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Show r JJr ' ' By JOSEPH Me CORP - " -wm As soon as Vince left the room, Larry said soberly to Jacqueline: "I'm not going to interfere with things too much. But as soon as you shake that job of yours . . . next week, to be exact . . . you're going to start being Mrs. Larrimore H. Cutter in the right fashion. Until Un-til we know about this Jacobs affair, af-fair, we'll find a furnished apartment apart-ment for the time being. Why don't you begin now by putting on your ring? It will save announcements." Jack's eyes twinkled wickedly. "I haven't got it." "Where is it?" "Down in the Second National Bank." "Of all things! Saving it for evidence, evi-dence, were you?" "Exactly. It's in my hopeless chest along with the contract, our marriage certificate and some beautiful beau-tiful but worthless stock certificates." certifi-cates." "Tear 'em all up . . . except the ring and the wedding document. The one the clerk wrote . . . not mine." "Larry . . . I'll have to tell you something. I almost forgot. It's about those stock certificates. I bought them at Mr. Jacobs' urging. They were to make me rich." "WhatI" Larry almost shouted. "Do you mean to tell me that old curmudgeon got Into you! Now I do have it in for him! For how much did he nick you?" "For about all I had . . ." "I'll take it out of his hide," Larry promised. "Don't worry." "But, Larry . . ." "Don't go standing up for him. He isn't worth any pity." "But, don't you see? I never thought of it myself . . ." Jacqueline Jacque-line appeared somewhat panic-stricken. panic-stricken. "If it hadn't been for Mr. Jacobs , . ." Comprehension dawned in Larry's dark eyes. "Ah, I see! You were broke. All through the evil advice of the old villain in the piece. Own up, now! That's why you took me on, wasn't it?" Jacqueline's cheeks flamed. She had intended to tell Larry all about . . . everything. But to hear it stated in that bald fashion was almost al-most too much. Her head came up gallantly. "It had something to do with it, Larry." "Darling! As if it made any difference! dif-ference! I told you that fate was in it all. I believe it more than ever now." "Larry . . ." She came close to him. "Are you really happy? Do yqu truly love me?" "On my sacred honor,- Mrs. Cutter. Cut-ter. Shall I demonstrate?" "No! Just wait a minute until I wash my face. We're late now!" CHAPTER XVI Announcing her intention of leaving leav-ing the Raynear proved to be a more difficult task than Jacqueline anticipated. She would miss her little lit-tle office, miss the pleasant acquaintances, acquaint-ances, the activity of the lobby. Fortunately, she knew a competent stenographer who would like her job. She would recommend the girl to Mr. Potter. That might make him more willing to let her go. Otherwise, Other-wise, it would be just like Larry to take matters into his own hands. Archibald Potter was genuinely amazed when Jacqueline walked into his office and explained that she must leave the first of the week. Archibald elevated his brows quizzically. quiz-zically. "You are extremely fortunate. fortu-nate. Miss Anthony, that your investments in-vestments are allowing you to retire re-tire so early. We shall miss you greatly." "Oh, it isn't that ..." She broke off in rosy confusion. "No?" Archibald queried. His fingers fin-gers played with the carnation in his buttonhole. "When is the wedding?" wed-ding?" Jacqueline surrendered with a laugh. "I can't tell you the date," she evaded. "It's a secret. But I'd rather no one knew . . . Do you mind?" "You can trust me. But you must let me wish you and the fortunate voung rhan every happiness." "Thank you." That much was settled. The main thing was to keep the Raynear staff, particularly Virgie Blake, in darkness dark-ness as to the resignation. Larry's shoulder was doing nicely now. He was very busy, spending much time in conference with his lawyers. He had little to say about the progress they were making, only that "tilings were moving along." That was his excuse for turning the house hunting over to his wife. Larry Lar-ry proposed that she select a furnished fur-nished apartment for the time being. be-ing. He didn't care where it was. so long as it was roomy and "nice." Quite to her consternation, he took her to his own bank and introduced her to a teller. She was given a small check book and a deposit book A'hich indicated that Mrs. Jacqueline Cutter's account was in the amount Df tfn thousand dollars. "Thought you could get away with it, didn't you?" Larry jibed. "Try to grt any of this," she retorted re-torted saucily. Jacqueline finally selected an apartment with five rooms in a new and lofty building not far from Courtland street She was quite overawed with its seeming magnifi- ; cence and rather fearful when she took her husband to inspect it on rvenina. 