Show A ae L L T T D U R d e RAY MY WIT uLl Li ley carr 1 rr CHAPTER I 1 at nine in the morning morn liiK punctual to the second flodde biodle fisher unlocked the door marked liall hall boni itono stelle photographer and walked into the office the large light room was vacant shook her head in sorrowful disappointment at her employers tardiness and shrugged her shoulders oh dearl she muttered impatiently just aliat hat I 1 expected then with d i shake of her head as one who says it must be done she walked in and listened outside hall Donis telles bedroom door for a moment she stood poised awkwardly graceful or rather gracefully awkward perhaps so quaint so BO original was her attitude she knocked with firmness the summons was peremptory emp tory yet it had bad the secret indulgence of a doting mother tor for her only child the only answer was EL a not unmusical baritone growl she banged on the door again this time she really meant it mr air donl doni you must get up immediately come on bowl A wait then the unwilling reply all right flodie walked back to the office frowning and sat down at her desk A leaf from the calendar pad was ripped off ft the desk top was dusted with ath a cloth 1 then she stopped sud suddenly dehly the elevator door had banged 0 almost immediately there entered to her the sad young janitor mr air al 41 fre red d smallish lie gave gao a pathetic hopeless lio look at flodde and hung at anchor in the doorway meekly Af morning orning fisher he be said and grinned flodde gave gae a glanco at him casual ly then gazed with more mora interest pale blue eyes a largo roman nose wide open ears and a quivering mouth had alfred ills his chin was that of a lizard sloping back bach weakly to a prominent adams apple she fumbled over the photographs on the table behind her alfred she said asid in the voice of a school maam did you see a picture of me I 1 had here on the table the other day ile he turned fire red you you want that picture did you sou miss fish era er ilia his eyes implored her wildly almly vainly well ill bring it back it if you say so only I 1 thought maybe well alfred smallish I 1 like that flodie ejaculated oh miss bliss fisher you 5 ou see we well I 1 quite date dare to ask you and well you sou know I 1 thought its just grand of you miss bliss fisher I 1 id think the world of it and you possibly enough alfred I 1 dont dare to discuss IL it you just walk that picture back immediately lp Fl Flod odies leB voice was sharp but well flodie help pitying him she weakened ened perhaps ill give ghe you one sometime ill see mr smallish beamed with pleasure but ho be had a talent tor for blunders some folks think you was v as pretty miss aliss fisher but I 1 think flodde whipped out her watch gracious sakes she cried wh heres eTeS mr eggs ill go down and see if ready miss bliss fisher lie ile turned heavily well ilmy up then I 1 if his breakfast here when he cornea comes hes liable to eat the tablecloth able cloth and go right back to bed quick newt yeam Yes Ye Bm ml mr air smallish left in dejection jec tion fiddle walked swiftly into the studio and knockom again at her employers pl door air are you ready for breakfast she called Flodd iea les tone had bad changed decided us ns it wis it had bad softened it was al most musical her face had changed also she stood its as if awaiting a vision footsteps were heard in halls bed room now there are two kinds of men those these who are shocked even unto mortification by being discovered in the act of slin shaving ving and those who take a malicious delight in their outrageous condition hall Uon latelle opened the door and protruded ills his be lathered face shamelessly grinning even disheveled as lie he was at present scandalously tousled and ie be daubed with soapsuds his smile was disarming Flod les adoration of him though of tile ho mat maternal matern ernol nl order dio did not lessen lessel her bar firmness io do you realize how much youve got to do today air uon bon Is lello nothing to do but work he be chanted gaily you have an appointment at ten and you know how you at ways ya poke over that old breakfast speaking of which wherefore not here lie ho joyously chucked her under the chin flodie loved it but dared not allow abow be here by the lie time youre th to be seen you wash that face or youra your and hurry up with it you big baby you ive got too much to do myself to talk to you all right oil oh fair assistant I 1 must halt hall disappeared ao fl aidle dle earshil mar shil back to tho the office opening the letter box boi on tile the door she took out a dozen or so envelopes one set she aha inspected critically they were all in feminine handwriting and then rather unwillingly laid them aside the tha others she torn tore briskly open each received a keen heen shrewd look they were lied filed or thrown away little and whimsical ind and odd flo dies appearance had something of tile the humor of 0 a puppy the sad aad wisdom of a monkey the combination made her face pathetic crinkly colorless hair and hazel eyes had floal iler her line fine regular teeth were her best asset and when she smiled her main relief from plainness from tier her costume abich was ARs careless to her gestures aich were queer flodde fisher was an original i sho she had charm and magnetism whether whet ber she made one laugh or weep eccentric little flodde was dist distinctly ITIC aly lovable mr S dh ali now Te reappeared appeared with a loaded brt br tray put him on that table in the lie studio flodde commanded have those giddy green garlands come for tonight she asked why yes yea thearn out in the hall miss fisher what time does the party begin onu ono minute past ten will there bo be many here miss 1158 fisher Fl shur oh I 1 dont know alfred about twenty enty I 1 suppose men ladles and women especially worriment wor women rient they dont usually refuse mr air Bonis telles studio invitations I 1 noricel therell be too many anyway there wont be lair halt or of em cm conic come till the theaters are over though weve invited a squad quad of actresses alfred stopped his arms loaded with garlands what real ones no liala ripe I 1 guess not nearly so BO copil as tho the other women omen ft holl be liere here anyway there are more good actresses oft off the stage