Show 11 hol Au l lY iI l t r Y f If Y- Y V I f l 1922 P N NEA EA J. J J NC LL CHAPTER I Ia It I t o a sunn sunny crisp NoI Noan No- No an san Carroll was happy I Int nt nt or happy In a 3 pal pal- al- al I rt of ot way wayS but happy p. p of ot the spirit nto ecstacy o 0 man man i opening the outer fulte te of or three offices offices- r rig ng tho dignified sign signS Morgan forgan Attorney Attorney Attorney-at- at- at p CJ S in upon her la any her happiness Just I apher In her or prland prland Tr and a busy one ono at havo thought ail ad been a girl who had hadi hadjid jid i seen Nans Nan's ans an's flushed would have deduced ans an's t happiness was vas that she sho showell niely IY well in her new ae e silk crepe a simple g. g a a. a dress whose short demurely Just over the d d id d slim sUm knees n n had reason n for tor fori forthe 11 i the tho fact that the thea pe a was almost ex- ex or of ot her bobbed browne brown e civet of or her narrow narrows s sas vas as s subtly matched t t f her round brown h harmonies are aro not ot ac ac- Nan an they were d not sufficient rca rea- r that had suddenly er Cr ir so that her ller small vibrated with S In the tho narrow narrow- fore her typewriter ss hands bands played rap- rap of or tho the ma ma- endowed with a cond con- con d Intelligence d of at her there thero was noth- noth g al I 1 document she sho was notes nOH'S to toh gli gh h luster Into her beg herand here e ees and that Joy- Joy cheeks s. s o k Sho She glanced at i white-gold white the tho end of or her fates With Ith a an expert wrist silO she took the tho thoe thes lg e s of sized legal-sized bond bondons Carbons ons from tho the mai mathem ma- ma i them 8 swiftly combined Spier other pages pageR of the J S flawless typing f t added clips from a a. ahad had Its place In the thed d r of ot her top desk deskys f. f fr Id w ys whenever r she shee e ero fingertips caressed tie box which John Johni law at and i r years e r had bad 11 Christmas present the lad lad- worked for him THed td at her ber for tor using It her that meA ed cd her to add it to her 1 and she sheI lame lamely unable at she sho ho kept It here hero e ause her heart was I han in the tim furnished Bed ed by the week weel clock lock but that means S oro past half Nan Nn as aa she added opy of ot tho the brief brIer to toS S I I letters Ietter sho she had typed day Court had ad- ad That means that the before Mr Mor- Mor j them Hell tor-He'll bo be boj j sd ed d and all keyed up enough her eyes oyes es Sher h r flush at loUdly want me to work such uch to do last do-last last mm- mm t esses to subpoena e written upS up up- up I S S office marked Mr fr Bother other ther office of ot the they y tho the aged middle aged young lawyer who Morgan jMorgan on salary salary- her ber tray of ot finished desk made even event eat t stack of or unfolded Jd da day cast a anee aflee anee nee flee at the tho heavy onyx a few grains of ot dust ang ng surface bc beyond ond tho the Kreen ireen reen blotter adjust- adjust so that theof tho the tj of pt tho the November sun suno Ike o into the tho eyes ees of soon Boon sit at that f prend palm over the tor to make mako sure that ng Hg up up- up by the tho sound doors door's opening and labh her small body room her hand upon je e dividing door I 5 Blake back yet et 11 II UZ nil very thin man manIpon pon a knob of the Lout of his ls is gray t t His Ills black hair haird d' d d in a natural pom- pom ni U extremely high and was shot through r t silver Nan nn never pelt ix x pelt without think think- shar sharp ian contraction of ot that silver flecked Curtis Morgans His no now with the bril- bril i gue ie and excitement lue tho thought end ind had bad The day she sho first saw v vas s the most distin- distin 8 g man T-man man she sho had ever I. I hero ro yet ct NanS Nan 1 S I ly her eyes eye sweeping t noting every sign of ot E telephoned from the Where hes he's waiting telephoned Mr Pread Pre Pres- tad ad d not heard m fr-m ck ick and made an ap- ap lyou you ou for half halt past added triumphantly be tired smile zigzagged i thin face tace twitch- twitch sensitive mouth and eY eyes eves R There Is sing tr In Inas inas as he answered I dont don't know how bow honestly believe you'd lidge come hero hIo if It I to consult him hinL himl Int jg A busy l' l Preston Preston- Oh this IsI is isI isA A I i dI didat didn't qt think you'd roud c I have hao time to finish this brief before I t got sot back That clears the tho decks for tor us to work worle on this mass of stuff stutt I brought from court Brainerd sprang two surprise witnesses on us this afternoon and dl didn't nt call three I thought he was banking on Rested at half halt past two and caught me not ready to open Nan r foll followed w him Into his private office orrIce her small round face alight with ex excitement Ill rn bet ho he didn't call Barker nd that man I 1 told you OU he lle wouldn't He lIe didn't dare Of Ot course youre you're going subpoena tho the Fleming woman yourself yourself your your- self and mako make her talk taUe Am I Morgan laughed but his tired eyes eles shot h her r a glance glance- of ot re respect re- re I suppose ni IU have to If Ie you say so Telf Blake to attend to it t. t when hen he come comei In Jn wont ont jou ou Now Vow to get to he sighed a along along long ong thin