Show d Q B B JOSEPH JOSEP c a RD w I STORY STOUT SO TAR FAR Larry Lury Cutter of Std fd pretty py i 11 Jack Jil An stenographer at the Hotel c g could bY obe rotting Dt ambitions by marry marry- marry It tim lacque Jacqueline nr had bad lust Just lost her ber M N 4 A 4 CHAPTER V Vill VJ ill J AU promAU August st H kept his prom cline about the chicken tie e 0 t Jacq acq veil ved from the delIcatessen arr II 0 the stroke of s e C and even dap dapon on was m in the oven being sub mw hen It looked ed cd to a 8 careful heating uJ The 1 I tIe the hostess wearing a frilly dress cheeks her s lk prop cron on over heat and excitement sour sew t rom bom rig d j about the apartment m in last minute ons Over and antl over she s had checked items of that menu on her nerv te le fingers or with ed brow us US piled oiled cd the roll of the edibles in the The fruit salad the celery the olives es The des desat en P text bur ed in to its bucket of cracked m in the bathtub rG cc r One more peep at the fowl S z dog Oh OhA OhA OhA A rag r nt ng at t the bell When Alen the door was as opened there Larry He seemed to fill the stood lure entire open ng eg A package under sorer arm Grinning like a boy My Mv word was as his greet ng to tous tobar us bar hostess The smile vanished lIe He stood mot onless Won t you come m Vh Ob yes But ou The flush Bush in Jacqueline s cheeks deepened I 1 j 1 forgot lor got to take off my apron the e zed in m contus on I m the cook cool and every ever thing tonight ie see added gaily please don t take it off Larry blurted You re so pretty Excuse me But you rather took me JIle off my feet He transferred the he packages to one arm clutched of his Ius hat bat and closed the door here I brought you a few posies and some tome candy Ob Oh thank your you But you t have tempted me I m re- re re duc ng You Larry Larr s laugh filled the room atom It served served to put both of them at athe he e r ease The guest dropped into a achar char and watched his bis new wife bus IB g about She opened the flowers Bowers sift lith eyes that sparkled exclaim tg over their beauty We must have them on the to ta tatie tie hie she declared But you can t thoe live hoe any candy D is almost ready tady I Im m going to put it on the table libe now Can tan t 11 I help I m handy around L I kitchen You re too b g to get into thiS me Jacqueline laughed No m in indeed deed You sit there and read your piper paper or smoke ng you youLie Lie Iwon I f won t be but a few seconds 1 shall watch you Larry re returned turned tuned s Read a pAper etea aten there was a chance to watch Jack lack How beautiful she sine was as Just mH 9 o so to different erent What Wha 1 was he use of anything d i And at last last the dinner was on ons ona s ne looking over the table rth sith one breathless last inspectIOn inspection It R teemed to be all right Every a than dial there A swift retreat to thep the p bathroom to direst est herself of the apron iron to peek at her sh ning nang hair h 1 the e e m of the wall cabinet Ibm Thea back again agam to stand behind her w chair and summon her guest to u tou Place Little dreaming the peril it l wh ch she the was involving herself lit lIe hv low ted led laughingly Come andeel and Bt let It it Larry H Cutter leaped to his fe W hes With the greatest control he ever had bated be thrust thrust brust both hands deep in his and stalked grimly to his Ius pace Ord he would have te tone around and sea seated ted his hostess tut ut t that would have meant stand Ig aB behind d her chair looking loaning lo mg down d m the be t tempting brown of wa waves es her ha r It was as too much to ask of ofa j titian man He didn t dare a Instead II he dropped into his chair d tad tild unfolded h s n wIth fingers Bar tal shook strangely You Jacqueline ll 11 have to carve was Jac MM a i next t I arning hope you biota Inow how iloW I I Call n do almost ng tY arry proved to be nih f ku UC a 0 superb OU t-rU t corn com comat bait at aion on of guest and host t The tord devotion he bIte bated to bud rd the k food lood test teat fled Cod eloquently to approval And nd you re some cooks cook he pro toed InId with a satisfied sigh as he heyd a final cup of coffee colIee it ts the best dinner I ever atel ate l my life Jack You cure re a gallant prevaricator et toned retorted ed Make yourself corn com table corne while I 1 carry out these t 1 an atan es S so o weon we won on t have to look at Phad ad ya y mean comfortable Larry hist up and removed his hiski t l pt t ki bt to i to c me an apron 1 I m p co 0 help w th the d N Nonsense I n Il do them later L