Show 0 de 1 1 KATH KATHLEEN lEEN NO MORRIS S 4 S COPYRIGHT KATHLEEN NORRIS SERVICE CHAPTER XI XIV XIV Continued Continued V-Continued 11 11 Good Good by by Lurr Tony left lett the guise In a n dream and In a dream boarded a street car She went Into the apartment feeling broken In bod body and soul stretched herself on the sitting room couch and lay with her eyes ees closed too tired to speak or even cven to think In her cars ears there there echoed only one sound the sound of a mans man's voice voice voice-a a mans man's words Tony my darling m my darling darling- Brenda came In n from the kitchen with a cup of ot hot soup Stay right where you rou are and drink this Tony Jerked herself up to some tiling tiring nearer a sitting position r I 1 thought you and Cliff were going to dine with Mr Atwater I 1 am nm Im I'm all dressed but m raj my dress The Time home routine went on Hes ITe at the club hes he's at nt the club club club- Tonys Tony's thoughts ran What ex excuse excuse cuse have I for tor calling callini him there I could telephone and say I say I soul coull what earth could I sa say what say on sa say Her lier skin felt feit dry and her heart was was beating Irregularly She went wem Into Ioto her bel room got out of ot office i clothes A feverish restlessness wa wag wat I upon her bel she must hear Larrys Larry's I voice olce The telephone again Tony I had the receiver pressed to her bel ear before the bell fairly stopped ring- ring Ing It was Barney Kerr the world went dark ark and dull Tony slumped d to her chair Cliff said salil you'd oud had a bad smash this morning Then the whole tiresome tiresome tire tire- some story to go o over er again Listen If It I 1 come up up- I Isee Isee see aee you YOli a few minutes Come up to dinner Tony said languidly But Dut Its It's just Aunt Me Meg and me and were we're not having anything anything anything any any- thing exciting Barney sat opposite her as she lay stretched on the couch Its made mado me realize how much I think of or you Tony She opened tired eyes dark In her bel pale face I rather thought you did realize that Ah well Barney said In In a voice that w was ass s fairly reproachful you know how I r feel fecI Tony wits was silent After a while he n added ded lightly yet determinedly t Some day youre you're going to be real nice to me you ou know Tony Weil Well she said not hearing 1 his words healing hearing only onty something wearisome and distracting If It he would stop talking In that mealy kind lIri superior voice voice voice- The clock struck nine Barney ed edged ed his chair close to her couch Did It make malee you feel faint Giddy for a minute Against her Inner vision Islon she he saw again Larry's Larrys Lar Lar- r. r ry's rys brown coat and Its comforting shoulder white sky sley and brown grass gray ray crawling sea she heard that voice crying out to her bel Tony raj my darling m my darling darling- She came back to her senses and to the quiet living room Theres the telephone Shall I Ianswer answer It said Barney Darney If It you ou would Its It's probably for tor Cliff Barney Darney spoke next from the thc hall She says she didn't ring Oh Olt then I Its It's s 's th the door bell They Thes sound alike at night we dont don't know Why See who It Is will you The room turned over settled Tony felt her heart begin to pump steadily heavily lly she raised her blue eyes to the door It was Larry Lar- Lar ry Bellamy's voice In the hall balk His ills step His DIs smile lookin looking down at her Well all iVeli all knocked out eh eb Since Sincel I l' l found m my way here today tonight ht on my way home I thought l' l Id I'd look 1001 lookIn lookIn In and see how It was going Tony not rising stretched up a n abrown abrown brown hand There were introductions Then Larry sat down beside the lire fire nn and Barney Barne took tool th the other chair and ond the couch completed the fireside circle Tonys told you rou we had bad a n nast nasty spill this morning It inns was a close call The meanest I r ever had ImO I blame myself We were going at a pretty good clip We weren't going over forty Ore I should think Tony offered Th The two men talked together There was but one lighted lamp In Inthe inthe the tho room but the fire blazed up bravely Tony lay looking from one speaker to the other oilier she had lead little mOe littleto to sa say Her IIer eyes rove roved and always came Caine back to the brown earnest face of oC the man lUan who was sitting there talking to Barney ArIstocratic Aristocratic Aristocratic Aristo ArIsto- cratic and forceful that was Larrys Larry's face Tony Touy felt tha that t she could watch It H l forever fore and never tire of ot I Its ling Its expressions sud Bud j denly amused or suddenly serious Its kindly smile Brenda ren a and AlvIn and Cliff CUll came In while they were talking nn and they made mode the circle bigger Brenda Drenda was delighted to present Alvin In the soft lamplight an and firelight they oJ nil all talked together Cliffs Cliff's deep laugh rang out and amI Barney Darney grew animated ed and argumentative c presently Tony heard her aunts aunt's little dry double cough behind the closed bedroom bedroom bedroom bed bed- room door and held up a warning hand Yes I heard I It too Brenda Drenda murmured My Iy aunt aunt she explained explained ex ex- were