Show of Ox it flapper you t 1 Lr I Continued from yesterday She was conscious of oC someone sitting at t a great black table someone someone someone some some- one who ho ho rose and glared at her without speaking someone who was very forbidding and to the eyes of youth very old and Incapable ble of understanding any thoughts or emotions such as she might experience experience ex ex- ex- ex In such a presence Jo Joanna Joanna Joanna Jo- Jo anna didn't know what to do The Theman Theman Theman man spoke her n name me Surprisingly Surprisingly just as it had been with these pompous l old men had voices mat didn't rasp Will wm you ou sit here He pointed to a chair opposite him Joanna wholly helpless again slid into the chair After a while she realized that the man of whom she had heard so much as one o of those mysterious money kings still looked at her that he had leaned leanee back In n his own chair and was just jus looking at her with queer lights playing In his eyes ees and something about his lips that surel surely This old mans man's lips were quivering I It struck Joanna as screaming fun fun- ny Not even the warning hand of doom could have prevented her just then from laughing Andrew Eggleston smiled too But It was wasa a fleeting smile He was instantly instant grave and forbidding And Joanna was frightened again She felt un un- un- un comfortable The back of her neck burned as If someone were lookin looking at It it or at her She wanted to turn around but merely merel moved in her chair The young man who still stood Inthe Inthe in inthe the window embrasure at the other othel end of the room prepared to come forward When hen he saw that the girl had not detected his presence he fell again to his silent Inspection Inspection inspection tion of the figure In the chair whose back was turned to him The The- Theun un- un plea int rather cynical smile played again about his mouth Occasionally Occasionally Occasionally Oc Oc- his glance took in the theother theother theother other figure the old man whose whim ruled banks and markets and fleets of ships and as some people often otten said the policies of nations It was Joanna who at last broke the fraught silence Well Ven Im I'm here Jere I suppose you wanted to see me That's what they said It was a natural desire Eg Egr gleston admitted It is not usual even In this bank for new accounts to be opened with a deposit of a million dollars It is not an inconsequential inconsequential inconsequential incon incon- sequential sum slim for for for-for for anyone Joanna couldn't stand it an any longer Wont you please give it to me straight she pleaded earnestly earnestly earnestly ear ear- nestly sitting forward in her chair so that her hands might rest on the big table Please she repeated I was alj right when I 1 got up this morning and everybody else was all right and there was never anybody anybody anybody any any- body in m my fa family faintly that went to the asylum And theres there's nobody I ever knew who could leave me a million pennies let alone dollars except an uncle and he couldn't because I had to 10 dig up two dollars a week for or a year rear to pa pay the instalments on his Ills funeral And I 1 want to get back to my job or old Good Morning I I mean the department manager manager- will be as sore as a I I mean hell he'll be angry anglY Please Mr 1 Eggleston what's It all about Strangely the girls girl's frantic plea affected the two t men In the room differently Eggleston nodded his hea heals quite as if he agreed that something should be done to clear up the fren frenzy y of doubts and confusion confusion confusion con con- fusion that that must be flooding the shop girls girl's mind and he smiled again pleasantly as if warmed by some Inner satisfaction But the smile that had been about the mouth of the other man whose presence Joanna had not yet detected detected de- de suddenly vanished He regarded regarded re- re the back of the girls girl's neck his gaze seeming to reach around and encompass her with a new sort of interest Still till there was doubt in iii n his eyes The banker reached Into his table drawer and brought out a folded check book the daintier kind that are shaped for the handbags of women With elaborate pains he opened the back bent back the crease In the sheaf of or blank checks which It contained and thus spread ou out he shoved It toward Joannas Joanna's hand From his t he took his own gold fountain pen opened It and held It out to her Isn't there a homely sa saying ing that runs something like this he said The proof of the pudding Is In n the eating It seems that I 1 have heard that expression and and it is very apt though a fl little old fashioned per per- haps You may draw your OUr first c ck for whatever amount you like I 1 will have the money brought you Joanna nn looked at