Show Rill By Maud 1 McCurdy 1 Weld Welch KNEW that Hawkeye the JEAN store detective was keeping his eyes on Jimmy and she couldn't help feeling worried Jean and Jimmy were engaged They were going to be married as soon as Jimmy got a raise They both worked In the Mammoth Store and were were saving everything they could to buy furniture for their future futuro home Hawkeye was exactly like the detectives detectives detectives de de- de- de made famous by the movies Hard gimlet eyes black cigars derby tilted on his head It was his boast that nobody ever got by with stealing In this store It n was this boast that had given him the nickname of Hawkeye But why oh why should should- he suspect suspect suspect sus sus- Jimmy of at doing anything wrong It was t true tue ue his salary was small but he would be promoted soon toon Jean was sure of that Jean had had a wistful hope that they might have a Christmas wedding wedding wed wed- ding but Jimmys Jimmy's raise hadn't come come through In the meantime they were carefully budgeting their combined salaries and had bought an expensive piece of electrical I equipment for their home That had been a thrill When they were married Jimmy was determined that Jean shouldn't rye r 1 Old Hawkeye had seen her hand Jimm Jimmy a long flat package package package pack pack- age one day work Jimmy himself had been brought up in a wonderful home with many advantages but it had all been lost Jean had come up the hard way Shed She'd been orphaned an and an had gone to work at fifteen But they were getting along fine now and had wonderful hopes of soon really belonging to each other Jimmys Jimmy's salary as head of ot the notion department in the basement basement basement base base- ment wasn't large but Jean knew hed he'd get a better one soon Business was brisk and steady since it was now the week before Christmas Da Day Jean and Jimmy walked home together when the store closed as they usually did almost too tired for a movie or a walk along the river They didn't allow themselves many pleasures and sometimes were so tired they just said goodnight at the thc door of Jeans Jean's rooming house Jimmy lived a number of blocks further down the street But they'd always have a little time together when the store closed Once every week Jean would say Did you bring your bundle And Jimmy would say he simply But Jean would laugh at him Wm teasingly Honestly Jimmy I want to do it for you and at last hed he'd give in EAN HADN'T the slightest Idea JEAN that old Hawkeye had seen her hand Jimmy a long flat package one day when hed he'd been working late In the stock Shed She'd done this before since it was the most convenient way way- And Hawkeye was always snooping around Hed He'd even overheard Jean and Jimmy talking one ona day Jean was saying You must bring the things to me Its It's helping us to get ahead And nobody nobody nobody no no- body will ever know Jimmy had said But honey I. I Its It's not right Jean had laughed I only do it because I love you You know that Jimmys Jimmy's voice was husky with love Youre so sweet Jean I believe you'd do anything for me And all the time Hawkeye was keeping his g gimlet 1 e t eyes on Jimmy But Jean knew he hadn't done anything wrong And then the next time Jean handed Jimmy the long flattish package Jimmy was working late that night again they both felt felta a heavy hand on their shoulders Hawkeye said You two kids come with me He took them to Mr Purvis the store owner Its a clean case boss Hawkeye opened the pack pack- age ago Ha shirts Just what I tl thought ought She steals them for lor him Mr Purvis said tiredly hot ot new They're freshly laun laun- dered Jimmys Jimmy's face was crimson but but Jean said proudly Were engaged Mr Purvis and Jimmy has hos to have so many clean shirts Its It's so dusty In the basement so I launder them for lor him Weil Well it was a clean Jean case at that and what was more Jimmy received h his s promotion right then and there and Mr Purvis gave them three days off oU so they had a Christmas wedding after all I |