Show 4 r GUI G IU II ILIF Y II IP S I II I By LAURA LOU BROOKMAN IAN Author of Mad Marriage l and Heart Hungry I I 1931 by N. N NEo E E. A. A I BEGIN HERE BERE TODAY Pretty Norma Kent year 20 secretary marries Mark Travers millionaires millionaire's son in spite of oi the opposition opposition opposition op op- op- op position of ot of Marks Mark's father F. F M. M Tra Travers verso The story opens In Marlboro mid middle die cUe western metropolis After Alter an extravagant extravagant ex ex- hone honeymoon at fashionable Blue Springs during which Mark spends ends all his money and borrows the couple return to Marlboro It is a long while before the young youn man can find work and after alter one week he lie loses his first job He becomes becomes be becomes be- be comes a floorwalker in a department store In spite of ot poverty he hc and Norma Nonna are ha happy py until Marks Mark's father sends for him He offers to take Mark back into his hI business organIzation organization organ organ- if it th the tle son will prove pro he can make good His first task involves a business trip to Fr France Norma is isto isto isto to remain at home She tries to per- per him not to go but cannot Norma r rudely dely treated at her fa fa- fa ther-in-law's ther home slips away leaving leaving leaving leav leav- ing no no trace of ot her whereabouts Chris Chri Saunders her former roommate roommate roommate room room- mate helps her find a job ob Marks Mark's father determines to engineer engineer engineer engi engi- neer a divorce He employs detectiVES detectiVE'S detectives detec detec- tives fives who learn that the girl three years year before was convicted on a vice charge In spite of ot evidence that this charge was as framed and Norma entirely entirely entirely en en- innocent he be sends his lawyer to Paris Norma knows nothing of all this until late in January she re receives receives receives re- re a letter telling her Mark has secured a divor divorce e. e Next day in the theoffice theoffice theoffice office she faints Chris takes her home but instead of remaining there she he calls a taxi tax gives the driver driver er an address and says Hurry Hurr NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY STOEY Chapter r The cab turned into the drive before be before before be- be fore the imposing Travers residence and halted Norma got out and looked Up lip at the Wait for tor you miss asked t the e driver The girl hesitated Then Yes she he said better wait She started slowly toward the entrance Th The handsome door set in its arch of stone seemed forbidding Norma Norma Norma Nor Nor- ma pressed the t 1 and waited There was was was' no answer and she touched the ele electric td button a second time Almost most at that moment Tompkins Tompkins' head appeared in the open doorway Norma said sald Is Mr Prayers Travers Travers 1 There Was was no indication that the b butler recognized her His head inclined slightly Mr Travers is not in miss Tompkins said He would have closed the door but the girl suddenly moved forward put her hand out Then Mrs Travers she ex ex- claimed Its important Ive I've got to see ue her her Ive Ive I've got to Mrs Travers is not at home either They left this morning for Miami Theres There's s no one here now Theres There's no one you can see see sec But I must Im sorry miss Theres There's no one tere Mr and arid Mrs Travers will be gone for several weeks uG Gone How could they Why it was only last night night- They left this morning Tompkins Tompkins Tompkins Tomp Tomp- kins repeated imperturbably His voice yoke and manner were as aloof aloo as th though ugh he were announcing guests at st a reception I assure you miss theres there's no one here No one but the ther r servants r an ts Oh but Tompkins TompkinS- The words broke brok of off in a low cry Then Tompkins the girl went on do Udo you ou know when Mark is coming back Im sorry miss I haven't heard You dont don't know when his parents expect him 1 Im sorry torry I couldn't sa say Norma turned away Almost immediately immediately im im- im- im mediately she looked back to see the thereat great reat door shut She took a step forward changed her mind and arid Walked slowly to the taxicab Take me back she said to the driver river where we started from It was nearly 6 when Chris arrived Norma Nonna wearing a kimono was ly lying ly- ly ing fag on the bed with a blanket half half- covering her ber aid cheer cheer- Hello lamb Chris said fully Did you get some sleep leep 1 I believe youre you're looking better here Ive I've I Ive I've been lying Did Mrs Bixby bring your lunch She came Chris I wasn't hungry hungry hun bun gry and couldn't cat eat that wont won't do Say Say are arc you ou trying