| Show t f. f M 5 t I 1 ll j ff i Mt h y r t 4 J I Y TI TIE Ef E f I f f 1 t f fI Wl L f J 1 ea n s 1 h to n A Trick o of f Fate Allows a aYoung aYoung I Young Yung Man Mall to A View Himself 1 1 ra Through the F E Eyes y e es o of of f the r M II r I I G Girl rl Who Loves Him a- a 1 C CAROL CAROf R t. t HERRICK blotted and reread tiT her letter to Jerry Martin Martina a a flip Up little It too too full full of the al note was flurry r of engagements and ard ending with We almost went Vent to a party together once once- once once once- what She l had ad Titter the whole letter toward that one one ending sentence Oh yes she loved Jerry Just terribly In fact and he he- had known it when he i let her leave home to come East to find herself as she had blithely fated when the necessity of making her living was as made urgent by her fathers father's death She had hoped ag against hope that Jerry i would endeavor to t disarm her of that t resolution She had wanted him to snatch match her up hold her close and say k I wont won't let you go away because 1 love you you But all he had said wa was was' Ill miss you Carol please write and b Y dont don't forget me me j During week ends at home when she made flying visits he had always been f most ost attentive but he never asked her herto to stay and still there were times them t he looked things things' and she she had never been able to resist thE temptation to go go back and se see him just once more more ir All of which most likely contributed to a feeling reeling expressed in a letter she wr wrote te rr that same evening to Marion Lewis he her her t best girl friend who understood every every- I I thing d 1 IM TM Just through with Jerry Martin forever she wrote rote M Marion rio He 1 didn't take me to the country-club country dance after t r all and and you know how ho I 1 stayed over especially until the late train Just x to go with him It was that shabby black s d dress I wore I know When I came down he looked at me the and said something about 4 never neve forgetting the last time I wore it it so of course he remembered it as a a ai i s last years year's hangover Th Then n he looked guilty t and muddled like a man g getting 1 r out out 01 ax of something end and suggested that wei we i not go to the club that I 1 wouldn't know any one there there- there there-I theredo I do know this that he 1 1 has been entertained a lot by the LanK Lan- Lan K villes and the Scotts You know they have loads of money and the girls girls' c dress like a a. million He had been raving t all aU day too about bout Daisy Lanville being the most st stunning ing girl in town I bet hes he's f been having an affair with her you know she's an awful vamp always hanging hangIng hang- hang Ing around the club and most likely he was afraid of a a. conflict Well I I know knowd d r that black dress was shabby but Marion Marlon it does have good lines and anyhow I didn't think Je Jerry Ty Martin was the kind of a man who liked a a. a girl just because she looked like a Parisian mannequin y We went for a drive and I wouldn't let him hold my mf hand or anything and andI I took the 1040 train back instead orthe or of orthe a the It hurts to cave your Ideals shattered but Im I'm going to forget him r His Ills game is simple to marry some onee one e with money and position There must be one real man left and Im I'm going to forget Jerr Jerry you just watch me mel She reread her letter to Marion Mr 0 Jerry o Jerr O wad some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as see us she murmured Ive seen seen myself 4 all right whether It was giftie or oran an anold anold old black silk Ill I'll never know but I certainly certainly eer- eer ta have seen seen What Wha t a a giftie you would be she said holding the indignant note at arms arm's length and relaxing against the wing oth ot of other h her r chair Relieved of her grievances y now now tr transferred as they were to paper ri t she he sat there a while limp and feeling Sr quite empty Her resentment having y burned itself out there seemed nothing left x The next two days were rather a a. drag tt Forget him I Forget him himl was the R staccato tune her Little heels clicked ashe as she he walked home at night Forget him himl Forget him himl By the third day the deadening gnawing gnaw gnaw- wing w- w ing ache had worn a away way somewhat s 4 She had drawn every cent of money saved for railroad fare home borne to see him 6 some ome week-end week and spent pent it on clothes t That morning she breezed into the theoffice s 's office garbed in a natty tailored blue suit n smart French felt hat soft creamy georgette blouse sheer hose and snappy little pumps All ll qu quality lity and lines and no trimming trimming trim trim- e ming she gloated before the dressing- dressing room mirror minor r She had even bought a real gardenia for r her lapel something for which she had longed all aU her life But always sav say saving saving if 9 ing for fors for's s something or other a trip home to W see Jerry or some some Impersonal Impersonal little gift for Jerry had made her br bravely suppress the desire for such a luxury as a real r gardenia r Then she called Lil Li Mannering and asked her for lunch r I Lil Lii was comfortably married and Carol had frequently enjoyed her matronly hospitality The