that than on alfred be good as a play for me alfred gazed from the threshold ills his ahlm say miss fisher are you going to bo be dressed up like you was the last time she dropped a fantastic courtesy precisely the same alfred our good old friend crepe do china now you gallop along with those evergreens ever greens before your eyes drop out mr smallish I 1 alfred left with the love light flodde went into tile the studio and pounded at tho the chamber door again mr air cuiry up your pounded at the chamber door again breakfast Is awfully impatient come alongi along that old conee coffee Is swearing already V hall opened the door grinning and I 1 suppose those eggs are feeling rotten about it he be offered jaun jauntily flodia giggled delightedly and hovered over the table giving it a few final touches hall was vaa attired in a purple dressing gown too loo evidently the gift of 0 a loving tasteless female he showed himself now as really handsome even tu that cleft rhin which women seem to fancy and most right minded men inen to loathe on its his face was the touch of 0 humor carelessly joyous rather than intellectual and with his big artistic temperament it was cosy casy enough to account for ilia hla popularity with will women popularity that gave him a spoiled air was not offensive and enabled him to do much forbidden to other men always excepting poor flodde who hugged huget t a precious secret sec ret to tier her breast women it might bo be added liked rather than loved him the obvious proof might light llo lie in tile the fact that at twenty seven halt hall had not yet been entangled in a serious affair of the heart ile he considered that ho he knew too much about women to be seduced from lin big amus ing occupation of merely yli them As to that it 1 ono one had aked dodl she would have smiled and a nd changed the subject least of all perhaps it 11 the truth were told did he bo know the fond adorer who had bad voluntarily made herself his slave ile he saw baw mud aud took advantage of hur her cleverness and zeal dier ier attractive oddity refreshed him but to tier her deep seriousness and tile the reser reserves es of tier her temperament ho he was totally y blind flodde sat watching ills his long slender hands engaged gracefully with fork and spoon dut but much as she loved to watch him tier hir conscience made her too uncomfortable reluctantly autly she wit withdrew h drew tier her eager eyes well she sighed now for or business she read aloud from the book at ten tell mrs rena llena royalton Hoy atton site she looked up ano am you wont be halt ready ill have to entertain her and you know how bok I 1 hate bate that woman can call you name one woman flodde fisher whom yuu you do not hate no I 1 cant all 11 cats cats and rats and liens hens and snakes and parrots dut lie reason for keeping them waiting flodde ran tier her finger down the page lets see ten thirty bli bliss dallys oil oh no I 1 forgot you took tier her yesterday Ca certain a ine fine girl hall murmured dreamily lighting a cigarette and watching his bis assistant amusedly carolyn flodde fairly spit it out since lio bow long ever since I 1 neglected to pay my dinner call on geee her flodde I 1 had to do something to soothe her ruffled feelings so I 1 began to call tier her carolyn the inevitable result bios invited mo me for next wednesday again people always alwais avite you ou again it you are rude enough flodde 11 you must hav been pretty rude to mrs Royal royalty Roy altu toti then ly by the way she runs after aften youl you why she fairly clucks like a hent hen oh mrs airs royalton ali ah there I 1 have another method 1 ashes one oa 0 those women iou all carit cant possibly insult hall smiled with superiority renas got to the age you ou know nov when she prefers to be fl haltered at tere d dont all women like it flodde de demanded 1 not youre too young flodde you w want ant compliments hall was atrium it depends upon how you do it you ou know rena wants it laid on oil thick A woman demand subtlety flodde after she gets to the thirty se thirty fivel five mrs royalton is thirty eight it if ashes a dayl day by tho the way how old arc you flodie I 1 forget me ale why im only twenty onel one hall laughed plus ilus five fie makes twenty six im not she protested but it was no use ile he laughed at her till she flushed red and sought refuge in fit a bundle of bills theres a please re from the photo supply company she announced looking up what shall I 1 do oh answer necessity forbids forbid st liall hall shrugged his shoulders why mr air dont you realize that weve simply got to pay that bill pretty prett soon or they wont send us any more stuff oh its all very well for you ou to sit there here in a red silk dressing gown and laugh and make aristocratic jokes hut but I 1 have to take all the kicks and stand off the col lectors electors lec tors I 1 hall applauded gracefully say flodde youve buo ouo got your our war boots on oil today youl you the particular matter the mat matter terl flodie looked down on him as from a mountain wheres the re rent lit coming coining from id like to know knowd out of your cigarette smoke yes you ou can smile and twist that silly billy mustache all you want but that wont pay for hipo do you imagine we can run this business on epigrams and funny gestures no sirl mr air flodia flodde shook his shoulder youve simply got to wake nuke up and make a whole load of money mones quick ile he rose and dawned yawned artistically lord I 1 know it think of a having to work for his livings that grotesque why tor for all I 1 know I 1 may be a millionaire this very minute fancy flodia flodde a millionaire say clolie grew serious when are they abe ever going to find out about that old will anyway 1 I wi wish a h to heaven I 1 knewl knew it if john 13 1 had been anyone alses uncle lie would have hae tiled filed ills his will with his attorneys and his nephew would be driving a sixty horsepower car by this time but being mine ot of course he has to tilde hide tho the confounded document where it wont be found till tile estate la is settled ive been on pins ping and needles ever since lie he died well of course hell leave you something get a booby consolation prize anyway lie he cant ut you out entirely ito UR HE continuum |