| Show lu LAURA LOU BROOKMAN Author oJ I MAD MARRI IN GI G 6 BEGIN HERE TODAY Pretty Norma Kent 20 old secretary marries Mark Jark Travers millionaires millionaire's son in spite of the thc opposition opposition opposition op op- op- op position of 01 Marks Mark's father F. F M. M Travers The story opens in Marlboro middle mid mid- dle western metropolis After Alter an extravagant extravagant ex ex- honeymoon at fashionable Blue Springs during which Mark spends all his money and borrows the couple return to Marlboro Mark loses his first job Then he becomes a floorwalker in Ina a department department depart depart- ment st store re In spite of poverty he and Norma Normn are arc happy until his father fathey fa father fa- fa ther they sends for him Travers offers to take Mark back into his business organization organization or organization or- or if H the son will prove he can car make good His first task involves in involves in- in a business trip to France Norma Norma Normn Nor Nor- ma mn must remain at home She tries to persuade Mark not to go but is unable to do so Norma Noma rudely treated at her fa fa- fa laws law's home slips sUps away leav leaving ing lag no trace of her whereabouts Chris Saunders her former room roommate roommate mate helps her find a job Marks Mark's father determined to engineer engineer engineer en en- a divorce employs detectives to trail the girl They pr produce duce records records records rec rec- rec- rec to show that Norma three years earlier had been convicted on a vice charge In spite of evidence that this charge was framed and Norma Nonna innocent inno irmo- cent Travers sends his lawyer to Par Par- is Norma knows nothing of all this until she receives a letter telling her Mark has secured a R divorce Next day in the thc office Norma faints and I Chris takes her home Though ill m Norma goes to the home to appeal to Marks Mark's parents She learns i they are arc in Florida Norma moves moves I to Chris' Chris apartment One night Chris meets meets' Bob Farrell former suitor of N Normas Norma's oI nn's and says Something has hasto lo to to-be to be done and you must help me NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY Chapter Farrell looked at d the girL What do you want want- me mc me to do he saidI saidI saidI said I w want you want you to help me Bob Something's Something's Some Some- things thing's got to be he done done and and done right awa away If Norma doesn't begin to take an interest in something be something be begin gin to care a little bit what's going on around her the her the doctor says it will affect her health Ive I've tried and tried and its it's no use She doesn't want to togo togo togo go anywhere II U we stay slay at home shell she'll sit and sometimes not say say more than thana a dozen words all evening But I dont don't see seo that theres there's anything anything any any- thing I can do doYes do Yes you youcan can Bob Normas Norma's always liked you She likes to hear about the things you do and what's going on in fri your office If you'd drop around once in a while the way you used to Im I'm sure Im sure it would help Just say you happened to be in the neighborhood and thought you'd stop atop in or something something some some- thing of or the sort sort sort- Farrell flushed slightly Id Td do anything could I could to help you Chris he hc said but I dont don't think Norma wants to see see me Wont you come out once once just just on once once and and c and see if it it doesn't work the thc way I think it will Why of course 1 if you want me to How about tomorrow about night be all right with me me By Bythe Bythe Bythe the way what about these doctor bills Is she going to need money I Not now Dr Willoughby's k keeping keeping keep keep- ping p- p ing his ros charges down J. J think hes he's sorry for Norma Saw her that first I day you know when she fainted in inthe inthe inthe the office But shell she'll have to borrow after while Wont Won't take a cent of course but Ive I've persuaded her its it's all allright allright allright right to accept it and pay it back later Let me rae take care of that How much Is it going to cost About 2501 I gue guess hospital hospital hospital hos hos- pital and everything I couldn't let you pay all of or it Bob but Ill I'll admit Id I'd been wondering how I was going to dig up that much Then dont don't worry about It any longer Ill I'll write a check right now Farrell pulled out a fountain pen pea and reached for his check book Not now Chris told him We dont don't need the money now and I wouldn't want the thc responsibility of keeping it Ill I'll let you you know when the bills begin to come in Its It's tine line of you to want to do this Bob Why wouldn't I Its It's Its It's well Its It's just a little thing By the thc way you wont won't mention the fact to Norma will you Please dont Chris nodded Ill tell teU her the money is a loan she said and shell she'll think its it's all from rom me inc When sho she begins to pay it back Ill I'll turn the cash over to you Youre going to see that she slit has lias everything Everything she needs Dr Willoughby Wll- Wll