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Show - NEW NEIGHBORS CORNER By Richard H. Wilkinson ml THE Whitney's living room faced on a court. Across the court were the windows of another apartment. apart-ment. Occasionally Paul Whitney, relaxed on his couch, could see people moving around there. After a day or two he decided that the occupants were a I young, childless 3- Minute couple who spent Cinllnn a eood deal 01 FlCtl0n time at home. 1 ; "I'd like to get to know them," Paul confided to his wife. Mrs. Whitney sighed. "I would, too. We've been here a month now and haven't met a soul. Do you suppose sup-pose I ought to go over and call?" Paul shook his head doubtfully. "I wouldn't not without some good excuse. You know how apartment dwellers are. They might think we were imposing." He glanced across the court. "They have a much better bet-ter apartment than ours." "Better?" "Why, it's obviously their living room we can look into and, if you'll notice, there are windows on both sides." Mrs. Whitney followed her husband's gaze. Without effort she could look Into their neighbors' neigh-bors' living room and see the window on the wall opposite. "That's so," she admitted. Mrs. Whitney went into the kitchen kitch-en and Paul rose and strolled idly toward the window of his own living liv-ing room. On the chance of being observed, he pretended to examine a potted plant on the sill. Surreptitiously he glanced across the court, and was shocked to see the head and shoulders of a man framed in the window on the far side of their neighbors' living room. He called his wife, and, standing well back so as not to be observed, they peered across the court. But "You're positive you saw someone?" Mrs. Whitney asked. the figure in the window on the far side and vanished. "You're positive you saw someone?" some-one?" Mrs. Whitney asked. "Positive!" Paul affirmed. "Ought we to notify the police?" "I wouldn't. Whoever it is is gone, and perhaps the police wouldn't believe us. We'd appear ridiculous." TWO evenings later Paul again saw the peeping Tom. He was standing in the same position, and sight of the man at the window of their neighbor's apartment gave him the same unexpected shock. "I'm going to do something about it. Sooner or later the chap will conjure enough courage to break his way in," Paul said. "Let's go over there and warn the people, tell them what we saw and then let them do as they like about it." She hesitated. "Perhaps we can strike up an acquaintance." ipHEY CROSSED to the neighbor- ing apartment and knocked. A pleasant-faced woman opened the door. "Are you Mrs. Phelps?" Mrs. Whitney asked. The woman nodded and Mrs. Whitney said: "We're Mr. and Mrs. Whitney from across the court. We " "Come right in! Frank and I were thinking of calling on you." The Whitneys entered and were greeted cordially . by Mr. Phelps. "I'm afraid," said Paul, "that we came on rather an unpleasant mission." mis-sion." And he explained what they had seen. Mr. Phelps looked puzzled. "There's something wrong here. Would you mind stepping Into the living room?" They followed fol-lowed him In and he pointed toward the. far wall. "You see we have no windows on that wall. He broke off as Mrs. Whitney gasped. "Why, it wasn't a window at all! It was that mirror! You see, it hangs where, a window might be, and faces our apartment. Paul Whitney, it was your own reflection you saw! Standing near the flower pot, you saw yourself in the mirror, and it appeared that some one else was peering in at the Phelpses!" Paul's jaw dropped. He swallowed, swal-lowed, grinned and looked sheepish. But the Phelpses thought it was a grand joke, and urged their new neighbors to spend the evening. |