sten I im m boss in m your a aA ah h h 9 for tor the moment Don t A to b the stop me ether He walked ked kitchenette and looked about f a 1 SPYing some Borne dIsh towels on ra taek c he be took one and gravely baked k kc d the r corners in h b s waistcoat 3 Let s goi go he 1160 ordered th tb t entered into the spirIt IS lewett that newest occasion with a read readi at surprised herself It was wast wasI t I INSTALLMENT SE SEN SE EN N life lI s 8 Sin lugs In Jn the stock market market and her before father had bad left her ber only a month be fore when the she refused him additional money for tor work on his inventions Stunned by this double blow she be ae ac hi his proposal They were ere married married married- a i 4 s rather fun to witch w Larry about his Ills tasks in a masculine but peculIarly deft fash on TI Tl ey chat chatted chatted ted together tamil famil arly as they worked putting th to rights Don t let me forget I m making a atrain tram tonight Larry on cd lat lat- later later lat later er as he sl sipped into his discarded coat I m 1 kely to overlook such trifles It would have surprised him to know that this thought had been re recurring curing to Jacquel ne with unpleasant unpleasant unpleasant ant frequency It brought a little feel ng of sadness m in spite of her herself herself herself self Larry was going away He had not said for tor how long and she shed shed shed d d not feel free to ask But she sheI knew m her heart that she was go I lug Ing going to miss him after tonight I won t let you forget she promised very solemnly w th a glance at the clock Only a lIttle lIttleover littleover littleover over an hour bour left She turned on the rad o 0 tuned it down so that the themus themus themus mus could c would not interfere with con on She felt a little eaSier when they both were talking Perhaps Larry felt the influence of the music He talked Informally of this and that indulging in few es Ask Ak ng no quest ons Apparently he was resolved to take takeno takeno takeno no advantage whatever of thiS unique situation Playing the game like a perfect gentleman Jacqueline was conscious of something like lake a feeling of relief when he asked final finally finally ly Iy if 11 he might use the telephone 11 P III i lill e J r I 1 tl My Iy word was his greeting to his hostess I U II call for a cab and have It take me around to the hotel and pick up my bags I m packed The last words had a depressing sound And little more was said 1 there came the suggestive honk of a motor horn from out in the street Larry tapped the ashes from his p pe and looked at JacquelIne With a forced smile Must be my Jehu he decided And did not stir It t is he add added added added ed as the s lence ence was broken an In Instant instant stant later by the sound of a buzzer I U II go out and tell him he be found the r place and to keep quiet Larry observed getting up Be right back The 1 tile apartment looked strangely empty now The air hazy With p pe smoke Larry s hat lying on the couch where he had tossed It J Jacqueline crossed over slowly and stood look ng down at it only to move away gull guiltily lily when she heard Larry s step coming down the hall He closed the door and stood With his back against it look ng gravely at Jacqueline I don t Know lust Just how long I II B III I be away he told her med to ta It will wall depend on sev several several several eral things Jacqueline wondered vaguely if of he were about to say he would write Or if he hoped she would H s next words were ere entire entirely entirely ly unexpected They came with the force torce of a shock Don t forget what I 1 told you about Rannie H He s a good guy And I 1 sure d d have aonder a wonder onder wonderful wonderful ful time tonight never forget It He came nearer and extended his hand Good n Jack His wife la d her small hand in his There seemed noth ng to say fortunately She didn t trust her voice Larry looked at her with a tWIsted little smile H s 5 eyes were half balf closed Say Jack I don t want to throw bouquets at myself but butI butI butI I d sort of like to have you know that you re standing m in the presence of the bravest man in m the world And the nicest It was Jacquelin s heart crying that out Larry had gone C CHAPTER APTER VI For the several days Immediate following Larry Cutter s departure Jacqueline gave herself up liP whole alter after signing a contract permitting her ber berto herto herto to continue her ber present mode of o living and to nullify nullity the marriage alter after six months Jacqueline Invited Larry to tober her ber apartment for