Show Telegram Te Serial Sena if I Unfair to Love By Watkins E. E Wright Wright 2 Chapter Nine When Joe Neely awoke late the next morning his first thought was of Kathleen And it was an angry thought The idea of her making such an obvious play for two men as she had made for Fred DeMille and Paul Pennell She ought to tobe tobe tobe be spanked like a spoiled small smal brat It would serve her right if her Uncle Frank did spank herAs her As a matter of fact he would like to spank her himself He arose stepped out of his pajamas and got under the shower But he did not sing as was his habit He didn't feel like singing He felt more like swearing He felt more like making malting another placard and going out to picket I Ithe the Vaughan residence as he had hac done on that other morning I It would show Kathleen that he I still meant business Only he would look sort of silly to the Linville churchgoers And he probably would embarrass himself himself himself him him- self more than he would embarrass embarrass embarrass embar embar- rass Kathleen Besides he might also embarrass Mr Frank and he didn't wish to do that He was fond of Kathleen's uncle and he wanted to remain in m the mans man's good favor Just then the telephone bell bel rang He went to answer it it dripping dripping dripping drip drip- ping water across the carpet Maybe it was Kathleen calling to say she was sorry about last night Maybe she was calling to ask him to drive his little car out to the house and take her for a long ride into the country Hello he said Good morning said a feminine feminine feminine femi femi- nine voice I hope I didn't call cal too early Oh no Joe said Who is this Ruby Howard Oh Joe almost dropped the telephone What s the matter You sound odd Nothings the matter Just surprised surprised sur sur- mr- mr and pleased After all il ilis it itis itis is early for an actress to be up up It Its s too beautiful a morning to tolie tolie tolie lie in bed said Ruby Besides Ive I've been doing a lot of thinking about and the second your play play and act you say you must rewrite I couldn't wait any longer to urge you to get it ready for reading Joe and Ruby Arrange a Picnic I got the manuscript out of oi my trunk when I got home last night Joe confessed I thought I might work on it today Only it is too swell a day to stay inside How about taking a ride with me Id love it it Ruby said We can discuss the play and see the country at the same time I think that would be delightful delight delight- ful Ruby exclaimed I tell you what what lets let s have a picnic Ill I'll ask the hotel people to fix a lunch and and and- Ill 1111 get the lunch Joe cut inI inI in inI in I haven't haven t been on a picnic in ages No the lunch is my treat Ruby insisted You supply the car car and and the play What time shall I call for you 9 That I can be ready by noon all right with you you You bet said Joe Dont you have to rehearse or anything today No thank heavens heavens' Ruby answered an an- I Im m perfect letter-perfect in my role role and and besides its it's old an play anyway Fine That means we wont won't have to hurry back I can stay out as long as you youcan youcan youcan can put up with me That That said Joe gallantly means a long long time Nice boy Ruby said softly Thanks said Joe Youre pretty nice yourself Ill I'll call for I at the dot you noon promptly noon promptly on Okay Okay Joe hung up his receiver and stood thinking all unmindful of his wetness Im Imagine gine her calling me up like that He grinned Maybe he had been too hard on the actor folks as Kathleen had said he was Maybe it wasn't going going going go go- ing to be a bad summer after all all' Then he went back to the bathroom bath bath- room This time he did sing as ashe ashe ashe he got under the shower His play meant a lot to him although he was willing to admit that it might not amount to a hill of beans Besides Besides Besides Be Be- sides he had no illusions about such matters as getting a play produced He dried himself and glanced at his watch Then when he was dressed wearing his tan gabardine slacks and the dark brown sport jacket that went with them he found that he still had nearly an hour before time to call for Miss Howard He picked up the play manuscript manuscript manuscript manu manu- script which he had laid upon his desk the night before He began to go over it It sounded terribly he thought thought- amateurish in spots and the thought depressed him However there was a possibility that ideas would come to him thick and fast as he talked with the actress got actress got her point of View She could give him a lot of pointers about exits and entrances And those were the things that I bothered him most the business of getting his characters on and andoff andoff andoff off the stage in a perfectly natural natural natural nat nat- ural way He looked at his watch once more u L uIt LIt It was 10 minutes to 12 He I would have time to get his car carout carout carout out of the garage behind the house and drive down to the Linville Linville Lin- Lin LinI I ville inn He hurried to the mirror mir mirror mir mir- mir mir-I looked at himself critically gave his hair another combing and readjusted his maroon-colored maroon tie This done he ran down the steps and around the house Then just before he brought his hiscar hiscar hiscar car to a standstill in front of the inn Joe thought once more bore of Kathleen And the thought saddened saddened saddened sad sad- him It was something I Kathleen had said to him after i hearing him read the play Oh Joe she had exclaimed it be wonderful if I could play the I part of that girl Joe shook his head slowly at the memory of those words Poor little stage- stage struck Kathleen he said under his breath He walked into the inn and up to the desk There he requested the clerk to tell Miss Howard that I Mr Neely was waiting downstairs I IAn An hour or so after Joe and Ruby had driven away from the inn picnic bound Kathleen and Fred DeMille were heading for a I farm some 10 miles from tow town towa Theres There's an old lady out the then ther Kathleen was saying who members the Civil war She mo mot up here from Virginia and bring bringa br brou i a lot of fine old furniture vv tw her Mw Then we ought to find all need without going any said Fred I want an an anti ancl r mahogany highboy for a di din dini room set and several pieces the living room And any any o and ends that I can find lend a prewar atmosphere Like samplers and old pa pal palings palings' l I lings ings ings' I Kathleen asked M Yes Yes and and some china I 9 I can supply things like th tha Good Theres There's no money however Only a couple of ti tic tick k r to the show a aI I dont don't want any money money 1 never gave it a thought m swell But what atthe abathe at abe the old lady She may not notto m wi wito to see the show I Kathleen laughed You dc do know Miss Camilla she saShes SaShes Sa way up in m the eighties b she loves going places a kick out of seeing you fol foJ fo act M But how will she get get I n town m mOn On the bus Kathleen retort It passes only a short way the house jm It looks said Fred as thou everything was going to worK perfectly Im I'm sorry we cant can't work p pr cash rent for any furniture yr yF people let us use use but but it done Summer theaters nei nev have much profit They usua usual us I run on a shoestring I To be continued J |