| Show Q l tA Service Inc h ANNE TillS HItS liAS 1 Ruth Lester private secretary hides her beauty behind heavy spectacles and III clothes hoping thu thus to work unmoleSted tor Harry nor Dor den She would resign but for tor a romanCe romance ro- ro mance which sprIngs up between her ller Jack Jacl Hayward office Is just acres acre's the from Bor- Bor dehs They become engaged and Rut Ruth l comes to the oW co this Saturday morning with vitIs her removed ion Darden Dar Dar- den comes Ruth Is summoned with the tho mall mail and gives gins hiI an tinted orchid envelope which be impatiently thrusts Into hi hilt pocket She tells him ot of a call tram from the woman with the tho contralto voice whom lie 11 has bas previously to talk to Ruth gets from the hank bank and two tickets with drawIng room for tor a winter resort for Borden Darden She suspects the second ticket Is for Dubois night club dancer who calls at the of- of floe just after her return front from the banK Mrs Borden Darden Dardens Darden's estranged wife snO mother of his two children calls for Cor her monthly Hearing Ritas Rita's laughter she swoons Into Ruths Ruth's chair catchIng sight liS as she sho does so of a a. pistol In the lower desk drawer Mrs Darden promises to return about Borden I waves a torn bank note noto at Rita a as she leaves remindIng her of her bargain Ruth Is called In for Cor dictation When Borden Darden play playfully tully trIes to remove her spectacles she screams n Jack Jackin In the opposite lie He angrily tries to lo jump to her assistance across the but Is restrained by sonic some man Ruth wishes she he had not screamed She wanted only joy to enter eater Into this particular day At she Bhe goes to meet Jack for lunch NOW ow 10 ON WITH TIm TIlE STOny CHAPTER V. V Lord darling I thought you wore never coming Just one more minute and Id I'd have gone gono in after atter you Jack Hayward greet greeted Id I'd the beautiful girl who ran out of oC Bordens Borden's Bordens Borden's Bor- Bor dens den's office to join him at the ole ole- vator Did that beast beast- Sh Ruth warned Look Here come Minnie and Lett Letty lugging their brooms and scrub palls pails poor things I wonder it if they'll recognize nizo nize me Hello Minnie Letty Arent Aren't you going to speak I to me The The- two calico clad gray haired stoop shouldered old women who had been gossiping together as they plodded the hall stopped and stared then grinned humbly apologetically apolo- apolo They really dont don't know me Ruth laughed hugging Jacks Jack's arm delightedly The older of the two women nudged her companion with her broom handle Its Miss Lester Letty Now dont don't that beat all Yeve took your our specs oft off aint you dearie deane My ly what a change LeU Letty maybe if us girlS girlS' ud take off our specs wed we'd catch us a beau too eh and Minnie cackled shrill mirth at the Idea Letty Miller shook her hel gray head slowly a a. resigned smile rippling across her pale Ined face Reckon our day is over Minnie But Its It's nice to see a young couple sweet sweet- one as handsome as the theother theother other other- Just for that Letty Jack laughed drew a dollar bill blU out Of his pocket and tucked It into the torn sagging pocket of oC the calico dress The arrival of the elevator cut short his cleaning womans woman's eager thank thank-s. As they stepped Into the car Ruth squeezed her sweethearts sweetheart's arm and whispered with mock severity severity se- se verity Prodigal Dont Don't you know youve you've got to save money now But It was dear of you As the car shot down to the main floor Micky Moran th the elevator operator op- op orator commented with Impudent frankness on Ruths Ruth's changed appearance appearance ap- ap and It amused the girl to see how jealously Jack resented the boys boy's familiarity Imagine being jealous of Mickey They were passIng passing pass pass- ing through the lobby of the office building when Ruth suddenly remembered remembered re- re that she had left her Savings bank book in the office ottice Walt Wait here for me darling she told jack I for forgot ot something Be Berg rg right ht back No dont don't come up with me and she darted back into the elevator A few precious seconds were lost while she fished In her handbag for her key Darn Harry Borden anyway anyway any any- way Afraid to stay alone in