to to- to starve yourself Youve You've got to ca cat dont don't you ou know that You have got to eat cat i if oure oure going to hold your job young lady There was a pause Norma said I 1 1 suppose Ill I'll have to tell ten Mr Stuart Stuart Stuart Stu Stu- art art art- artHe He knows already About the dl- dl vor e. e I mean He was awfully nice Norma Said you ou could take a few days days' rest if the doctor thinks you should By the he way I made an appointment appointment ap ap- ap for fol ou with Dr Willoughby Willoughby Wil- Wil Monday fonday Norma w was s sitting on the side of th the tho bed She reached for Chris Chris' b hand han nd Youre so good Chris she said in a voice that was not quite stead steady Theres There nobody in the world so good as you arc I I-I I I dont don't deserve all youve you've d done nc- nc Oh dont don't you Say for heavens heaven's sake do you want ant me to sprout wings Dont Don't deserve anything Ive I've done Why I haven't done anything at all aU Just nothing But if I 1 could there wouldn't be a thing on this earth too good for you Let me tell you Norma youve you've had a few bad breaks but things are going to change You'll see Its It's just when everything looks blackest they suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly come out ri right ht I wish I believe that thal Believe it I know it Haven't I seen it happen a dozen times Now if f you feel like coming downtown to- to marrow merrow well we'll have a talk with Jim Daniels Hes He's the l lawyer wyer I 1 told you about We Ve can go in and see him at noon Do you think it will do any good Well VelI its it's worth a try Hes He's one of the best lawyers in Marlboro The bait was effective Norma arose and nd dressed rapidly She agreed to s s- s sTid nci Tid the night again at Chris Chris' apa When they arrived arrived arrived ar ar- ar- ar rived there they had the place to themselves Dorothy was awa away and ChrIs hris said the engagement would keep her until late The two girls cooked dinner and served it on the table exactly exactly exactly ex ex- ex- ex as they had done so many evenIngs evenings eve eve- before Chris Chris' inspired cooking cooking cook- cook ing ng the familiar surroundings and comfortable atmosphere worked a subtle magic Gradually Norma Nonna re- re axed She dropped the barrier of reserve and poured out her heart to Chris hris She admitted going to the Travers home that afternoon Norma Norma Norma Nor Nor- ma wept a little but not with the tempestuous tears of the night be- be fore bre I If U Mark were only here herel she said once brokenly J If I could only just talk to him Hes bound to be back before long ong I cant can't help feeling that when he ic comes all this can be straightened out in no time But ut why is he staying so long Why doesn't he come back Oh you never can tell about busness business business busi bus ness you ou know I have an idea his father ather has something to do with it but jut he cant can't keep him away forever Things are not nearly so bad as they seem eem seem darling You'll find that out in n a month or two A month is a terribly long time Nonsense Anyhow it may not be that hat long Brad will know when he does come By the way way Chris Chris hesi- hesi Brads Brads wife is in Reno Rena Norma looked up quickly Does that hat mean mean- mean 1 she beganI began I dont don't know if it it means anything anything anything any any- thing or not She's supposed to be visiting friends there I just happened happened happened hap hap- to know because I mailed her hera a check the other day There was a silence between them After several moments Norma You like him a lot dont don't you Like Brad Why of course Everybody does I 1 know But I 1 mean mean mean-If 1 she did didwell didwell well well if thin things s did turn out th that t tway way do you ou think you might might- Good gracious Dont Don't get notions of ot that sort in your our head Brad Hart has one wife he doesn't seem to care much about He doesn't want another another an an- other Oh Ob well well well-l well well-life's life's lifes es e's a queer business business busi busi- ness kid Well We'll have a talk with Jim Daniels tomorrow Ill I'll call nim in inthe inthe inthe the morning and arrange the time The They went vent over arguments that had been rehearsed several times be be- fore It was Chris who said presently presently presently pres pres- Ive I been ben trying to figure this out you ou know Ive I've been trying to figure what's at the bottom of ot it all Do you think it could have been that Stone What's his name name name-Hollis Hollis Stone I The other girl shook her head Ive thought of him she said slow slow- 11 lly 13 But there But there isn't any