Show 0 t tip Y I Ir 1 I II Ia r r I KATHLEEN a COPYRIGHT KATHLEEN NORRIS MORRIS SERVICE SYNOPSIS I t i Antoinette Taft twenty-three twenty at attractive at- at and ambitious but unable to hold a Job lives In do a n drab drib San Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco flat fiat with her ulster sister Brenda Drenda and brother Cliff Clift who are older ohler her sev- sev old year brother Bruce Druce and their Aunt Meg In her Job hunting rounds she Interviews vs Lawrence BelI Bellamy Bel- Bel I lamy editor of tho the Journal of Commerce Com- Com merce but finds he has no place for fora fora a a woman writer Tony goes homeland home homeland land and busies herself with housework Brenda and Aunt Meg Iee arrive l I CHAPTER II 2 2 I T DECLARE Tony you have ac n a c wonderful nature 1 she said i she Brenda asked I I You Hatter and charm me rue ladles la ladles la- la Ues said Tony and drifted Into the sitting sWIng room i A long lean tousle headed bo boy was sti stretched etched upon the sitting room couch now his hea heavy r lesson book slid to the ground as os he turned to face Ton Tony Boo she said I dl didn't nt hear you come corne In How lIow was the meet Five FI and five fi we tied em In Inthe Inthe Inthe the last three seconds the boy by said with n a stretch and a yawn Dinner nearly ready Presently they were at nt dinner Tony smiling at nt them all nU said suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly an anyone one going to ask mo me about the Job on the Journal i I 1 knew the minute I saw you that there was nothing doln Brenda Brenda Brenda Bren Bren- da said Nope hope Tony said heroically nothing doing I Ah Au m my dear ear Im I'm so sorry 1 o i That means Tony said starin staring staring star star- in ing Into space playing with her knife that Ive I've been to every ery city editor an and er c every Sunday editor In 1 this city I am not destined to enjoy enjoy en en- enI I o joy jos a n newspaper career 1 Aw Aw gee See Break you jou OU up asked Bruce's hoarse young oung voice all nil sympathy Kind of Tony blinked and o Iau laughed he be sa say the Journal man Ton Tony Oh he was nice enough But Buthe Buthe he be wasn't Interested i Snugly Snuff old miser 1 I Brenda said I helping herself bersel to more strawberries ries rles Oh no hes he's not Bendy Beady Hes He's a stunning young thing as tall as Cliff not Cliff not much more than thirty I should think and very much the gent ent 1 What did he say He Be wanted me to get advertisements adver adver- advertisements of course I wonder Tony said musingly her elbow on the thc table her square chIli chin In one hand band I I won wonder er If It Its It's horribly hard to get advertisements ad Someone Someone Some Some- one me must do It there are arc millions of them on all nil sides Maybe Ma be I 1 ought to try it k It might get me meIn mein mein in anyway It doesn't seem to me the thing for or a girl Irl to do Miss Bruce said with a n decision that sat oddly upon her smallness and frailness Ill Til get something Tony said again hut It seems so useless to get started In anything thing I really dont don't want to do As Tony and Brenda washed the C- C L 5 dishes there was a n stir at the hall door a n mans man's voice Hello everyone Cliff here herc Hes really rea-lly shy shy Barney Barney hes he's been lieen standing there hating hinting to make mala the break breal Tony thought as ns she called callec back cordially Come In Barney No hes he's not He lie went to Sacramento I Barne Barneys Barney's s bl big bulk slid Into the chair that Aunt Aun leggy fluttering fluttering- ly departing left empty I cant can't stay silly Barney said halfheartedly half halt hearte heartedly l Tony Brenda and Barney sat on lazily Idly at nt the wide opened window Indo In the dim light Bruce was IS snoring audibly on the lie couch We Ve can cnn have a light lIht If Jr theres there's any purpose In It It Tony observed No 1 o 1 I have e to go Barney said not stirring What took Cliff to Sac punched lunched the switchboard wron wrong for the thing Tony stated In Indifferently Who said so Barneys Barney's words were like bullets Cliff did he say Well If It you must know Barney Bar Bar- new ney Cliff was shaving this mornIng morning morn morn- Ing and Mr Ridley telephoned Cliffs Cliff's first spee speech h was The hell r rhen he like lite a n fire wagon aon and onel next thing I 1 knew he had telephoned cd that he was of ot for tor Sacramento Ill rH bet you bit you you- It was was as all nIl rl right ht when he got tot ther there t Barney said I after alter thought ht I Was SS as bad B me 7 Brenda Brenda Bren Bren- da asked I an anxiously M p Carling old Hend Bendy BenJy I Guy thought lid had hall had hadRO RO so much anxiety l Iii lie M twenty Ight years rs t t U- U Oh kinder Was It was It-was was It Cliffs Cliff's fault It MIt was all nIl our faults I guess We did the drawings It seems Ton Tony volunteered that they wanted this marble slab to stand up op vertically as os It were and amI It was cut to lie He down sidewise sidewise sidewise side- side wise and they said they'd have to take out a piece of wall In the basement Who said so Barney asked In Inthe Inthe inthe the explosive Incredulous manner he hc had hind used before Well that was It That was the trouble Except for repeating under his bren