says she's getting along splendidly if only it weren't for these moods moods' of depression There was a pause and then Farrell Farrell Far Far- rell reU asked Has she heard anything at all from Travers You mean Mark Not a word Wouldn't you think hed he'd be ashamed of himself And nothing from his family either cither Of course that was to tobe tobe tobe be expected Oh Bob to think I stood by and let her marry that good-for- good nothing It makes me mc wild when I think of that I 1 might have known it would end this way There was no way for you to know that Farrell said thoughtfully Or Oror for Cor or anyone else to know it it either Well i it If you say so Ill I'll stop in tomar- tomar tomorrow tomorrow tomor tomor- r row w night For a few minutes anyway any any- way He noticed the waitress coming coming corning com corn ing toward them and added What are you going to have for dessert They gave their attention to the menu By the time their orders were set before them three other diners had taken the nearest table There was no longer opportunity to talk privately A little later they left the restaurant and boarded a street car Bob left Chris Chris' at the door of her apartment building There was a crack of light show show- ing tag beneath the door as Chris climbed the thc dark stairs She slipped her key into the lock called out Yoo hool and entered No one was In the room Chris glanced about about hurried to the alcove where the two studio beds stood Norma Norma Norma Nor Nor- ma lay there ther sound asleep one arm out over the covers and the other other- pit pil lowed beneath h her r head Her hair was as tossed back from her face A silken strap had slipped out of place revealing a 8 smoothly rounded Ivory shoulder A faint tinge of color glowed in her checks cheeks and the thc dark lashes shadowed seemed longer than they were Chris stood quietly looking down at the other girl Normas Norma's breathing was was deep and regular Cautiously Chris got to her knees Yes just as she had expected The pillow beneath Normas Norma's cheek was damp from tear d drops ops One more night when the girl Jul had had herself cried herself to sleep Softly Chris tiptoed away and arr arranged the screen so that light from the lamp would not awaken Norma There Tere was no indication that tt Bob Farrel's call caU the next evening was anything but the casual visit he made it out to be The two girls girl were washing dishes when the bell ben rang rag Norma went to answer it J. J and ad admitted admitted admitted admit admit- ted Bob She apologized explained been bee late Bob called caled for fora a te tea towel and volunteered cd to help but his offer ofer was refused In ve live minutes he hc last of ot the dishes dish dish- es Cs e were were were- out of sight Norma remembered remembered one of at the windows window had taken on onal an al unmanageable stubbornness and could not be raised Would Bob fix Cx it Of course raIse he would woud He Hc did i You know ow Farrell Farrel said as as' as he dropped into the arm am armchair chair a fellow came it into the office today with wIh one of the craziest st cases cases Ive I've ever heard I of of Its It's Is I's a Q fellow who lives In Laurel Lurel Park Do you know what hes he's up I against I wouldn't even eve try t to guess ge I said sid Chris ats his difficulty I Wel Well Laurel Park has ba its It own ow I city gover government you know kow They've paved pave a n new street and this thi man man man- Perkins is his hs name owns name owns a a house on on the block But when he bought bough his property the he owner ower retained retied a strip stripa a a foot wide between en the house and ad the street When they c came me around with wIt the paving proposition Perkins refused reused to t pay for the strip In i front of his home homer saying sayi he hc didn't own ow the te frontage frontage Nobody could persuade him h to buy that foot of land lad Well Wen the paving's in I now and ad the Laurel Lurel Park council has ruled that if i Perkins Per Per- kins step steps over that foot of ground gound jumps over it or or crosses it in any anyway anyway way he will wI be subject to arrest The Theman Theman Theman man came to us to see what he could do about it Why Wy how perfectly sm silly t Maybe but hes he's had income to come and go goby by the back door and alley drive for a week now now- and hes he's pretty sick of of it It Everybody else can use the street and sidewalk You see he hc has hasa a legal right to be be on his hi own pr property prop prop- p- p erty i He Hc has the same legal right as anyone else ele to tobe be on the street streel What he cant can't do is cross from one to the other Norma was smiling you Are going to help him Bob Oh theres there's really nothing much for Perkins to do but come across and buy that land Its It's Is I's just a case of mulishness Hes He's made up his mind he wont won't Someone else made up theirs theis that he would Its It's Is I's not my worry though though Bill Bi Kennedys Kennedy's Kenedy's bandling handling han ban na- na dUng it He was telling me mc about the thing just before I left the office