1 "Not very big," was his comment, "but it'll do, if it suits you. I want to get away from the hotel." "Don't you like it any more?" she asked demurely. "No. It gives me the willies every ev-ery time I pass through the lobby and see that other dame in your little office. Makes me feel like throwing her out And your cigar peddling friend was asking me about you yesterday. She seems all broken up because you disappeared without saying good-by." "Poor Virgie. I must run in and say hello to her. You didn't explain?" ex-plain?" "Who? Me? I told her I had been on the point of asking the management manage-ment where you were. She gave me a dirty look for that . . . thinking think-ing of Alma, my blonde, of course." "Are you sure you weren't?" "No. I was thinking of my wife. You haven't so much to move, have you?" "Just my clothes . . . and a few other things." "Send them over in the morning. Tomorrow night the Cutters will be In their own home. Please . Jack?" "Yes ..." The first Sunday afternoon in the new home took the nature of a housewarming, with Vince as guest "When is the wedding?" of honor. He had driven down from the Brown farm for the occasion. After dinner the three sat in the living room. Vince brought up the topic of Martin Mar-tin Jacobs. He was curious to learn the latest developments. "We're getting some place, now," Larry admitted. "After the law firm of Hicks and Hicks got through outlining out-lining things to the old gentleman he was more than willing to play.. Any pay. Of course, you never can tell what will happen when a thing like that drags through the courts, but Jacobs is anxious to settle outside. out-side. I think that's the way it will end." ' "Did he own up to anything?" Vince wanted to know. "He didn't have a chance. We pinned it on him. He's a game loser, los-er, but he's definitely afraid of an , investigation . . . about my dad's finish. Old Hicks advised me' yesterday yes-terday to let Jacobs off with a financial finan-cial settlement . . . take him to the cleaner's." "I'd rather it was that way," Jacqueline Jac-queline decided. "I can't help feeling feel-ing sorry for Mr. Jacobs." "And another thing," Larry went on. "The business won't tie me up here. I'm thinking of a vacation. A few weeks loafing in Hawaii won't go bad, about now. What do you say, Jack?" "Larry!" Jacqueline sat bolt up right her eyes shining. "Am Ingoing Ingo-ing to cross the ocean! Am I!" "Unless you can think of some other place for a honeymoon. We haven't had one yet, you know." "I can hardly believe it," he breathed. "It's too wonderful!" "And, after we come back, I think we'll find ourselves owning old Fair-lawn. Fair-lawn. I've always dreamed of living liv-ing there again . . . and now, I'll have someone to share it with me. One bad memory won't spoil it for you, will it, dear?" "Oh, I'd love it, Larry. I've wanted want-ed to live there ever since I saw it that first time in the moonlight I was planting roses around those old pillars when that man scared me." "Then we'll have roses," Larry declared. "Vince, you'd better plan to voyage with us. How about it?" Vince wriggled uncomfortably In his chair. "No ... I guess not. Thank you, just the same." "Too busy on the invention? Heard anything?" "Yes . . ." Vince cleared his throat "Hate to tell you, Larry . . . but somebody else beat me to that thing . . . five years ago." Larry threw his head back and laughed. "Excuse me, Vince," he apologized. "That sounded so tragic. trag-ic. You'll have to come along now, while you're thinking up another." Vince shifted his position again. "No. I think I'm through inventing invent-ing . . . I've always wanted to take up farming. I guess, maybe, I will." "Thinking of buying a farm? That's fine." "Well ... not exactly. You see, I . . ." "It's Mother Brown, eh?" "Well ..." "Jack," Larry said with a grin, "Vince and Mrs. Brown have been carrying on a shameless romance ever since I sent him up there from the hospital. That's what he's trying try-ing to tell you." "Oh, Vince!" "Well, maybe ..." Jacqueline flew to her father's side and flung her arms about him. "I think that's wonderful! Please . . . please, be very happy!" "Sure, sure . . . and I think I'd better be starting back." "Car all right, Vince?" Larry inquired. in-quired. "Why, yes." "Then you'd better keep it. You'll need it. We'll pick up another one when we get back." "Thanks!" After Vince went, Larry laid more wood on the fire, then drew Jacqueline Jac-queline back to a seat on the couch. They sat for a time, gazing into the flames, busied with their thoughts. Presently, Larry lilted his wife's left hand to the light "That ring gives me a lot of satisfaction, sat-isfaction, Mrs. Cutter. Now I know I'm not dreaming." "Are you sure?" "Positive. Did you do what I told you with that contract?" "No, Mr. Cutter. It's in my dressing dress-ing table." "Get it, will you?" When she complied, Larry studied it thoughtfully in the flickering light. You must have thought me mad, didn't you, Jack?" "No. Wonderful!" She leaned closer to look at the paper. "Do you remember how you made the dotted line with' your pen so I could sign, too?" "Yes, you blessed little trump!" He held the paper aloft, grasping two corners between thumbs and forefingers. "Here she goes, Mrs. Cutter. Okay?" "Okay, darling." The sound of paper. Torn. THE END |