breath th Cliffords Clifford's own expletive Barney made no c comment on this There was silence again See Bellamy Bellamy Bel Bel- lamy on the Journal Tony he asked Yes I did This morning NothIng Nothing Noth Noth- ing lag came of oC It It ItHal TIn Ha Hal I Barney ejaculated and at nt athis athis his tone she felt her cheeks s flush In the shadows It was as If Ie Barne Barney Barney Bar Bar- ne ney felt himself personally charged with the thc business of oc getting Tony Taft TaCt who had lost so many Jobs In the past few years still another What was It that your Aunt Sally ha had in mind She wasn't at nt home when I telephoned telephoned tel tel- so I dont don't know Tony Ton said untruthfully It was none of or his business whether she was workIng workIng work- work Ing lag or I le 1 Miss Grace In our office Is goIng going goto go- go Ing to marr marry Jay 1 Barne Barney Barney Bar Bar- ne ney said after aeter a n moment moment not such a smart girl but we all feel Ceel badly to have her go For Forone Forone Forone one thing she's always s 's on time The voice olce that he had been tr tryIng try try- Ing lag to keep very casual over o his pipe took tool on a slightly sententious note I think that's darned darne Important Important Important Im Im- Im- Im he hc went v on Being on time dependable And then she's a n smartly dressed girl neat Men Ien like women In offices to be neat- neat look nice Then Thea another thing you jOU never hear her Quiet All the girls like her but theres there's none of or this giggling and whispering whispering- I 11 loathe you you smug pig Tony said pleasantly In her heart as he paused Who are you to rub rubIt It Into me that I dont don't get to the office office of of- fice on time and that my clothes are shabby I loathe and ond despise you smoking there and ond feeling so f cure fure re of oC yourself and If It you had hafl forty Corty thousand a n week I wouldn't marry you under chloroform Aloud she said nothing and ond the rain began to spatter and whisper In the dark again Barney said for tor forthe forthe the third time Gosh Ive I've got ot to togo togo togo go and this time did go with a n little doorway murmuring to Brenda Brenda Brenda Bren Bren- da and ond a casual Night Tony I Ito to the younger girl After Arter a n while Brenda said Feel awfully had bad about that Journal Journal Journal Jour Jour- nal Job Ton Tony No Tony Tonj answered readily but butIn butIn butin In a tone a-tone tone so low that the other girl knew she was holding It stead steady Not so much about that But But ut- oh I dont don't know the whole thIn thing Other persons get Into the work they like llIe and get paid for It and make good I seem to have to todo todo todo do er c everything I hate hate bookkeeping bookkeeping Jobs In stores companion to craz crazy old ladles ladies In love with their chauffeurs chauffeurs chauffeurs feurs teaching In private schools that go o bust owing me a n hundred and twenty dollars I It would seem that I cant can't do what I want ant to do and I hate to do o what I I- I She laughed presently resuming on a n aless aless less Impatient note I hate to do what I have hare to do she said mild mUd ly Iy I r hate bate office work Bendy Dendy If It It were the stage or n a newspaper spa non per or pr doing anything In the morles movIes movies mor- mor ies les Id I'd work like a do dog But Just to go downtown tomorrow and get geta a Job taking letters from young pipsqueaks pip pipsqueaks squeaks who haven't bavent the remotest Idea what they're talking about and han hang my coat In n a locker and go to a cafeteria for Cor lunch lunch and and go o on with It Brenda for three years and five firc years and ten and twenty twenty- It scares me 1 never drudge along In an nn office for twenty years jears or for tor five 1 Brenda predicted In a a. troubled voice olce You hn e hard havel I Tony thought Aloud she said nothing marry Brenda said Tony could feel her cheeks flush resentfully Maybe Barney Barney- Brenda went on boldly I Y dont don't think it It'll bo be Barney Tony answered moderately I r wish site she went on her tone warmIng warmIng warm- warm Ing lag I el wish you could have heard the nice little sermon he was Just preaching to me I Barneys Barney's so outrageously outrageously outrageously out out- stuck on himself 1 I Tony lony Interpolated resentfully about being on time at nt tho the office and dressing smartly t He lie didn't 1 He Be did There was a n silence It only means that hes he's In love lo with you jou ou Hes libs In love lo loewith with Barney Kerr that's who hes he's In love with 1 I INo 0 No honestly Tony lony Barne Barney isn't so conceited I But he likes you ou so much that he lie worries about you you you- ou honestly that's ts t's I It to Any man can cnn ask any girl Irl Tony observed after neter thought lIes Hes never said anything Not on a hundred and firt fifty a month with a n mother like his Ills Hes really In love lore with the whole family and I dont don't bIn blame me him when you JOU look at the family hes he's got goot Tony said Hes lies lonely and he likes our food and he can talk about oil circuit breakers and top pole-top whatnots with ClI Cliff and that's nil all there Is to It It Tony Brenda be began an as ns Tony fell silent would you jOU like him to toas as ask you ou