| Show LEAP YEAR GIRL BEGIN EGIN HERE BERE TODAY Judith Avery cant can't believe that she actually has the thousand dollars The night before she had promised Tob Toby Locke that she would have the money I Ifor for him the next morning But she hadn't known where she could get it and she had to have it Haggard and desperate Toby had come to her to tell her heL- goodbye before before be be- before fore he ran away t leaving a shortage of a thousand dollars in his accounts at the Guarantee National bank He had borrowed the money from the bank for speculation thinking he could make enough to pay it back baek and free himself from the debts incurred by his extravagant ant young wife Instead Instead In In- stead he had lost it and he hadn't the courage to face the music He hadn't even told his wife about it but had come to Judith Judith loved him too much to see him go to prison had loved him before be be- before fore tore he married her chum She didn't want him to run awa away like a coward either cither She had insisted that he wait until the next morning and md assured him that she would get the money somehow Judith knew of no one but Dr Craig Mitchell for whom she works who ml might ht lend her a thousand thousand thou thou- sand dollars She went to sec see him and he gave herr her his check for or that tha amount Now Toby can square himself himself him him- self with the bank and start over again NOW GO ON SS WITH THE TIIE STORY CHAPTER TWENTY For the twentieth time since she had left home Judith opened owned her purse to make sure Dr Mitchells Mitchell's check was there The bit of paper represented such a tremendous amount to her that she was miserable I for fear she would lose it All night she had slept with her bag under her pillow feeling the smooth suede to reassure herself now and then when she awakened This morning she hadn't stopped for lor breakfast for she wanted to be on time for her appointment with Tob Toby The They had agreed on 8 o'clock at the corner of Pine street where she alighted from the street car When she awakened there was the fear tear with her a fear that remained during durin the dreary trip on the car that Toby might have have run away re rev regardless of his prom promise sc to her That when she got to the corner of Pine he wouldn't be there and all the worrying worrying worry worry- ing the frantic haste for the money he needed would be wasted He had to be there He couldn't run away TOBY TORY IS LATE The morning was dark with a 3 threat of rain in the air when the girl slipped off oft the street car and hurried I f BY ROD non EDEN to the corner scanning eagerly the faces aces of the men who were waiting to cress crass the street No Toby Still i it might be carl early She went quickly into the drug drus store and looked up atthe at atthe atthe the b big g clock above the prescription counter Ten minutes to 8 Ten long dismal minutes to wait for Toby unless unless un less he heas was as early Five minutes passed and Judith went again to glance at the clock How long those five minutes had been How long time was anyway any when you OU were waiting and ious She was holding the purse in both hands afraid to trust it carelessly to toone toone toone one for the check was indorsed She had done that this morning before she had left the house Eight o'clock Wasn't Tob Toby com corn corning comIng coming ing Surel Surely he would be on time ithe if it he hadn't gone away Then she saw him coming toward her hen He didn't see sed see her at first I If Tob Toby had looked haggard last las evening he looked positively grey today Judith thought as ns she watched him lim drag along the sidewalk his hands thrust into the pockets of his 1 shabby overcoat his head bent For Fora a 3 moment she stood unable to move I Ito to him trembling with the knowledge she was helping himI himI himI him I I COULDN'T COULD SLEEP Tob Toby He was nas going on by her seeing nothing his eyes following a crack in the walk I 1 have it Shaking Shaking Shak- Shak ing ng hands caught his arm and then hastily opened the purse Toby took the bluish slip of paper bewildered and looked from the amount of the check to Judiths Judith's glowing face I didn't believe you'd get it it Judith Ju I I didn't sleep a wink all night worrying just paced the floor God Godl Youve You've done a marvelous thing for forme forme me me- me Were those tears that were flooding flooding flood flood- I ing his eyes Judith turned away swiftly so she wouldn't know She had lad never seen tears in a mans man's eyes before Lets go and get some coffee coUce I haven't lavent had any breakfast Will you have time Thc They were tears for Toby was wiping wiping wip- wip ing ng them away with the thc back of his hand Silently she followed him to a coffee shop in the middle o of the block and they sat down to together at the counter Again Toby studied the check turning it over and over I cant can't believe it Judith I cant can't You told Dr Mitchell then No she lied I He thinks it t is for or me It would hurt Toby too much to know that Dr Mitchell had insisted on knowing for