Show I I 19 9 By HA EA Service Inc L l TillS S JL ED Ruth Lester private secretary co con con- ceals cals Mr her blond liveliness behind yells yellow spectacles and Ill fitting clothes at and skIns back her curls In order to escal escape the attentions OX or flirtatious employ employ- era nut for this she could not a have havo worl ed unmolested tour four f fOr Handsome Harry Borden promoter or dublo dubious stock companIes and notorious for his affairs with beautiful women Ruth suspecting hIm ot of shady dealIng would resign r but for tor a. a romance whIt which springs up between her and Jack Ha Hayward Hay Hay- ward young Insurance broker Whose who offIce Is just across the narrow Irons from Dorden's prIvate of offIce rice on the se sev- sev floor or of the I buIldIng bul Ruth and Jack become engaged on II Friday night in January and Ruth dan danto to como come to the office next morning wIl wIlher with her dl dIsguIse removed In her ottiC Ruth greets Denny Smith offIce ho boy who Is astonIshed at her transformation and who become Infatuated Infatuate lie hates Borden and bogs begs Ruth to dc don her dl disguIse before his return She Is Interrupted by a a. phone call It Is ti the woman with the contralto voice who whom Borden Dorden has previously refused to tal taUt to Ruth has bas time tp to put on her spectacles spec spec- tacks before Dorden's Bordens arrIval Dorden fInds an tInted orchId envelope In U the mall and thrusts It In his ble pocket wit wIth an oath Ruth Is sent to the bank wil with Instructions to get HOO In cash calu and I Ithe to the statIon for two trIp round tickets and a a. drawIng room for WInter Stave Haven on the tho train As sho ebo returns I Ithe to the office she wonders whom the second ticket Is for tor V ow GO OS TIlE STORY CHAPTER III Hut b o lIui Miss Lester Is Gods God gift to women in his office I phoned and hes he's me 0 Oh pardon me I thought it was MIss Mis Lester But I guess Handsome Harry canned her the poor litti scared bunny Cant Can't say I blam bame why what Ruth turned in the lIttle chair and faced the girl who ha had announced herself hersell so 50 So it vas Rita Dubois who was as goIng goto go go- Ing to Winter Haven with Border Borden Ruth was hardly surprised but a little sorry for she liked the vivacious viva ious cious dark eyed black haired sInger and dancer from crom the noisiest most garish night dub club in the city Ive just turned my hair loose Ruth smiled putting on her timid scared eared bunny manner and peering upward at Rita through her enormous enor enor- horn rimmed spectacles Rita applauded as she shi touched up her already vivIdly rouged lips So youve you've fallen for fot Handsome Harry too you poor little lit lit- tle le simp Been to the movies an and got ot a few hot tips to yam vamp our ur boss We Well Bunny dont donl be to jealous of little Rita no matter what you hear have him next week But liften dont don't you toddle oddle in end and tell lim I said so after fter Im I'm gone or I snatch those thos olden gOlden curls of you s out by the roots oats Pretty st fl And Rita finished with her lip lifted one of Ruths Ruth's curls and fingered its yellow silk Ilk almost laughed th n glanced apprehensively ap ap- towar Harry Borens Boren's Bordens Borden's Bor- Bor dens ens closed door curls are out ut in someone elsa honor Miss Dubois And dont don't you tell teIl Mr Borden lorden but Im engaged to be married It just happened last night Ight Youre You're the second person person Ive I've Va Good child Wise little abY Rita ita approved voice her gentle and low T Thea en sh she stooped and ad laid her rouged and scented lips against the rOse and ivory ory ot of Ruths Ruth's che cheek k the theony ony rily wa way infant Lasso em with witha a wedding ring when youre you're young oh rid hut o Harry The top of the morning to you darling I Harry Borden held his door wide and d regardless of Ruths Ruth's presence his is arms too Glad to see you Miss Lesters Lester's just bought the tickets Drawing room too 10 it if youre you're a good girl A I Harry Borden laughing indulgently in- in was about to dose close the thedoor door sor Rita Dubois Dubols turned her headd head and d gave Ruth a confidential mocking mock mock- ing g grin along with significant cant wink Ruths Ruth's