obligation of returning this hosa hospitality hos hos- Vitality in kind had a weighed heavily upon Carols Carol's bright head for months but had had been cast aside even as the desire for the real gardenias had lost countenance j be before ore the prospect of week-ends week at home and nd s seeing eing Jerry I 1 dont don't care if you leave me flat fiat she she he hummed h to the gilt-edged gilt mirror in the r lounge where she waited for Lil to keep t y their luncheon date Its Us self-realization self I t need now now and X i I T YU 4 9 a I ry y yI y'S t e I S 'S r I IT I T c v r i 4 H I fin M ta V 1 r rJ I r J t il t tf f w iJ I I. I I I she she pulled the tight little hat farther over her her- eyes reflecting that it had a French touch to rival Lils Lil's own newest creation creation And after all Lils Lil's face was a a. little too plump for such sev severe re lines little floated Primping you peacock Lils Lil's honeyed honeyed voice from the doorway and andover andover over oyer the heads of several perfectly strange women I know Im I'm late dear and I feel perfectly perfectly per per- f horrid because e youre you're working and ha have ve such a limited time for luncheon but you know how it is is' when you dont don't go to business yourself We old m in im women just forget about hours and bosses But d dont don't nt think for or a minute that we have a cinch Neds Ned's so exa exacting ting says he cant can't start his day right unless I breakfast with him and well the woman came to clean today and I had to wait until she arrives arrived to tell her about the man who was coming to fix the refrigerator Of course shed she'd be be late today and you know you have to cater to servants now I I just tell you a big bighouse bighouse bighouse house and even one child is Just about all one woman can manage I haven't haven t been been waiting long said Carol when her guest paused for b breath eath We dont don't have to hurry My boss isa is isa isa a peach he never checks checks checks- So he doesn't check up on you you now now Carol are you going to have an affair with him I bet hes he's in love with you they always start out being lenient with attractive the se secretary That's what we married women have to put up with the theoffice theoffice theoffice office wife Now fess less up ha haven't vent you been vamping that big egg butter-and-egg man Dont look looie so shocked and innocent you do it well vell young lady I cant can't blame him when you look s se innocent but now dont don't go to dinner with him right oft off the bat Tease him Urn along a bit you bit you know put him off Forbidden fruits fruit's the sweetest Oh Im I'm so excited about you youl And a clever woman can get any thing or man she wants take it from an old married woman who knows knows that's that's how I 1 hold Ned Ned Do you know that he never forgets an an anniversary and he still thinks Im I'm the most beautiful woman in the world Want your coffee now or later interrupted interrupted interrupted inter inter- Carol The nicest thing about Lil Lilt she had confided to Marion is that th t her questions ques ques- questions run so close together that you never have to answer any of them and she just keeps the ball rolling while all you have to do Is to wake up occasionally to say Indeed or that just too sweet or or Well can you beat it and let er ter go go Carol came the next ecstatic explosion explosion explosion sion where did YOU jou get that stunning little hat My dear and those p precious pumps Wish Bob Lloyd could see you now Say Carol hed he'd be Just the husband husband hus bus band for you you reliable reliable good family and hes he's making money hand over fist They say hes he's just ready eady to get married man and you could live beautifully Anybody as pretty and attractive as you are ought to have plenty vi vf money for clothes clothes clothes- ever see me in the clothes asked Carol leaning suddenly across the small table see you See you Why why your husband of course Bob and you know hes he's mad about you and and well well well clothes My dear every ery woman loves clothes But hes he's so why so-why why Lil hes he's so so fat blurted Carol P l i f rr F L. L N No 0 more rhythm than a wheelbarrow wheelbarrow wheel wheel- barrow she thought anc and longed to shake e him by His Itis expensively clad soft shoulders 1 Oh dear I 1 know he isn't loop good gOod lO ing and you might as well realize that you'll never get everything What do you care Anyhow nowadays s 's lots lots lots' of of 01 women marry rich men they dont don't love lover Marriage has become a business tion My glory if he bored you In a few years years' you might get a divorce or something some some- somes thing Oh I dont don't suppose I ought to put such notions into a young girls girl's s head to Oh tonight's tonight s' s the night were we're all going out together Bob and Ned got tickets for something Bob insisted upon the t 4 show because he said you had expressed S a desire to see It Its It's Pirates something something something some some- thing or other I cant can't remember names Ned said he didn't know what it was If It you marr marry Carol that's one of the things you must learn men like Ilke vaudeville and musical comedy They wont won't stand even even stand for light opera after they are