sensitive hand r reaching automatically for tor the stack tack of ot nosY new mail maJl on his desk Not Kot quite yet yet Nan an corrected him bins briskly You Just sit there thero and rest for a a. Shut your our yes eyes and dont don't dare think of ot a a. thul thing until I 1 get back She paused at the door to make sure ure that her commands were wele The long figure relaxed Inthe in inthe the he big wivel chair with a deep sIgh as It if he were expelling the tho poison polson poi poi- son on of ot fatigue John CurtIs Morgan Morga n closed his eyes es but his wide mouth twitched witched hum humorously I I In less IeR J than a minute Nan was Wits back ack stepping softly and carrying a tall glass of ot milk on an t octagonal plate of ot pale green glass which al nl also o bore ore a stack of or crisp raisin bIscuits Drink every drop and cat t every crumb sho she commanded with a J greater show of or assurance than she felt elt Ill bet my next weeks seeks salary you YO ou didn't eat a a. bite bito of lunch Its It's a crIme ci the way you neglect t your health John Curtis Morgan stared blared at blankly lankly for a moment then theis broke Into ito a a. series of d delightful chuckles Funny little hittie Nan he gibed at ater ather her er fondly fondl but ho lie reached for tho the glass lass and drank half hair of ot the tho milk before before boore be- be fore ore setting It down a again In drank eagerly hungrily so 60 that Nan an al almost almost almost al- al most hugged herself herselt with delight at atthe atthe the 10 success of or her latest s scheme heme for forber forer her ber er great mans man's comfort Ive ordered a pint of ot half and halt a day for tor you you half half milk and halt alf cream she confessed You need eed It really you do Mr lr Morgan You ou work worl so hard and forget to eat until s someone meone shoves food at you you you- Now Cow tell me what did lid to- to day ay Ill I'll get my notebook and Well We'll get et your our notes on his witnesses Into shape jape Im I'm crazy to hear bear what Brody testified A minute later they were hard bard at atIt atit att It t Morgans Morgan's sensitive hands bands hoverIng hovering hover- hover Ing ng over his scribbled notes his deep voice recounting In detail the story ot of f the day In court Ho was defending de- de fending ending a young oung girl formerly the operator of a fashionable fashion fashion- able ablo blo country club Indicted on a a charge of ot blackmailing members of or ortho ho tho dub club Tho The board of ot directors believing In the girls girl's Innocence had retained Morgan lorgan to defend her and Incidentally to vindicate tho the management management man- man gement of or the tho club In tho the eyes of ot ofle the le public I I Its an ugly mess the lawyer frowned Carroll looks as If It he could kick Idelt himself from here to Jericho Jeri- Jeri cho lio for ever having brought the charges and Brainerd is up against a stone wall himself trying to get geta a bunch of or witnesses to testify that would rather bo ho shot than be dragged drag- drag ged ed upon a witness stand But It looks pretty black for Grace Nan I 1 wIsh ish I were sure sure sure- Im sure she s Innocent Nan Interrupted Interrupted In- In n- n vehemently I wouldn't have ave begged bogged you ou to take the case roso if Ie I hadn't been positive Theres There's something big behind this scandal Mr Morgan That Fleming woman listen Usten When you ou get her on the stand tand ask osle her her r She was off oft then reviving revl tho the evidence evi evl- dence from memory her pencil tapping tapping tap tap- ping out her points points' excitedly her eyes COS glistening with zeal her checks cheeks carnation bright and tho the man on the other side of ot the pulled-out pulled leaf lea of ot the desk listened with flattering concentration his own pencil makIng making mak mak- ing log an occasional note nofe When the eho paused for breath Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan nodded slowly I I believe joure youre right Of Ot course I 1 wouldn't have havet t taken Cen tho the case cule If I hadn't believed d beyond a rea reasonable doubt that she was wag innocent Ive I've never neer yet de defended defended defended de- de fended a crook rook and Id I'd rather starve than than begin Tho Tim afternoon papers papers' are going to say y that Brainerd's got the ca case C sewed up In a sack rock but Ill I'll bo be damned If it he has baa That Fleming woman as you yu say say say- bust his case wide open Nan Kan boasted staunchly Remember ber the tho Jury half halt believes In her in innocence in- in e to begin with just because John Curtis Morgan Is defending her Every Lvery voter in the county knows that you yen turned down a hundred- hundred thousand-dollar thousand f fee G to defend those pavement contractors just be because use you ou knew they were a gang of crooks and that you told Havemeyer Havemeyer Have Have- meyer that all his millions couldn't buy your our services when ho was tryIng tryIng trying try- try Ing to keep his son out of ot the pen Y You m know what John Curtis Morgan Mor Mor- gan she sho challenged him What ho tossed her obviously pleased but trying to pretend a a 3 vast preoccupation with tho the notes on his ils I desk When youve you've won on this case case as youre