fingers were flying over overLa the La typewriter riter keys again when Benny enny Smiths Smith's voice sullen suBen and in gnant interrupted her i Hunh Thought it was a secret you you getting engaged he flung at her from his own desk in the corner irner Nen you ou go and tell ever bodY I haven't toM told anyone but Miss 1 Dubois and you BennY Ruth pro pro- tested sted Well it if you gotta whisper your tIe secret looks like you'd pick o it somebody f besides one ot of Handsome Hand bland the boy persisted per per- some me Harrys Harry's dames suddenly I thought you just told Id me cause YOU YOU-you sorta liked I m a C C Startled Ruth let Jet her hands lie He Heidle idle le on the keys eys So that was it Benm too Well thank goodness hc was too young to want to gobble gobbler her r uP up She must be very careful not t to hurt him never to 10 let Jet him hime see e her smile with amusement at atS athis his S ent tumbling into loveI love Jove I do like me y lOtS u she said Id gently Now be a darling and dont don't nt interrupt me any more I want tnt to be through uh by one Then I guess you OU dont don't wan wanto want to be toM told that Handsome larrys larry's frau u is coming for her alimony this morning the boy retorted grinning grin grin- ning rug again Oh Id I'd forgotten that today's Cun Mrs quay er away from Ib door U I IJ q J I the fifteenth Ruth cried Does Doe Mr Borden know mow she's coming Benny chuckled I didn't tel him He was talking taking to this thiC DUbois Dubol dame on the other line when hi his missus called caled up and then you yot come back and I forgot to mention it Im I'm going to be forgetting a lot loto o 0 things it if you dont don't sUck slick bad back I them curls again Benny remember that Im I'm sr an engaged woman Ruth laughed But what am I going to do it if Mrs Borden comes while while- There was a faint tat rat upon the outer door and Benny sprang to answer knowIng who it was for fol forno no no one one but Harry Bordens Borden's wile bothered to 10 knock when she came cameto to his offices Morning Mrs Borden Benny mumbled as he opened the door doot wide Say Ruth I gotta beat it ii t to the for them stamps Anything else you need No thanks Benny Fifty twos a hundred ones and 10 specials Good morning Mrs Borden Ruth had risen as she spoke and now faced Mrs Borden nervouSly but smiling the little timid smile which Mrs Borden would expect of her for it had greeted her once a month for four months A rather s-ather faded tired 38 28 as against Harry Bordens Borden's triumphant 40 Soft fine skin going a little lax beneath high aristocratic cheek chee cheekbones bones and wrinkling faintly round around tragic eyes and a patient but bitter mouth brown Loaf eyes no longer glowing with the fire of spring Of all the varied duties dutes which she was vt-as called upon to perform asharry as asHarry Harry Bordens Borden's confidential secretary secretary secre- secre tary none was so painful to Ruth as this monthlY encounter with Mrs Borden For Borden forced his wife to come to his offices that he might humiliate her There had been a legal separation but no di- di vorce and Borden had arrogantlY stipulated that he would pay the court allotment of a month for or the support ot of his wife and two children a boy of 12 and a girl ot of 7 7 only if Elizabeth Borden came to him each month and asked for it And Ruth knew that if Elizabeth Borden had had only herself to consider con con- sitter sider she would have died rather than so 50 humiliate herself before him urn C C C Benny told me me Mr Borden was in Mrs Borden Borden answered answered Ruths Ruth's greeting in a hesitant gentle genUe YO voice ice Ruth glanced miserably toward the closed door behind which Harry Borden and Rita Dubois were arranging ar- ar ranging details ot of their end week trip to Winter Winter- haven Yes hes he's heslin lin In Mrs Borden b but t he-h he lies Iso s 's in conference A burst ot f pitched high laughter penetrated that closed door and Mrs Borden flinched her nostrils quivering her gloved hands clenching clenching clench clench- ing upon upon the handbag she held Ruth did not consciously not notice the discarded wife's reaction then but later aler when every tiny thing was ot of otso so much importance she and wished she could for