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Show Jycur Leus Co its j 3 i 'veic ii WILLIAM CAMPBELL GAULT A S THEY drove up the icy gravel drive between the snow-laden evergreens, Margot asked, "Who are the guests?" "There'll probably be a mob for dinner," Johnny explained as he opened the car door. "Sis always has a gang in on New Year's day." Shouts of laughter and singing in tlie huge living room greeted them as the butler opened the door. Through the archway Margot caught a glimpse of Peg, Johnny's sister. "Only the young could look forward for-ward to another year with such gay-ety," gay-ety," she observed with amusement. "I'm afraid," Margot said, "I couldn't keep up with the general Enthusiasm before dinner. Isn't there some place we can observe without being observed?" Johnny nodded toward a small conservatory opening on the living room. "There's a side door to that through the butler's pantry." He led he way. Seating her on a love seat screened by a magnificent fern, he left, to return with cocktails. Margot took the glass absent-mindedly, absent-mindedly, her eyes on the group "Isn't that your Miss Leslie?" around the piano. "Isn't that your Miss Leslie?" He followed her gaze. A raven-haired, raven-haired, vivacious young girl was accompanying his sister in a duet. His secretary! ' ' He nodded. ""She seems a little different awas-Jrom the office." ' "She probably doesn't know you're here," Margot said. "And just what do you mean by that?" Johnny asked. "Oh, Johnny!" her voice was , faintly malicious. "Don't tell me you haven't guessed. Why, the. girl j is simply delirious about you," His laugh was spontaneous. "Now who's being romantic?" "She told me," Margot answered evenly. Johnny stared, open - mouthed. "Honestly?" His mind searched back over his three years' association with Miss Leslie. Incident after incident cropped up to bolster Margot's assertion. as-sertion. "Men are stupid, aren't they?" Margot shook her head slowly. "Only blind." Johnny looked at his watch. "It's about time for my weekly proposal," he said, grinning. Margot lighted a cigarette. Through the smoke she said, "And your weekly rejection." "Well," his voice seemed strange- ly carefree, in that case I won t propose." The couples . In the other room were dancing now. Johnny's eyes were following his secretary, moving mov-ing lithely about the polished floor In perfect accord with the Intricate pattern pat-tern of her partner's steps. "Graceful, Isn't she?" "And beautiful," Margot said. Johnny nodded. "And young." He looked over at the words, faintly faint-ly (lushed, aware for the second time that day of the disparity between be-tween his age and Margot's. "But not nearly so beautiful nor so graceful as you." Ills voice lacked conviction. Margot bowed primly. "But younger." Just before dinner, Johnny snld, "We really should go In and say 'hello' to Miss Leslie. If she knows we're here she must think us rude." Margot yawned. "I'm Ion comfortable. com-fortable. You'd better, though. You know, keep up Hie old olllcc morale." mo-rale." Margot watched him as he satin-, tereel a shade too casually over to the group unco again ai'iiunil the piano. pi-ano. I'iven at a distance the eagerness ea-gerness with which the girl greeted him was apparent. Dinner wan aniioiinerd. Someone suggested, "Just one nunc iiong. A soul! for the new year." Peg struck an opening chord, the group Joined liiindii and voices lifted In singing "Auld I.img Syne." Johnny, John-ny, hln hand Incasing Ids secretary'!, secre-tary'!, was by no means the quietest. quiet-est. Peg wns secretly smiling ut Miss I.m.llo. Mian I.e.'illo's eyes wer directed di-rected tnwuid the conge rvutury. "Tliiinkn," slio seemed te sny to Murgol. ..... HlpaOT4 by Wlrii Nftwniuiir UiiUhi. |