keeping h her r awake Larry and Barney Darney nt at once got up to go B By the tho way Larry Lairy said In parting heres a bit of oC news that you can quote as much as us you ou like Oh dont don't 1 Tony begged flushIng flush- flush Ing Ing- all have haveit The TIle papers are going to it so dont don't worry Larry said I III Iam Iam am now the business nn and financIal editor of the Call Of the Call 1 1 I had dinner with Arnoldson Arnoldson Arnoldson Ar- Ar tonight We threshed It all alJ out he lie had his bIs lawyer there and I had lad mine and were we're s signed up I sent Ruth nuth a long wire We thought It t was the Examiner er ar r Bren Brenda n told him with her eyes eyes' shining No we couldn't come to terms Thanks to me Tony said suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly scarlet Larry looked at her speculatively Well ma maybe But anyhow this Is a much better thing for me Im I'm to be an nn associate editor and confer confer contel con con- fer tel with Arnoldson about pretty nearly everything So mademoiselle Ill I'll be seeing you In the cIt city room room one of these days I night Good boss Tony said meekly meekly Cliff ClifT walked down to the street with them Brenda Breuda and Tony had hardly heard Beard the closing of the hall ban door when they began hastily putting putting putting put put- ting the sitting room to rights making making mak make ing up CUlts Cliffs bed on the couch openIng openIng opening open- open Ing windows Tony are you dead dea Youve You've had hada a terrific day Starting from Santa Barbara this morning In the dark dark o No Tony said In a voice olce through which bells beUs rang I feel perfectly won wonderful l CHAPTER XV TIlE HE next day there was slon sign and excitement In the office of of- lice fice nobody could talk tan of or anything but the change nn and Tony received recci due respect as a n close friend of the new associate editor Is Ills he lie nice Mr 11 Bellamy Hes He's charming They say Danielsons Danielson's frantic Fitch doesn't look any too gay Mr Fitch whatever his feelings was not In evidence but Less Bess Cutter Cutter Cutter Cut Cut- ter was Fat and soft oft and pathetic with a lace hat and much too much i 1 i k kS S Mr Bell Bellamy lm 1 Hes He's Charming rouge accentuating the tile wrinkled bagginess of ot her face and the false gold of or her hair she went from desk to desk tr trIn trying In to seem a part of ot the city room again Did Ha Frank say any anything thIn about my doln doing some work for him next month Tony she presently asked No uNo he didn't Bess lie He lIe may have to Greeny I was going up to Tahoe But now Im I'm not and Id I'd have time for space and detail again Bess murmured murmured mur mur- I carelessly sl You ask Greeny Grcen I will you I surel surely will Or r I Tony heard bear her telling VInce I In Inn ina n a low v tone that she regretted the scene she had created In the office orfice of or- fice flee a few days before A had sent her down some grapa I from Sonora and like a fool tool she I had tal taken en some on that riot hot hot day Frank and I never ne sta stay mad mod very long were we're too old CrIen friends s I Bess snI said uneasily From her tone Tony knew that at all nIl events the they were not yet et reconciled after thElast the thelast thelast last sensational break brenk Mae Ethyl Muzzy was virtuously Indignant at nt Bessie's lack inch of ot pride In coming Into the office at all nIl My Iy gracious she whispered to Tony Hes Des done with her her I I mean she let herself In for It didn't she and and hes he's done with her and what of or It Mrs Fitch was saying on Saturday night night night- Oh you met Mrs Fitch try My Iy mother and I went over and had dinner with them on Saturday night nigh t. t Oh 1 He lIe wants me to do articles about all nil the c country clubs Mae went on It ought to be he quite n a feature I was Just ten telling Van nail and Joe Toe Burke about It and they sn say hell he'll help me do It They want to torun torun torun run my picture up at the top of or the article Marvelous Tony commented comment d. d In her soul she sal said Well If It It wouldn't make you ou sick I Aloud loud she asked What are you rou getting now Mae Fifty Tony raised l her eyebrows polItely politely politely po po- she herself herselt was getting thirty thirty thirty thir thir- ty dollars a week New associate editor Greeny Tony said smilingly as the city editor came up to her des desk Seems so Pip too from what I 1 hear Greeny Green said with a Jerk of his head toward Mr Arnoldson's ounce office upstairs Say Bessie Dessle I want to speak to you a minute be he added He lIe and the late editor of ot the Bessie Saw It column withdrew to a quiet corner of ot the office and Tony covert covertly y watching as they all were saw sa that whatever ho was saying angered and mortified his companion dangerously Tony come over oer here a min ute the I 1 t the 1 harassed Greeny presently presently pres pres- called Heres the thing he be explained In a confidential undertone under under- tone Bess here you here you know how we all feel about her her she's she's one of ofus ofus us she belongs here that's all an right But Frank Frank Franl Frank Fitch see see see-he's he's hes trying to land something some some- something thing good for her and he thinks he has landed