Show amp 4 YIE FICTION coaver 4 KITTENS HAVE CLAWS w by FAITH r LLEN ELLEN f ss yOUVE got to go after them 1 1 doris said she sat on the upholstered holstered wall seat opened her bag took out her vanity case and her case the trouble with you youre mousy im what nan asked she sat on the stiff hard chair on the other side of the little table and took off her gloves they were white gloves rubbed shabby by repeated clean ings mousy said doris mousy girls never get anywhere remember I 1 what I 1 said that first day we saw aw ralph going up in the elevator you said theres the man im going to mariy marry unless hes got a wife and ten kids doris studied her reflection tn in the mirror of her vanity her hand i long crimson nails gleaming patted this j the c crisp r I 1 a p blonde waves beneath her week s small hat A large diamond on her finger best kindled to fiction green and orange flame under the J subdued lights of the dining room well be had a wife and one kid but I 1 did it I 1 do you suppose I 1 got him by sitting silting still and wishing for him no nan said 1 I used my head I 1 found out he worked tor for J B simpson I 1 made up to the simpson crowd when I 1 met them in the washroom and took to calling tor for that dumb egg of an adams girl for lunch I 1 got introduced to him 1 I remember nan said 1 I worked to get that man it if I 1 I 1 have an apartment on east sixtieth street and this set of summer furs that cost fifteen hundred dollars and in my Y own OAM car and a house in the country next fall when ralph gets his promotion now about this man she said what mat man said nan color of a newly open wild rose flooded her face her childishly honest brown eyes were starry how should I 1 know what man I 1 seen you since I 1 had you to the wedding six months ago A girl attractive to men and shows tome some initiative might be married in six months but of course youre the kind that will drag along waiting for him to wake up and know youre on earth until he be marries somebody tome body else you be so bad at that if you took a little attle pains with yourself and got tome some decent clothes nan who had started to slip off the coat of her suit buttoned it again the lining she remembered had ripped a little on the shoulder and be a good bet for t tome some man who wanted a sensible economical wife that mind housework thank you nan said you would I 1 never could learn to boil water but the way you used to cook and scrub and fuss around when we lived together I 1 well its lucky I 1 had what it takes to get a fellow that can afford a servant but of course im younger than you are eleven months nan said softly just a baby really ralph always calls me babe did I 1 tell you hes in line tor for the vice presidency Is hea he old maid living on a pe pension islon on an loving a pet cat 1 I dont like cats nan mur aured doris extended a toeless buedo sandal and a slender silk clad leg cats she said look at tha run 1 I see it it nan said ralph bought me an angora kit ten for or my birthday the darn must have been at these stockings ill have to dash in and get another pair and put their 0 on n you come with me and you car have these do for or you I 1 i Y youre oure careful mending them 1 I cant come with you nar said you cant why not ive got a a kind of a date A date with that man of course where oh never mind r 0 theres the man im going to marry unless hes got a wife and 10 kids now sure of it my dearl J B depends on him for everything he and J B are like that remember member er the fellow came up to the apartment with him the week before we were married of course why 1 IT well you doused around as it if you were only halt half there hardly opened your mouth an all evening that was J B I 1 was it there you go just what I 1 mean you dont take any interest now it if this man but what makes you think there is a 2 its written all over you darling youre in love I 1 never saw a worse case nans big brown eyes lowered to her glass she became peony red well if you dont see fit to confide in your best friend that a your business but you let me tell you this tor for your own good if hes worth having dont let some other girl beat you to it you will though youre all set tor for being a neat little dont be siliyl im dying to see him ill drive you there you bother it far just back to the office oh doris said waiter bring the check were in a hurry I 1 tell you nobody but you would think of slaving away at the office on a lovely saturday after noon you ought to call your man and make him take you to the movies you ought to keep after him ready im ready nan said they walked out of the dim cocktail lounge into the sunny freshness freshner sa of the afternoon 1 I guess ill get my stockings over there at Br doris said we have charge accounts at al all the big stores if I 1 buy them at a some little shop ill have to pay tor for them myself and they cost five dollars you dont mind if I 1 dont drive you to the office do you 1 I dont mind at all nan said extending her hand goodbye good bye doris ill give you a ring doris said you must come up to dinner some night when I 1 company and tell me all about your romance ill be seeing you nan walked the two familiar familial blocks to the familiar building but bul she did not go up to the office where she worked she took the elevator elev to the floor below it and stepped out into the spacious reception room ol of the J B simpson company she walked past the deserted informs tion desk toward the private offices and tapped lightly on one of the doors with the tips of her gloved fingers A mans voice called come in she went in the man got up from behind a big desk and came to meet her he was tall and becomingly gray haired there were laughter wrin wes kles around his keen eyes youre late nan he said she put her arms around his shoulders and lifted her face for hit his kiss ive been with mrs jenkins who in seventeen kingdoms is mrs airs jenkins you know the girl I 1 used to live with the one that married ralph jenkins ohl he said how Is ralph jenkins by the way he was a good man until that designing cat got hold of him the man said now he has alimony to pay one woman and another running him ragged for new cars and this and that and hell be lucky if he manages to keep his job I 1 hope youre not seeing much of her youre not her kind thank heaven oh ashes all right nan said tolerantly she did us one good turn anyway you know you always say you fell ell in love with me that night you came up to the apartment because I 1 kept quiet the entire evening my little mouse he said fondly nan winced but you wont have much chance to see her after were married anyway when we come back from abroad well be at the country house most of the timi time unless abe be cornea comes out there nan smiled you worry J B she wont come out there at the she said with aulet certainty |