OCR Text |
Show Mr. Metziger Proves That He's Nobody's Fool Serial, Both Over 21 by Samuel Hopkins Adams Maids Linn, wtlknowt, htlrMs SMSlns adventure, mom on a nine-Oar nine-Oar wondrr trip to BvBuda, assuming assum-ing tbe nam at Uim McCab. the family sacratmry. who has won the tloSst in a tbaatar suaaalng oontaat. On board tha boat are Milt Mouitar. thaetsr man agar; a protaaalooai dan car Aymon. who la aware of Malda'a Idantltr. and Wallla Kana, the otbar wlnnar. who, thoueh well So da drlvas a milk route to learn the business. Sfetslaer wanta to take motion picture of Maids and Wallla for publicity purpoaee.SMaida objects. Wallla agree to cooperate, but when b discovers that Metals haa taken picture of the two prise winners la a genuinely romaatle embrace he demand tbe film. CHAPTER 14 Mr. Metziger was nobody's fool. Foreseeing the possibility of some such complication, he had prepared pre-pared for It by having ready a substitute and wholly innocuous roll of film. This, with Indignant protests, he delivered to his persecutor. perse-cutor. Wallla stepped outside and committed It to the vasty deep without prayer. "Keep away from that deck," was his final warning. For the aake of appearnces Mr. Metziger sulked. Inwardly he was at peace. The precious clinch sequence se-quence lurked securely beneath the sheets of his bed. The winner of the unequal conflict con-flict was reflecting upon what his partner in the Impromptu love scene would aay had aha known of the alien presence when she appeared. ap-peared. Her first words gave him a atari. "Conscience troubling you?" Then she relieved him by a ripple of mirth and the addendum. adden-dum. "You look It." "Never a pang." "Mine Isn't working too well, either." "Why should It, darling?" "Lots of reasons. I'm not very modern about about necking and that sort of thing. I've never liked It." "Before he auggested. "Pig! But, Wally, I'm not sure It's fair." "No? To whom?" "To anyone," aha replied vaguely. "If you've got me Id mind, I'll take my chance." "I thought perhaps I knew from whst you were talcing a vacation." "Well, what?" "Domesticity." "Domest you think I'm married?" mar-ried?" "No, I don't think so now." "Why not now?" "Let's put It that you don't strike one as having had er unlimited unlimit-ed experience." She decided not to pursue that line any further. "Are you still holding It against me that I'm a bum sport about Mr. Metziger and his yen for taking pictures?" "Did I call you a bum sport V "You wouldn't even think me one if you knew," said she somberly. som-berly. "I'm not sulking any questions." "No. You don't ask questions. That's one of the things I like you for," she added, brightening. Though it isn't too flattering that you should show no curiosity." "I've found out what I most wanted want-ed to know." "And that Is?" "That's there's no family In the offing. Our next exercise, my little pupil, is so to improve each shining shin-ing hour of the time left. . ." "Nine I mean, only seven days," she murmured. "as to make the most of it. As for afterward, I'll take my chances. If I get hurt " "I don't want you to be hurt," she cried out. "that's my risk." "Ob. what a. trip!" she wailed. "I wasn't going to draw a serious breath for the whole time. And now " she put her hand on his arm and turned to face him. "I'd better be honest with you, Wally. My engagement to Simma Waring will probably be announced before we get back." "Ah I That alt Were you running run-ning away from him?" "Partly." (Sha could have kicked herself for admitting it) "Then you aren't in love with him." I "That doesn't follow at all." f rvtftietatwi ss thti ys4kiwilii Pan "I dont altogether mean you . . . What do you think about me, anyway!" "Want a straight answer?" Please." "There's something up the old sleeve." "Any theory?" fMiss McCabe' Puts Aymon Promptly in His Place (Continue Proas Prteedlnt Paaal "Were you In love with him yesterday?" yes-terday?" "Skip yesterday," aaid Malda hurriedly. "It's a convenient system If you can work It. Have you skipped many yesterdays?" "Not of that kind." "I wish I hadn't said Ihst." "It's all right. I had it coming to me." "And that makes me feel still worse, to have you take it that way. To get back to Waring " "I like him," she said defensively. defen-sively. "And on thst basis you're going to marry him?" "Why not?" "I can see certain practical advantages," ad-vantages," he admitted. "But, all that aside, wouldn't you rather marry me?" Malda Jumped. "No!" "I wasn't expecting that one," she said with a rueful grin. "Now if It were only for the nine days 1 " "Here's where I'm going to be honest with you," he broke in. "Thst limit is off as far as I am concerned." "It isn't off. 'Interlude without aftermath'; you said it yourself." That was Just a formula for your convenience. Fair warning, darling. dar-ling. You'll have to do some hlgh- "Game? I don't know what you mean by game." "Oh, heck!" growled the dancer disgustedly. "See here. I'm on to you. You drive a milk rout, on the upper east side. Don't you?" "It's nice work if you can get it to do," remarked Wallls placably. The dancer snarled at him. "You're pretty dumb. But you aren't so dumb you can't get this. Miss McCabe is going to be busy after we land. And she isn't going to need any morning's milk. You go peddle your whities, or whatever what-ever you call 'em and It'll come out all right. But if you get in my way, I may have to call your man-about-town bluff. How do you think the girl would take it if she knew your real Job?" Putting as much dismay as he could command Into his subdued uttersnce, Wallls protested: "I'd hsve thought you were too much of a gentleman to do anything like that." "I'm a gentleman, alt right But I can be rough if I have to. So you behave." "I will," promised the milkman meekly. "At that, you're pretty smooth in your way. I might be able to use you later on." Aymon seemed shout to ssy something more, thought better of it, and left ' (To be continued Wednesday) speed vsnisning 10 Keep out oi my way after we fet back to New York. I don't know what it's all about or how much else of you is phoney, but I do know thst your engagement to Waring Is." "It Isn't!" Tell me that six months from now." "Wally! Please! There isn't going to be any six months from now." "All right. Six days from now." "Six daya or six months or six years; It can't possibly make any difference. Why can't we just let it go as It is?" -Ask Waring." "Now you are being poisonous. I suppose you'd like to drag him into it by way of making things pleasant for me." ' "No. This is between us two." "It Isn't . . . Well yes. I suppose sup-pose it is. Oh, dear; Oh, darn! This isn't getting us anywhere. I wish I'd never come no, I don't and I've got to go and pack, and I do hope you'll be nicer when 1 see you next." Hsving breakfasted, Wallls went out to wait hopefully for the girl. As he leaned on the rail he senaed someone nesr. Aymon was at his elbow, studying him In silence. "Good morning," said the dancer in a rather too silky voice. "I've been wanting to have a little talk with you." "Anything to oblige," said Wallls. Wal-lls. "Nice girt, that Miss McCabe." "I think so." "Known her long?" "Not very." "What do you know about her?" "Not much." "No? Well. I'll give you a spot of advice. Watch your step. You might be heeding for trouble." "With you 7" queried Wallls, trying try-ing to look suitably alarmed. "Never' mind with whom. I'm telling you, this Isn't your game." |