to marry him Yes Ton Tony answered without hesitation so that I could refuse him bun 1 i Brenda laughed Hes lIes too smart to risk that she said In MIn some ways hes he's much wiser than Cliff But anyone see see- In lug the thc way he watches you Ton Tony and worries about your our affairs and well well even en In n this giving advice this evening anyone can see that hes he's thinking of you ou all the time And I know this Bren Brenda a went on seriously I 1 know enough of human human human hu hu- man nature to know that the minute min min- minute ute a n man like UIe that marries n a woman she she she-she she becomes sacred You'd be completely spoiled spoiled every every everything thing you did would be wonderful wonder wonder- ful would ful-would would be perfect to Barney 1 And If IC you ou ever hind had n a child said Hren Brenda n well I can Imagine the St. St Joseph airs that Barney would put on 1 Nobody could stand him 1 Tony laughed not displeased with the turn the conversation had hall taken talen She knew that It was true J l A i 1 t I rh 5 1 w w Marry Brenda Said Barney did take himself and his profession proCession seriously but he took his relationship to Tony Tonj seriously too I could marry Barney she said thoughtfully reluctantly But It would Just be a n marriage marriage marriage mar mar- Brenda she burst out af after after ic- ic ter a n pause It would just be oh be-oh oh a n little apartment somewhere and being nice to Mrs Kerr and onel agreeing agreeing agree ogree- ing with her that there never was wasa wasn a n son like Barne Barney But why wiry should you ou want me meto meto meto to get married Ben Bendy Beady I want you OU to be happy happ I woul wouldn't nt be And Anil once youre you're married you cant can't get out I daresay Its It's quite different though once youre you're In Tony was silent But wh why not Barney The older older older old old- er sister persisted lightly Cliff loves loes him we all do Weve We've known him all our lives In the first place he Isn't In love with me Tony said In the second second sec sec- ond Tin rig not In the least In love loc with him and I never could be And at that she added honestly I think he lie wants me mc has It In his mind anyway way that we wc will marry some day ay and I believe belle I could marry him an and make malc him a darned good wife I But theres there's no no flame to that Brenda Tony finished fin finished In a n low tone Theres no glory If I were successful at nt something something something-as as a n head nurse or a n reporter or a n photographer mor or a n lecturer lt It it'd l be different Id I'd marry marry with with with-with with st style le then Id I'd feel that Id I'd been a success at one thing and would be at nt another nother But If it I 1 married Barney now It'd i bo be a n har bar harbor bor bor and and hed he'd know It It'd be Just just just-just Just taking care of poor wll wild Tony who tried for the stage and the newspapers and was fired and snubbed all aU round and who finally realized reaUze l that a n womans woman's truest role Is that of a wife and mother mother- She stopped her voice thickening It Is the happiest life Brenda Drenda offered In n a n slow voice with notes of ot pain In it It If IC you love a n man that Is is she added Ah but you ou see I dont Tony said I know the real thing when I 1 meet It t In that newspaper office of ot- fice flee today today down down lown at nt the Journal rooms I mean I met a n man man man- She stopped Presently she resumed resumed resumed re re- re- re o again aln a n little shamefacedly Youa think Im I'm nn an absolute fool If I say that something something something-something something flashed between us between us-between between this Mr B Bellamy upon whom Id I'd never nc set eyes In my life before and me that that was nearer nearer love nearer love than anything Barneys Barney's ever made mare me feel lIe He had only to look at nt atme atme me to make me feel silly and cold and shuddery you know that wonderful wonderful won won- wonderful feeling that youre you're going all al alto to pieces antI and dont don't care caie 1 I dont don't know said Brenda laughing In sud sudden en relief reller and J 1 do think youre you're sill silly Idiotic It If you yon ask me What do you know of this man month Nothing I admitted Ton Tony laughIng laughing laugh laugh- In Ing too Except that hes he's somewhere somewhere some where around thirty and married mar mar- rigid ried Married 1 n ed Yes of oC course he course he would be But that Isn't love Tony Well WeH maybe mabe It Isn't But Its It's something something something-something something a girl wants to have hare before she gives In Brenda Bren Bren- da da Antoinette Taft l I lI II I know I know how It sounds I II I admit that Its It's supremely silly 1 I Ionly Ionly Ionly only used It n-g n as an nn Illustration illustration- What on earth earth I I She said the thelast thelast thelast last words on an nn odd note of oC Crl fright ht For the telephone was shrilly ringing ring ring- ing She ran ron out In the narrow hall Brenda's face was a n study In varied va va- led ried emotions as ns she listened d to the conversation that was by turns turns turns' puzzled n awed excited rapturous Oh Bendy Bend Bendy gasped Tony rushing back to fall faU at nt her sisters |