the unfamiliar r check book at the fountain pen which she had taken Involuntarily and then at the banker I am sure Mr Graydon explained to you or didn't he lie that you are not to know the answer answer to either of those two questions questions yet Someone Someone Someone Some Some- one who wants wants' you to have it someone whom the bank and t I know very well and In whom we have complete trust as to his motives motives motives mo mo- tives has put the fortune at your disposal He lie has even directed the bank to replenish the fund if you meet requirements beyond the InItial in initial initial In- In deposit until deposit until such a time as ashe ashe ashe he may give further directions You mean that after awhile he will give me directions Not Sot at all And In the tone of the bankers banker's promise more than In his words Joanna knew that whatever whatever whatever what what- ever might be the outcome of this fantastic conversation she would not need ever to ask that question again If your our benefactor has directions directions directions to give Eggleston went on with the bankers banker's maimer manner of monotonous dwelling upon the detail detail detail de de- de- de tail of a financial bargain they will be given the bank and will have to do only with additions to your funds or 01 the cessation of them At any rate the present deposit deposit deposit de de- de- de posit of or one million dollars which includes securities we shall be glad to negotiate for you shoud you re require require require re- re quire the cash is at your disposition disposition disposition tion and none of it may be withdrawn withdrawn withdrawn with with- drawn from you It could not be i in any event as it has been c completely transferred to your account You must accept it it to do with it as you will You will not be asked for an accounting And its it's really true that I dont don't have to go back to the silks To Tomy Tomy Tomy my job at the store Eggleston's smile was quizzical I should be ratHer ast astonished to know that a young woman with a million dollars in the banks bank's vaults was concerned as much with the selling of silks as the bu buying of them Joanna nodded If I had a million million million mil mil- lion dollars you can bet the last shot on your hip hip I I mean you can bet Id I'd do a a. lot of buying allrIght all allright allright right I wouldn't wonder Eggleston commented shortly Joanna looked up at hi him 1 detecting the hardness in his voice Oh she assured him if to defend herself against his implied disapproval disapproval i I wouldn't put it all into I dancing pumps you know The girl floundered Shed She'd never thought much beyond dancing pumps and their kindred things What else then Eggleston re repeated re- re There was nothing for Joanna to todo todo todo do but fall back upon her fuges She had ad many subterfuges They covered a multitude of a girls girl's needs nowadays s Walt Vait until something like Wee what youre you're kidding me about really reany happens happens happens hap hap- pens she said at at last brightly Then watch me lne Perhaps that will be the better bargain bargain the banker agreed his voice still stin hard in the unpleasant way the girl didn't like so well He pain pointed led to the opened check book which lay forgotten at ather her hand It will begin to feel real wont won't it it when PU you have filled out one of those The girls girl's swam again She picked up the book bool of long slender leaves and examined it curiously Here at her finger tips would be bethe bethe bethe the test the test the test lest of the impossible dream these two old men her employer employer em em- plo er Graydon and his friend Eggleston were pulling her into She clutched at an obvious excuse to postpone what she was convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced would be the tumbling down of ot the house of cards that was being built bunt for herIve herIve herIve her Ive never had to write out one of these she protested Im afraid Id I'd get it twisted The man who had been watching from tho the window came abruptly into the room A sign merely a meeting of the eyes passed across the girl between him and the banker bank bank- er Joanna turned sharply when she realized a new figure was standing almost beside her She knew instantly that she had been right In feeling an additional presence presence presence pres pres- ence in the room When she looked up Into the newcomers newcomer's face a sudden sudden sudden sud sud- den fear a sense of danger tingled along her nerves She had met many men in whose slightest ap approach approach approach ap- ap she always recognized a challenge and a raid against her battlements Unconsciously she stiffened In her chair But Dut Eggleston Eggleston Eggleston Eggle Eggle- ston spoke calmly To be continued |