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Show (ICfrence Harris l-s J S JACK wired bridge lamps for S4 the salesroom below his mind was on other more personal matters mat-ters than wiring lamps for wholesale houses. Saidie, who made shades in another department for these same lamps, had refused to dance the New Year in with him. In fact this was the second time this holiday season she had refused to go to a dance with 1) i in. This time she had given no reason, rea-son, but had been so sweet about it Jack was more puzzled than if she had done it ungraciously. Saidie wall her dark eyes, and gold- en curls that no hob on earth could ."I -' iy 1 1 make lie down in any sort of respectable re-spectable fashion, looked anything but the industrious industri-ous livtle worker I she had proved to be. No girl in the department colli d begin to make j shades as fast or ' as beautiful as Saidie. No o:e , got checks anywhere any-where near th" size of Saitlle'S at the end of the week; yet, while the other girls I envied her skill, they all liked her, j too so did every one for that mat- I ter. Jack would have adored her if she hadn't been able to make but one shade a week. She had always been ready to laugh and joke and go to I parties with him until now. Still, i Tack reasoned, she was just the same as always about everything but the parties. The queer part of it was-, to Jack's thinking, that he had called on Saidie last night and her mother had said she was out on an errand, but she hadn't said where, neither had she asked him to come in and wait for her. They didn't usually treat him that way. Jack wasn't easily downed. He wouldn't let Saidie's refusal upset him so. He'd do something different from just going to an ordinary dance something he could tell Saidie about afterward. He decided to go to a gay cabaret where the wealthy people went, and there he'd watch the old year out. He could afford to spend what It would have cost him to take Saidie to the dance and he wouldn't have to spend so much all alone. It would be a new experience in his life of ordinary routine. He'd forget Sal-die Sal-die if he could. Jnck was quite thrilled with his idea. When night came, into the popular resort he sauntered and seated himself him-self in a far corner where he could watch the gay throng, unmolested. For some time Jack watched the festive fes-tive scene without signaling out individuals: indi-viduals: suddenly through the crowd he saw the golden curls of Saidie. Jack could scarcely helieve his eyes. Strang? thoughts flew through bis mind. This was why she was refusing re-fusing him com-i com-i n g here with some wealthy guy. It couldn't be possible. Jack told himself; yet, after all. it was Saidie. He could just see the top of her head, nowhere, now-here, now there. Tack wished he ladn't come. He felt it would he easier not to know it; then the crowd between them parted and mm (, 2; -'V "'' 5 he saw ifer distinctly as she came nearer, swaying gracefully in and out among the tables. A red lacquered lac-quered tray laden with bright-colored packages and gilt boxes swung from her white shoulders by red velvet ribbons, rib-bons, in keeping with the holiday season. sea-son. She opened her Hps and through shut teeth offered : "Cigarettes ! Cigarettes !" So close was she Jack reached out his hand and ea tight her, relieved that it wasn't a man that brought her there: withal startled at her self-imposed task after her hard day's work. Surprised. Saidie vvav.ered a moment, mo-ment, then stopped beside him. "What does it mean?" Jack demanded demand-ed suddenly, feeling he must protect her from herself. And Saidie whispered: "It's the tips I get that count. Jack, I've been doing it during the holi-. day season. A few more hours of thig holiday generosity and I'll have the fee for the specialist and little brother will be well. I thought you might not like if. I didn't want you to know until I was through. It'll soon he over now. You'll wait for me won't you?" She hastened on calling blithely: "Cigarettes ! Cigarettes !" "Wait for her?" Jack repeated softly to himself. "I'll say I will!" eO, 1!'-G, We.stein New-spa per Uniuii. ) |