for- get then I 1 I- I Mrs Borden stam- stam Shall back a little later ater Miss Miss' Lester I brought the I downtown with me and they're waiting in the restroom oLa ofa department store you I-you know v It i is necessary that I that I that asIc-that I see Mr Borden today Yes Ruth Ruth nodded nodded Harry Bordens Borden's Bor- Bor dens den's that the that the month month- b pad on the fifteenth lay day of the month and on no other If his wIre wife did not call for it then and ask asle inso many words for what was hers and the childrens children's by right sho would have to wait until the same date the next month I suggest Mrs Borden that you come comeback comeback back in about an hour hom I am sure he will be out of by then Mrs Borden 1 The chIll chIll- children dren have havo a dentists dentist's appointment at 12 and then Im I'm to take them to lunch I wonder If Mr Borden with will willbe be here hele about past half one Ruth agreed eagerly She was glad she would not have to se See poor Borden ain again on that her own happy day Yes lIe will be here until nearly two lIE told toki me mc just justa a few minutes ago agoo Im I'm sure aure past ono will bo fine Thank you Ou Mrs Borden was turning towar the tho door when an- an other burst of laughter treble wedded to shook bass the ground ground- glass panel in the door between the outer and inner offices Ruth saw the frail body sway sprang to put her arm about the older woman Please sit down just a minute Mrs Borden Here In my chair And lay Jay your head on the desk Its It's the they heat keep these offices stifling Ill I'll get you a drink ot of water There Feeling better she asked as she helped harry HatTY Bordens Borden's wite to the little I swivel swi Ruth Rutih darted to tOre the water cooler in the corner near Bennys Benny's desk then discovered that the Paper cup conta container ner was empty nut But there was wasa a tube of them in the bottom drawer of her desk Site She ran frightened a little for foil Mrs Borden looked terribly terri tern bly white and ill The woman was leaning downward to help with trembling hands Dont bother dear s. Mus Borden Ruth begged g ged There It often sUcks sticks Phe Dhe cups are here some some- where Oh She snatched her hand from the pulled out drawer asIf as asif if she had touched a snake Then she laughed What a goose I am Please dont don't be frightened Mrs Borden I keep forgetting that the gun is in thel there there- Gun Mrs Borden quavered away oin ft-oin rom the drawer her hand going to her throat Ruth laughed nervously Yes m automatic pistol Isn't it ridiculous my having a pistol pisto But there v were ere so many holdups in the building build build- ing last ast month that friend a-friend of mine mine- she could not yet toss off Jack Haywards Hayward's name nonchalantly one for me and for himself himself him him- self too lIe He has offices in this building and ho he was terribly in earnest about ray my keeping kepping the thing in here in case of another holdup As it if Id I'd touch it Im I'm more afraid ot of it than I am of a bandit Here lIere are the tho cups Sorry to be so long Five minutes later just four minutes min mm- utes after Mrs Borden had left looking so strange and ill that Ruth door was genuinely the frightened of Harry Bordens Borden's private office open d and he emerged or rather was Pulled along for Rita Dubois in high good humor was tugging at his hand Dont worry Ill I'll be at the station sta- sta Lion tion on time the dancer was reassuring reas- reas suring him gaily I can do more shopping in a couple coupe ot of hours than most girls can do in a a day And mind you ou dont don't call up tic t e. e stores and limit these charge accounts old dear Mind you dont don't fail 0 keep leep your our part of the bargain bargain- Harry Borden reminded lien her as they reached the door Ill keep leep mine all oil It H But no double crossing Rita Ruth glanced up her eyes taking in the laughing laug but mutually suspicious c couple She saw Harry Hal Borden wave goodbye to Rita and many hour later ater she yas vas to try to recall every detail of that picture though now she only noted idl idly that Ritas Rita's fingertip kiss was for the torn bill rather than for Harry blat Borden To be continued In the next chapter a murder J |