you're going to do tho do-tho tho papers are aro going to be begin gIn calling you th great greatest est criminal er lawyer in the state and that's a a. pretty big honor for a man only 36 years old to have havo won I Why most men your age are still fiddling around hoping for a junior partnership partnership partnership partner partner- ship In an established firm Oh Nan Nan ho admonished her humorously shaking his head Youre seeing me too big much bigger bigger bigger big big- ger than I am And If I dont don't watch out youre you're going to give I e me such a swelled head that Ill I'll be laughed out of ot court But mit seriously Nan an and his voice changed became simple direct and sincere while his eyes held hers unwaveringly if I have llave gone a a. little farther than I 1 had any right to Its It's been because Ive I've had the breaks and the and the best secretary In the country Im I'm not such an egotistical ass that I cant can't see how boss much youve you've helped helped- Above the pounding of or blood In her ears cars Nan Carroll heard a quick Imperious Im Im- im- im perlous tattoo upon the tho door That particular knock had bad a peculiar magic of or Its own for instantly the two people within the private office oUke w v wore 0 r e transformed Happiness which had glowed In Nans Nan's eyes like Ilice twin candles on an alter was snuffed ed out leaving her round childish face palo pale and andY taut In that instant she Q became the model secretary or rather rather rather ra ra- ra- ra ther the model secretary as that part of at the world unfamiliar with the of ot tho office pictures her She became Miss Carroll a little prim very Impersonal subservient remote Her back stiffened and automatically she poised her pencil above her notebook In tho the respectful respect respect- t- t fut ful attitude of or a secretary awaiting dictation f I fAnd And In that instant John Curtis Morgan lorgan law attorney-at-law It was the tho eager voice of ot a lover-husband lover who called out Joyously Joy OY- OY Come In It was an on ardent boy In spite of ot 56 16 6 years ears and a silver fox pelt who sprang to his feet forgetting Nan Carroll forgetting Grace Cox forgettIng forgetting forgetting for for- getting his fatigue thinking only of ot the woman who had knocked Imperiously imperiously Im im- im upon his door Come In darling Oh hello Sonny SonnyBoy Son Son- ny ny Buy Out shopping with mother Its It's great to see you OU both both both- I Nans Nan's enormous brown eyes apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap i as unseeing and blank as I circles of ot brown velvet too m an n every detail of ot tho the family scene that was I being enacted as If Ir sho she were not pr present ent She saw easy Morgan lorgan kiss his wife wire flinched a little as she noted Iris Morgans Morgan's casual acceptance ac ac- ac- ac of or that mark marl of ot her husbands husband's husbands husband's husbands husband's hus hus- bands band's adoration felt a throb of ot pity for her employer as she sho saw the six- six year old boy refuse petulantly to be kissed Then she braced herself for Iris Morgans Morgan's greeting How do you ou do do Nan 1 Gorgeous day isn't It Im I'm simply mad for tor new clothes Be Bo prepared red to pay payout payout payout out every penny Jack has in the bank when this months month's bills bUls come comeIn comeIn comein In And oh by the wa sva way draw me mea a chock check for a hundred wont won't you she added in a tone she might have used to a servant I hate to be limited to the shops where I have charge accounts when Im I'm on a buyIng buyIng buying buy- buy Ing orgy a as I am today Some of ot I the tho shoes shoe at Martins Martin's Jack she sho turned explanatorily to her r husband And bags at tho the Petite Paris Pari Nan forced to listen Usten as cs she obediently wrote the tho check which Iris Morgan organ demanded heard he-ard her em cm empi pi oyer answer eagerly like hilco a bo boy flattered at being noticed and anxious to please That so to sweetheart I hope you ou find just what you OU want I 1 wish I had time time- timeto t to go So with you ou but Id I'd bo be po o busy looking at you ou that Id I'd d f S not be a a. very good judge juds-e of or sho shoes or 01 baS bags Silly SUly Jack Iris Morgan f ged and moved away so that hIs bis hand which was stretching out to close upon hers was defeated and quivered a little Nan an saw tho quiver qu and her own hand busy with the check trembled with anger and Not that John Curtis Morgan lorgan was angry or conscious for her sympathy she sho told herself fiercely He Ha was wac l conscious now of ot nothing in the world but his wife's breath taking beauty And as always it hurt Nan intolerably to see him humble and eager and abject ab ab- ab before that b beauty uty as If he could never quite believe he was I its I legal possessor 5 5 5 1 Iris Morgan an let her Mr tall graceful body sink languidly into tho the chair which her husband had hastened to draw up to the desk for or her And Nan was not too busy filling in the stub of ot Morgans Morgan's checkbook to see that Iris disposed her body as if It she he were sitting for an artist the pic- pic pic plc- ture to be entitled Portrait of ot Lady of or Quality Long white throat arched 1 her head bend freed treed o of its close fitting hat |