reason he ic should want to hurt me He was friendly really Of Ot course it was wasa a shock him at Blue Springs Sprin s sand and having that terrible nightmare I come back again But if it he w wanted to o tell Mark why didn't he ho do it ithen then hen Oh Chris Norma buried her head lead in her hands Oh it was all so terrible I thought thought-I I thought It w was s I gone and past and I could forget the way you said said said- It is past and you must forget about it W But how can I now when Mark knows I Chris got to her feet and crossed the floor impatiently Norma she said youve got to have a talk with Mark Youve You've got to tell him your side of ot things I Days slipped and no opportunity came caine for that talk The fir first t weeks o of February dragged by and no news s of Mark Travers reached Marlboro Norma and Chris had two cessions with Jim Daniels the lawyer Daniels Daniels Daniels Dan Dan- asked questions and arid promised to make investigations He wrote some letters He seemed optimistic when he talked to Norma Privately he informed Chris that the c case could not be reopened The divorce had been granted Beyond the shad had ow of a doubt legal technicalities had been observed Unfortunate That was the way Jim Daniels dismissed dismissed dismissed dis dis- dis- dis missed the affair Chris kept all this from the younger young young- er girl She told Norma that Daniels was hopeful but the matter required time Chris kept up the thc farce during durin those early earb weeks beca because se she was worried There were nights when she could not sleep about Norma Too many times she had heard her say I 1 dont don't want to live without Mark I d don't dont nt want vant to live lle if he doesn't love me Chris found excuses for inviting Norma to the apartment As much of the time as possible she spent with her I It she could not be with her for an evening she tried to s see e that someone else was 1 r. r Willoughby said everything depended on Normas Norma's mental out out- look She must keep Jeep up her general health be cheerful and optimistic The doctor was very insistent on these points He repeated them each Norma came to his office oUke Norma disregarded every warn warn- ing She Lad had retired again behind that barrier of reserve which even Chris could not c Cheerful Cheer Cheer- ful Lul ul and optimistic she certainly was not Norma was inhabiting a world of her own Not a pleasant world She did her work mechanically said very little and seemed to grow paler daily Nervous mannerisms she had never shown before became apparent ent enl Nothing interested her One day during the last week of February something happened which Chris regarded as a blessing Dorathy Dorothy Dorothy Doro Dora thy Phillips received a wire from her sister in California There was wasa a vacancy in the office in which the sister worked If Dorothy could come at or ora the job would be hers Within three days Chris was alone In the apartment Dorothys Dorothy's trunk packed and gone and Dorothy hersel herself herself her her- self sel on a west-bound west train Three days lays more and Normas Norma's dresses hung in n the vacated closet close space Norma had lad not been eager to move but Chris has explained it as a favor to herself herselL She could not keep u up the up-the the rent alone she said If Norma would not come she would have to give up the apartment For a while things appeared to go better setter c fter ter that Less strain for Chris in trying to see that Norma was occupied No need for lor constantly constanty constant- constant l ly y manufacturing excuses es to include the he other girl in her plans It was easier to see that Norma had substantial sub sub- st meals There were days when Chris told hers herself lf Norma was happier but they were sure to be followed by periods of depression They never talked about the future and as time passed Norma said less and less about Mark A photograph in the Press one evening informed them that Mr and Mrs F. F l M. M Travers had returned from rom a six weeks' weeks stay in Florida Chris hris read the paragraph aloud and Norma glanced at the picture but she made mad no comment Brad Hart whom Chris questioned questioned questioned ques ques- frequently could furnish no news lews of Mark Travers He was still I In n France from all that could be learned earned Gradually March dragged to a close It had come in like a lion and went yent out the same way with a terrific snowstorm The bad weather continued and Norma developed an a. cold Then one day Chris telephoned Bob Farrell and arranged to meet him urn at dinner Over the restaurant table Chris said anxious anxiously Youve got to help me Bob Something must be done donel To be continued |