or whom she wanted the money Relief Relie spread over Tobys Toby's face I 1 couldn't bear to have anyone know know- but you you you- Their coffee and rolls came and both of them ate avidly Toby because because be be- cause he hadn't had a meal for four y-four hours and Judith because all the he worries she had had lately seemed to be gone one GOING STRAIGHT Last night I almost went away aft aft- after after er I leh you you the thc boy admitted I Iwas Iwas I Iwas was down at the station when I cameto came cameo cameto to o my senses and remembered the promise I gave you ou I tell you Judith Judith Ju Ju- Ive I've gone through hell these last few cw weeks But from now on and on-and and I give oath oath oath-I'm Im I'm absolutely absolutely 1 c you JOu my going straight And I mean it This and he to touched ched his vest pocket where the blue slip peeped out out will will give jive me b back ck my self sell You'll trust me wont won't you Of or course I Ino know v v you'll be allright all allright right from now on But i if you ever get jet any doubts about yourself Toby I want you to call me Will you agree to that I 1 agree And Judith I dont don't know when I can pay this back to you It mi might ht be a long time because my affairs af af- affairs fairs are arc in such a mess It doesn't matter Dr Mitchell said I could have all aU the time I wanted want want- ed Which wasn't true and Judith knew it Dr Mitchell had said nothing noth noth- nothing ing at all about paying back the loan but the girl was planning to start that week on her payments Toby needn't know that she intended to take lake care of the loan herself The They ordered a second cup of oC cot cof coffee I fee fcc and lingered over ov over r that Ill cash the check as soon as I get getto getto et etto to the bank and put the money back It'll only take me a few minutes to get my accounts straight again I had juggled them And then then then- And then Toby Judith broke in quickly I want you to go to Mr Sandling and explain matters to him Not the shortage No not that but explain everything everything every every- thing else How youre you're in debt and everything about your affairs Hes He's always liked you and hell he'll give you ou good advice Surely you realize reaUze you cant can't go on living ns you as-you you have spending spend spend- ing much more than you earn I I know that He frowned and bit his lip I And you will go SO to Mr Sandling I will will will-as as soon oon as I get et the money back Ill I'll tell him about ever everything thing but the shortage TRUST LOVE TRUST LOVE You see how easy it il was to do something wrong Tob Toby that once Well from now on its it's going to be easier cas ier that's ier-that's that's why you have to be careful careful care care- ful that's why you have to guard yourself every minute Ive promised I would I trust you ou Judith Judith darling darling Dont Toby Please She turned her face away quickly for tor she couldn't bring herself herselt to look IntO inter his eyes then It was like old times having having hav hay ing him call her darll darling g arid and it couldn't be like old times with Toby married to Donna Ready to go She was ready although she was reluctant to leave Hello Tob Toby Oh hello Juditha Judith Judith- a voice greeted them as they started out the door It was Jerr Jerry Blake a friend of Toby Miserable morning morning morning morn morn- ing Jerry shivered as he took off oU his overcoat When they were out of the coffee coHee shop and walking past the big glass glas window the girl looked back and saw that Jerrys Jerry's eyes were on them from his scat seat at the counter Too bad we wc ran into him she said quietly It looks bad having breakfast together I hope he doesn't talk He wont Jerrys Jerry's a nice kid Still Im I'm worried worried- DONT DON'T WORRY Silly child theres there's nothing to worry about Just because Jerry Blake saw us having morning coffee to together ether is no reason why he should tell everybody in town Besides I never see sec him any more Donna doesn't like him He was looking after arter us I saw him through the window Toby touched her arm gently gentl He was a different man from the sorry boy she had met an hour before There was youth in his step strength once more in his broad shoulders he held firmly erect Even his overcoat didn't look so worn and shabby And youre you're going to keep your our promise Judith asked him again at atthe atthe atthe the corner where they patted parted Im going to to and some day Im I'm going going go ing inI to pay you back for everything youve you've done for me mc Youve You've made a anew anew anew new man out of me this morning Ju Ju- I was beaten before belore a aged ed I didn't care what happened Now everything is changed Every Every- thing But when she was hurrying to the Medical building she ha had two tv worries In her mind The first was Toby and the promise he had made and the second was Jerry Blake A little incident incident in in- but It made her uncomfortable She hadn't liked the glance he had given her when she turned back To be continued |