his own offices If the outer door was un unlocked Praying that he would not hear her she ran to the filing cabinet and pulled out II a folder marked Ruth Lester Persona The bank book was not there She went through the contents of tile the folder twice then darted to her desk and searched through h the two top drawers unsuccessfully From Bordens Borden's office came the rumble of his voice Probably ho he was talking over the phone Whirling back to the filing cabinet she sho dug into half halfa It a dozen folders with panicky aim aim- At last after at least five or six precious minutes had been wasted she found the thin brown booklet in the folder devoted to her employers employer's returned checks and bank statements As she thrust the passbook Into h bet bet- handbag she heard the sound of R a receiver being slammed upon its hook In her haste to be gone before Harry Borden could come out to Investigate she jerked open the outer door so violently that It struck her across the mouth a She was panting a lIttle her handkerchief pressed to her bruised Up lip when the elevator which she had just signaled stopped ot at her floor and Jack Hayward emerged his face very white his eyes ces s stormy ormy with anger angel and tear ear What kept you so long Why Ruth wrong Youre You're crying cry cry- ing And almost roughly as l Moran looked on Jack pulled Ruths Ruth's hand from her mouth and saw the swelling lip Godl Godi That beast Ill I'll kill him for this I was let afraid me go Ruthl Jack please please Ruth begged pulling at his arms frantically Come On Into the elevator ele- ele vator It wasn't Mr rr Borden I swear It wasn't I struck my face Cac l against the door YOUve YOU've got to believe believe be- be lieve me Jack Her voice changed sUddenly be became e- e came ominously quiet and steadY I as the young man flung off her clinging hands Jf If you OU dont don't conic come with me now if you wont won't bellev me when I say it wasn't Mr Borden Dorden who hurt me In spite what of-what yOU e saw this morning Ill I'll take back the promise I gave you last night I mean It Jack came to his lils senses He shook his head as to deer clem from his eyes the red mists of anger You mean that Ruth She nodded her blue eyes Imploring him rn through tears All right But Buton Buton on oso that condition you ou give Borden notice on Monday londay morning Im I'm not going to have you In that devils devil's office another day Ruth would have promised any any- thing to got get him to go quietly with ivita her hel The elevator boy regarded the silent flushed pall pair with humoro humor humor- o sly upraised brows as aR lie be shot the car down to the main floor Where shall Wo eat Jack asked In It a strained unnatural vol voice e when they reached the sidewalk Ruth wallowed swallowed hard at th thi lump In her throat Anywhere dear The Chester hotel Its It's closest closest- What did it matter now Jack thought she ha had lied liel to him believed Borden had kissed he co o violently that her r Up lip had been bruised Her perfect day was spoiled S She he shivered could not stop shivering even even- as she followed her fiance into warm din din- room ing-room of the Chester Hotel No Ko rho h quavered as he reached for her het coat Ill k keep p it iton on Im I'm Oh-I'm Oh so 00 sorry She Sho stood miserably beside the table while Jack and the walter stooPed to pick up the widely seat scat contEnts of her handbag Suddenly she knew mew she could not get gElt through the meal which was to have ve b been n so gay without the re- re hief of tears Will Vill you eXCUse me ate mea atea a deer dear i r Wl uit u-uit to telephone tele- tele phone she choked and fled She Sho found the tho ladles rest room deserted Flinging sell self upon an upholstered settee Ruth LestOr r shed hot hOot tears for lost ecstasy Joy would come again she knew but today which was to have been so perfect was blighted Maybe Jack was f feeling lIng as cheated and unhappy as she wa was The rhe thought pUlled her I out of despair She bathed her eyes powdered pow pow- dered her r face and was smiling tremendously when Jack Jak looked up from the menu card he was study stud lag Ing grimly I suppose you telephoned to warn him of my murderous intentions in- in n- n the jealously crazed young man challenged her as lie he stumbled to his feet No Ruth quivered slipping