something good for her and until he does he thinks It'd be smarter of her not to come comeIn In see You mean menn that Frank Fitch dont don't dare come In here while Im I'm here and for good reason Bessie Bessie Bes Bes- sie sic began ominously Well youre you're right Ive I've got ot something to t to say to Frank Fitch FItch- FItch Listen Bess Tony Interrupted Will you Just listen to me and then you can sa say anything you like Youre You're not going to get anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where with Frank Fitch this wa way You know that you only make him mad Now you clear out and some someday someday day this week 11 telephone you ou to come down n well we'll pick a n time when hes he's In a good humor wont won't we Greeny Bet Unet your life Greenwood said fervently For Bess Dess was obviously ob softening Encouraged Ton Tony recommenced recommenced recommenced with fresh zeal Yes but I cant can't walk out now Bess objected sullenly after a awhIle awhile awhile while the they all nn know I came c came rne down hero here to see Frank Well then Ill I'll tell teU you what vou You do lIo said the resourceful Tony Ton You and Greeny and I have been talking about new Sunday articles see Greeny you ou tell teU Hess Bess now so that they'll nil all hear henr that she go Into the Sun Sunday ay room with you and see Davids And Ill I'll tell em cm out here youve you've got ot a 8 anew anew new Idea to work up Good luck Bess Dess I she ended loudly going back to b her br r desk When they had gone she sat on working telephoning t thinking h i 1 n l k t i n g g. g These editorial pets who were spasmodically spasmodically spasmodically spas spas- featured for a column of ot this or that were a sorry crew Presently Mr Ir Arnoldson came In and with him very tall toll and square- square shouldered an and smiling his own characteristic smile was Larry The in editor Introduced him to Greeny the two men knew each other anyway and shook 1 hands heartily and then Green Greeny took him about the time office stopping at the desks or at the knots of ot men who gathered In his way Larry gave av Tony Pony a special smile Hello Tony he said Does It mean you'll see sec much of oC him Brenda Drenda asked that night Not necessarily His Ills office Is Is- upstairs and hell he'll be frightfully busy getting geWn to know the ropes Besides Besides Be TIe- sides Im I'm not really there much except except except ex ex- Thursdays a s 's Ton Tony answered Once he be was In the city office nn and nodded at her and amid once he was talkIng talking talk talk- In Ing hard with Mr Ir Arnoldson and some other man going oln down In the elevator when she got In find and then he lie naturally only lifted his hat with an nn abstracted smile of ot greeting That was all In the first two weeks of ot his tenancy of ot the Imposing upstairs upstairs up up- stairs office that had hIs bis name on the door Then Ihen one Wednesday afternoon she found n a note on her desk Just one of the usual carelessly care care- carelessly lessly pencIl penciled ell not notes s Ruth gets ets back today toda- wants you Jou to come up and dine with her tonight i It was dated Tuesday and signed L r 13 ii Tony twisted 11 It In her fingers for tor a moment and then telephoned to the time office of or the business business business busi busi- ness mann manager er to ask If Miss Taft could see tee Mr Ir Bellamy Yes Miss Taft was pleased to come right up Her heart henrt was beating hard as she went upstairs Ton Tony you look magnificent yourself yourself your your- self seU I 1 I II I am nm Brendy was married at noon today you know Sure enough I Ruth nuth wired I think But nut how v grand you look I II I am nm beautiful I think Tony said complacently Her Eler dark blue bluecoat bluecoat bluecoat coat was embellished b by an Immaculate immaculate and delicate frill of ot white gardenias were on her shoulder and andone andone andone one gardenia gardenIn was presse pressed n against time tIle brim of her dark darl dark blue blue hat Ive never ne been so grand crand rn she observed Den Bendy Beady d was lovely too and her papa beau-papa gave us a noon breakfast at the Fairmont Then Aunt Meg eg and Aunt Sally went off to weep together tog and the Atwaters got Into their Buick Bulck and started for Monterey Mon on- on terey and ond I came down to break the back of or my Thursday stuff and found this She displayed his note Im terribly sorry sorry Larry will you tell Ruth nuth I went home carl early yesterday on account of or wedding excitement and ond dl this until until until un un- un- un til just this minute Ill tell her and ond you telephone In the morning and cook up something something something some some- thing between you ou Larry glanced at a paper on his desk His tone was somehow horribly disappointing horribly hurtful Tony felt the chill chili of ot death at her heart That kind puzzled look look look- what's what's the the- matter mutter she faltered as ns he did not speak Is Ills an anything Larry asked But she sa saw the dull dun red come up under his skin and she heard the artificial note jn in the voice he tried to make simple and surprised Well Tony said thickly what Im I'm asking you Larry took off his glasses wiped them put them on again Then I say that nothing Is the matter he said and after |