dinner that evening Now continue with the story heartedly to the business of ot being lonely She derided herself phIlo philosophically and tried to reason out the situation After all it was sim simpie simpie pie enough a mere business propos t on There was no reason m in the world why she should expect to hear from Larry e ery e ery reason why she sl t She admired him for tor forst forst st ck ek ng so closely to his bargain But her heart gave a strange little leap in her breast every t me she saw a mail mall carrier pass the door Each evening she looked breathless breathlessly ly in m her letter box when she re returned returned returned turned home It would be rather courteous of Larry to drop her a note after being her guest that way and Silly I Jacqueline took herself sternly In hand It was h gh t me to stop thiS morn ng and attend to bus ness Very resolutely she set about pick picking picking mg ing up the threads of her old eXist existence existence ence Two weeks of this wearying bat fling on dragged out their al allotted allotted space Then something hap happened happened happened Jacqueline s office phone rang An outs de calL A woman s vo ce Miss Anthony Yes I South Side Hospital speaking The little office seemed to be go goIng going going Ing around m in mad circles Jacque 1 ne shand s hand clutched at her heart she forced her stiff lips to ask What Is It The word Larry struggled to escape We have a pat ent who gives his name as Vincent Anthony the vOice went on Is he your father Why yes Yes It must be Is he seriously ill Is he hurt He is ill said the matter of fact voice It mayor may or may not be serIOus But he has asked for you you- you Jacqueline sat staring straight ahead of her trying to fit Bt the pieces of this new puzzle into an under understand understandable understandable stand a ble pa pattern But only for tor a moment The main mam thing now was to reach the South S de Hospital The hotel doorman signaled a taxi at her brea breathless request In the hospital office Jacqueline was told that Vincent Anthony was In the emergency ward brought by ambulance after a police officer had seen him collapse on the street That was early the previous eve Is he seriously ill Jacqueline faltered A chrome chronic ailment aggravated by on There is a possibility ty that an on may be necessary necessary necessary sary If It you wish to see h m please do not stay longer than necessary As in a dream Jacqueline made her way through long drug scented corrIdors then into a large room With rows of white beds What did that woman in the office say Some Something Something Something thing about on That meant not having enough to eat Vince There he was Thin and haggard looking But the same cal eyes the same smile Vine Vince VinceLo Lo Skipper That was a name he devised for tor her long ago when hen they used to Sit sat with their heads close together over the old atlas aUas Charing courses through the Seven Seas Vince Vence What is It What have they done to you Where have you been Why d do t you let me know 7 Questions tumbi ng from the g rl rI sIps s 1 ps m wh after a aI aI I ngenng kiss on her father s forehead fore forehead head She pressed one of his hands tIghtly In both her own her dark blue eyes ees e es welling w th unshed tears I m all r Sk Of course you are dear Can you tell me a little about It Vince squirmed uneas uneasily y Like a small boy caught in m a misdemeanor lye I vc ve been very busy he began m in a weak vo ce Working on onan onan onan an invent on on Its It s a good one th s st st st t me and I m almost finished with it I got a job as a night watchman a wh Ie le ago Needed a 1 I the extra money for dry batterIes His eyes twinkled And then this had bad to happen Vince Jacqueline whispered al almost almost almost most sharply Where was that Job ob Yager and Brown Brow s Vince wr again agam Why they re here in the city Vince Have you been in town all th s time tune Pretty much SkIpper Two big tears rolled unchecked down Jacqueline s cheeks Vince had never left the city He had h himself in some obscure quarter going without enough to eat while he puttered over his mechanical mechanical cal dreams Too proud to ask for help help he must have needed sadly And all these months the theone theone theone one person m in the world who be belonged belonged belonged longed to him had been living In Innear innear innear near luxury Saving her money for fora fora tora a selfish dream deam dream gambling losing los me mg Jacquel ne controlled herself with witha a 11 fier fler c I effort ao ITOBI BL BE CONTINUED |