married But Bob would take you to an art gallery gallery gallery gal gal- lery or anything that bored him to death if he thought you wanted it Hed He'd do do anything for you you you- Yes in his own dumb way spurted C Carol rol contemptuously Oh what was that name Pirates Pir Pirates tes of Penzance prompted Carol and I 1 don dont dont t guess guess- lie ae knows anymore any more about it than you do Oh now honey dont don't be hard on the boy After the stew sl-cw were we're going to the Madrid Wear that cute hat and play up to him a little Ill I'll have to run for formy formy formy my hairdressers hairdresser's now see now see you tonight sugar Carol watched LIl Lii In all her plumb placidity wrap a sable scarf twirl her herrings herrings herrings rings inside anc and snap a a snug kid glove over a pudgy pink palm She kept her place a a. few w minutes longer enjoying a lull after the storm Pretty and attractive as you are arc Lots of women women do Men they never love I t Clothes Clothes Every woman loves clothes You cant can't have everything eve Div Div v The words floated back writing themselves themselves themselves them them- selves across the dark memory of Lils Lil's sables To be appreciated to be admired to be betaken betaken betaken taken care ofIs of Is th the other lady coming back a discreet little waitress stuck the bill be between between be be- tween a green sugar bowl and the salt and peppers Carol gathered up her reverie tucked It away and paid the the bill BACK at the office she took it out again and molded a resolution She was going to win yes sir After all Lil Lii was right What a silly little fool shed she'd been to pin all of her heart on one oJe mans man sleeve I Shed She'd make herself like Ilke Bob to tonight to- to night He meant stability money and position position position po po- po- po and clothes Shed She'd meet other people people people peo peo- as Mrs Robert Hastings Lloyd shed she'd gain poise from her assurance of background background background back back- ground and that would be self self- tion Why a hundred years fro from now Jerry why Jerry why she would wonder who he had been anyhow Some boy back home she would vaguely reminisce Her desk piled high with wit papers formed a kind of fortress before her Like a doughboy digging a trench before ad advancing advancing ad- ad Huns she s slithered through print i- i k- k 1 V and figures She was was' was was' trying to come out even with the stroke of 5 In order to have time to dress dress carefully carefully for dinner with Bob True he wasn't at all exciting Bob wasn't An approved friend of the family tc older and prosperous but he hed he'd d flatter one sufficiently to keep up morale Eventually through his kindness and devotion to hershe her hershe hershe she might learn to to- to Some one came into the room but she pretended not to notice most lively likely It It- was just a stray peddler or client searchIng searching searching search- search ing for another office She had no time to give directions and if she seemed absorbed s I they wouldn't notice her Finally she looked up to see how near 5 5 it if was was was- But she didn't see the clock There were two long serge blue legs a very familiar fraternity pin tie that brought up associations associations' and a grin with without out but ut any possible probable shadow of doubt Jerrys Jerry's grin Sc Something meth ng burst in her throat like a bubble and ran through li her r arms and neck Why hello Jerry wh when n did you blow into town Nonchalant lant enough that until her voice went a little off on the last word Just this minute Carol Caro His Us voice was awfully deep and made ner nr feel th that t she had come In too late from a party or something must have haye been the the same same voice with which he won that first first jury case He wasn't grinning now and didn't didn't take his eyes from her upturned face It was disconcerting but her new clothes three days' days discipline and Lil LU had mac made made her strong A Awfully sweet of you to come to see me here take that chair over there there How v Hovis is everybody your mother and Marion Marlon Very fine Carol the deep note on her name Well that's fine Just fine very fine and how are you Well Isn't that simply fine s she el went on shuffling the papers on her desk v Can you leave now and go to dinner with me Carol She wished to heaven hed he'd stop using her name so much Terribly sorry Jerry but Im I'm busy tonight to tonight to- to night There she didn't think she could do itOh it I. I Oh Ohl Well vell Carol you you see I have to go back on the midnight train Well Jerry you should have hav let me know my dear I 1 cant can't break a date at this hour She tried not to remember th the hundreds of dates shed she'd broken at the very eleventh hour just jus for J Jerry and it wasn't her policy either but she had become amazingly conventional You can walk home with me me-I'm me Im I'm living living liv liv- ing at the Womans Woman's Club Club downtown and and- and No thank you Carol I I thought we j might have an evening The office boy blustered in and asked for a special state state- ment she ment-she she could hardly find the tabs on the file folders He Jerry was so big that she didn't dare dar loo look at him because his tallness always overwhelmed |
