lonely lonely- and he be b likes our food and be can talk about oil on circuit breakers and top top pole whatnots v with Cliff CUrt and tI ata all nil there Is to It Ton Tony Brenda b began n as Tony fell Cell silent anent would you rou like him to ask you yon to marry him Yes Tony answered ans without hesitation so that I 1 could refuse him too Brenda laughed lies IIo too smart to risk that she said In some ome ways hes he's much wt wiser cr than Cliff But Dut anyone see see- seeIng ace Ing Ing In the way be he watches yon you Tony nod and worries about your affairs and wen well well even e-cn In ID this giving ond ke this evening anyone evening anyone can see that hos ho's thinking of or you all the tide time An And I know this this Brenda went on seriously I know enough h of or hu- hu human hu human man nature to know that the mitt min minute ute rite o n man like that marries n a woman woman she she-she she she becomes sacred You'd be completely spoiled every every everything er thins thing you OU did would be he wonder wonderful would ful-would ful would be perfect to Barney And If It you yon ever had a n child said It Brenda well I can Imagine the St Rt Joseph airs that Barney would put on I Nobody could stand him J Tony lau laughed hed not displeased with the turn the he conversation con hall had taken She knew that It was true s t ts h Q MV Y You'll Marry Brenda Said Sald Barney did take himself and his profession seriously but he took his relationship to Tony Touy seriously too I 1 could marry Barney arney she she she said thou thoughtfully reluctantly But nut It would just be he a mar marS marriage marriage rinse Brenda she burst hurst out af ar after ter a pause It woul would i Just oh oo-oh be ohn a little tittle apartment nt somewhere and being nice to Mrs Kerr and agree uree- agreeing In ing with her that there never nc was wasa wasa n a son like Barney But ut why should hould you want ant me meto meto meto to get got 1 married Bendy I want you to be happy I wouldn't be And Ant once youre you're married you cant can't get Jet out I daresay Its It's quite different though once youre you're In In Tony was silent n Hut But t why not Dot Barney The old old- er tr Cliff loves lores him we all do Weve We've known knowD him all our 11 lives ves In the first place Ilace be he Isn't l nt In n love with me roe Tony TObY said anid In the see sec second ond out ond Im I'm not In the least In 10 love lo with him and I ne never ner r could be And ADd at that she added honestly I think he wants m me has It In 10 fits bl mind anyway that hat we will III marry some day dar and I believe I could marry warry him and nd make him a darned good wife I lint But theres there's no no flame to that Brenda Tony fin l hed In JD a low tow tone Theres There no DO glory lory If It I were ere successful at as something as a head hend nurse or a reporter or a photo photographer or a lecturer It'd be different Id I'd marry with with-with with style then Id I'd feel that Id I'd been a success at Dt one thin thing and aDd would bo be at nt another But nut If It I married Barney now It'd be 00 a har bar harbor bor and bor and hed he'd know It I It'd be just just-Just Just taking care ot of f poor wild Tony who tried for the th stage And the newspapers and was fired and snubbed all aU round and who noaH finally realized that a n womans woman's truest role lit is that of a wife wire and mother mother- mother She She stopped her ber voice voce voce thickening It Nit Is la the th happiest life lICe life Brenda Brendt offered In a slow ol voice e with notes of pain Ih It If It you love lore a wan man that bH Is she ad added lIed Ah Ah but you IOU see Se ae I Tony said aId 1 I 1 know noW the rent real thin thing when I 1 Meet inett It In Ia n tM that t newspaper DC ot of of-nc of flee down today today down at the Journal rooms I mean mean I met a man man- man She Sh stopped Presently ahe she r re resumed again a Q little shamefacedly r dr oua think Im I'm ao DO absolute fool Ir f I u say that Sc something something-something something flashed between bet us between us between this Ur Mr Bellamy upon whom Id I'd never set eyes ellS In my ray life Ilfe before and me that that was Wu nearer love nearer nearer love than ban anything Barneys Barney's ever matler madera made matle ra r me feel reel I lie He had bad only to look look at at atme atme me to make me feel Ceel silly Illy and 1011 cold and anc shuddery you Jou know Y that wonderful won- won feeling that youre you're oure going an aI anto aIto to pl pieces s and dont don't caret 1 I dont don't knon- knon know said Brenda Jn In In sudden relief reller and and md J I Ido do do r silly Idiotic I If It you JOt ask me me- What do you know know of t this man i Nothing admitted Tony Inu laugh laughing h- h hIn In Ins ing too Except that hes he's some some- somewhere where around thirty and aDd mar mar- married married ried- ried ried Married dt Yes of or course he course he would be be n But that Isn't lo e love Ton Ton- Tony Well maybe It t Isn't Cut But ut It its it's something something-something something a girl Irl wants to to have before she gives In Bren Breo- Brenda da des Antoinette Taft Tact I bow I know kno I know how It sounds Munds I admit that Its It's supremely |