into the chair lie he pulled out for her I 1 had to powder my face I hope you ordered something goodIm good Im I'm- Ruth youve you've got to resign Mon Mon- day I mean it Jack Jacl interrupted leaning across the table to coVer cove her Icy mUe hands with his Im jealous as-as as the devil honey I couldn't bear having it-having you yau near that beast Bill BiU Cowan had to hold me back today when I saw Borden pawing at your oUr precious little face his arms arias about your your shoulders I be 1 could have leaped across that foot foot ight-foot I was o 0 wild and if I had had- Ruths fingers curled over his tightly Lets not think of Harry Borden any more darling He doesn't really matter you know He shant shan't ever touch me again I promise Of courSe Ill I'll resign Mon day But who is Bill Cowan darling Im I'm sorry lie had hod to see see- Bill Jack laughed reassure reassured happy again Oh Bill Cowans Cowan's a areal real 1001 estate man Sells lots out In Inthe inthe the Grandbury addition KnoW Knew why I wanted to see him sweet Color swept over ver Ruths Ruth's cheeks Really Oh Jack BUt how ut how can cun you Oh It would be heavenly to build a home leaned as far across the table as he could his brown eyes holding her blue ones adoringly Oh Ill I'll manage the money darling darling dar dar- ling I signed up old T. T O. O Garnett yesterday for worth of oC additional addi- addi insurance My Iy commission will moro more than pay for a lot in Grandbury- Grandbury Has his application been accepted accepted ac- ac Ru th Interrupted nil cal wen even In her joy Not yet et but lie he was to see se tile the medical examiner this morning Im I'm sure hell he'll pass lI Here ro comes food Now look here young lady it if you dare cry again Ill IU go back and finish that blast beast and I dont don't mean maybe The broiled mushrooms mushrooms mush mush- rooms ar are for fOl the young lady walter waiter the sweetbreads for fOT me I ordered for you honey Ce The waiter loft them in peace for ninny many minutes for his services were Cre in demand elsewhere They scarcely y touched touche 1 their lr food for neither neithel had an In appetite just then for anything but kisses an and long sweet sIgnificant glances glance better have some very hot hat coffee Jack decided suddenly as Ruth though she was In her thick thle fur fUl coat shiv red again uncontrollably bh lie He signaled the waiter valter Wonder Vondel what time that matinee begins Two fifteen or two thirty Maybethe Maybe the tho tickets say say- and he tool took out his wallet to consult them funny They're pot here and yet yetI I distinctly remember Miss 1 Hesters Hester's I handing them to me this morning By George I left them on my desk I remember now Bill Cowan came In just as she gave them to tome tomo mo me and I laid them down to shale shalee hands with Bill Waiter Volter Bring Bringa a pot of very hot coffee for the tho young lady and somo almond Ice cream with a lot of oC those little buttery cakes Right flight darling Ill I'll dash back to the office and get the tickets Wont Won't take me mOre than 10 minutes Well We'll have ample time to mal make the Its It's only 10 of two now lie he added looking at his watch She watched him swing down the room her hr heart henrt almost bursting with pride and joy In him No she sho roused herself from rom her 1101 reverie severio several minutes later to r the walter waiter Theres noth- noth lag Ing wrong with the Ice ice cream waiter Im I'm just not 11 hungry Oh yes I would like iii-a another cup of coffee Bring a po f for r two The gentleman will be back soon soon But strangely he was not When her second cup of coffee had been drunk Ruth consulted her tiny wristwatch and wa-s wa as startled to see that it was past two Jack had been gone 15 Her UN body was shivering with witha a chill as she poured l her third cup cupor or of cof coffee and sipped it slowly Fear mounted in her heart until she felt nauseated Ten mInutes after two two- A couple leaving the next table her view of the door for fora a a. minute and Jack was w almost at ather ather her side fore before she saw him Oh darling she cried out wIth relief re-lIef I was getting so worried wey wey Jack Jade Jack What's the matter What has happened Her lips went white and cold Borden To be continued In the next chapter chapter-a tragic ella ella- covery |