offie Just one of these freak frenk affairs that tat pop up every now and then I I remember Mr Brooks told me about something like le that once once once- once Norma Nora said sid meditatively She re related ye- ye sketchy details of a legal controversy controversy controversy con con- involving a R picket pike fence fence They sat in the comfortable living room and talked for three-quarters three of an m hour Then Farrell arose and said he must be leaving Come and arid see us u again soon Chris Chrs urged as a he stood with one hand on the doorknob Norma added Yes do Thanks Tanks Be glad to t. t Well Well good Wel good There was no doubt that Chris Chris' Chri plan to take Normas Norma's mind from rom her worries wor wor- rica ries had succeeded Norma was more lUke like like- res herself herel for the rest of the eve ning A week later when Bob called cled to see if i the two girls girl were at home he promised them a surprise Over the telephone he refused refuse to explain further further further fur fur- ther but half hal an hour later lter he led them proudly to t the apartment window window widow win win- wi- wi dow and pointed to the street There before the entrance was a shiny coupe Oh fOh B Bob Bob is bL Is it I yours yours Why Bob Bob Bob- Bob Nice Nic looking little lUc bus bu isn't It U he said sid grinning ginning Got the chance cance to buy it at a bargain and it was too good to t refuse reuse Picks up speed too to Well Wel would you like lie to try It Both girls girls' exclaimed with enthusiasm arm when they inspected the car at close range It was small of Inexpensive inexpensive inexpensive inex inex- cose pensive make but it i had trim lines Farrell Farren was ws like Uke a school boy displaying display display- ing lag a new new toy He Hc helped the girls inside iside and took the wheel wheel They an hour and a half hU April Apri had been a cool month but but there was the scent of spring in the air Bob Bb circled the car ca through a a park It I was wa the same park Norma Nora had found so inviting the day she had shopped for the Thanksgiving dinner Trees Tree were were unfurling their fresh fesh green geen leaves leaveS now The little lUe leaves could not keep out the moonlIght moonlight moonlight moon moon- light but they made the tc boughs bough seem heavier Two To weeks week before the leaves had not been there thee I 1 think Bob said sid Norma softly th we wc should go back now O 0 K K Just as you say sy He did not go inside inide when they tey re reached ched the apartment but nodded a cheerful good night at the door Take another spin some of these times times' Farrell Farrel asked tes to Chris told kin him Well Wel be glad to Chrs h and Norma agreed Then Ten they went into the thc building On a Sunday SundY afternoon ten days later took the thc girls girl for a second second sec see ond drive Then Ten as the days became warmer he ho dropped Into Ito the habit of coming around oftener olener The second week in May there was a terrific and unseasonable hot spelL A drive in inthe inthe the open country after sunset was a blessed bleed relief Bobs Bob's coupe drew up before the apartment alost almost every evening Always the three thee of ot them went together It was natural natal enough because be be- be cause cus Chis Chris and ad Norma Nora spent almost every ever evening in each others other's com corn pany pan When Bob Bb was wa with them Chris found relief from the constant con con- cn- cn stant strain stra of kee keeping lg Normas Norma's Nanas Nana's thoughts diverted diverd Dr Willoughby mentioned the fact fat that his seemed In better spirits h patient patent beter Juno June Juo arrived Norma Nona gave up her work in m Stuarts Stuart's office and ad a agil girl gil whom Chris knew kew a capable stenographer out of work ork since the theoffice theoffice office In i which she me worked cut cut Its it force took tk over her duties dute About Abt the same se time tie Norma told Chris Chi she thought Bob should discontinue coming to the apartment Ch Chris CbS re relayed re- re this t suggestion to Farrell Farrel and the automobile drives ceased June proved a warm month and July Jul brought three weeks of ot scorchIng scorchIng scorch scorch- Ing heat Chris postponed Chris her postponed vacation vaca vaca- tion ton so that she could be with wit Norma Norma They Tey were hard wearing days with wih te the sun s beating down dow on hot pavement pavements pavements pave pave- ments ment from morning until evening and nd the nights nIght offered a a. little eveni re ye- ye spite spit They were hard days for Norma and hard d days s 's for Chris Chri The Te last week In August Augst had been ben benset set for Cor Norma Nora to t go to the hospital The Te two girls were sitting before the open window trying to get a a breath brath or of cool col air ai one evening early In i the month There was wa no light no-light light in in- inthe the room because light attracted Insects Norma reached for lor Chris Chris' Ci hand had and ad adheld held it tightly Chris she said Mid slowly theres something me I wat want you to t promise To o Be Continued |
