Show ft I 1 X I 1 py I 1 0 ia SELLY 4 SYLVIA TAYLOR WM w U release THE STORY SO FAR joan joa n leland secretary is discharged by her employer arthur mulford importer who refuses any explanation for the act acl she takes a secretarial position with karl Af miller flier handsome proprietor of 0 a night club she Is fascinated by him and when he gets her sister sybil a new lob job and takes her into his arms her joy knows no end she meets his club manager paul sherman who warns her about working for karl but refuses to give his reasons then karl introduces her to his partner eric strom and she refuses his secret invitation to dinner during a ride with karl they board a freighter ship and when karl asks her 1 if he can show chow her the world she melts into his bis arms with an affirmative answer sybil notices that he never mentions marriage to joan but bat joan defends him erie eric strom seizes an opportunity to try to make love to her when paul sherman walks in and knocks him out with one blow karl sends joan with a package to the freighter captain paul follows he takes her to a hotel grill now continue with the story CHAPTER VII listen to me joan paul said in a low voice you were right 1 I have been following you but only for your own protection you dont know what youre getting into ive tried to warn you but you wont listen you have never said anything except that I 1 the type to work in a night club in spite of her annoyance no she felt compelled to listen there are some things I 1 cant tell you but you must trust me do you think id be risking my own position this way if I 1 feel that it was terribly important silently she stared at him 1 I know you I 1 1 think youre in love with karl paul went on quickly but if he is sincere joan why he ask you to marry him that proof enough that theres something wrong with the picture his steady brown eyes gazed into hers she twisted her hands nervously pauls words had quickened the doubt in her own heart but she said calmly 1 I dont see that its any ny of your business he smiled wryly im only using that as an example to prove to you that karl miller is not on the level believe me I 1 dont go around meddling in other peoples affairs without reason the sincerity in his voice was unmistakable as he continued 1 I cant can it tell you now what that reason is is all I 1 can do is to warn you that karl miller will never marry marr 1 rouy her voice was ragged with alarm how do you know what right have you to say that paul went on theres no use kidding yourself joan if you dont believe me why dont you ask him and find out for yourself joan raised challenging green eyes to his all right maybe I 1 will paul shermans Sher mans warning had disturbed joan paul had said that karl would never marry her why she was awake early the next morning lazily she watched sybil dress to leave for the beauty shop when sybil had gone joan tried to sleep but it was useless at nine 0 she rose dressed and drank a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee shortly before ten she left the apartment and went downtown to satisfy her curiosity she walked d past the shop where she had been employed formerly by arthur mulford it was vacant and a for rent sign hung in the window karl lie about that tf then ien S she he told herself recalling that he had said mulford had quit the importing business why was she doubting him was it really because of pauls paul S warning or because of her own small doubts that she had concealed con ceale d so carefully the last few weeks As she walked down grant avenue deep in her own thoughts a voice surprised her hello joan what are you doing out so early 11 she looked up into the smiling face of karl miller the matter lie liebchen behen you look surprised it was impossible to doubt him when she was with him his r magnetism banished her fears 1 I am surprised to see you she admitted he took her arm and they walked slowly up grant avenue past the shops into the crowded narrow streets street of chinatown karl stopped at a sidewalk flower stand to purchase three waxen gardenias well have lunch together he promised and take a drive would you like that As they sat eating lunch served by a bland unsmiling oriental joan felt a thrill of pride the thought of losing him aroused a fierce emotion tio V 9 her heart would he ever transfer the tenderness he had given her to another woman how could she basure be sure unless but pauls words rang in her ears heu hell never marry you ask him and see you are worrying about something karl said what troubles you what would he think thinkie kif if he really knew when she remained silent karl changed the subject by the way did you see paul sherman last night she hesitated for one cautious moment before she said yes I 1 did karls smile was untroubled ali ah I 1 am glad he found you I 1 sent him after you I 1 forgot to mention it last night when you got back to the office joans eyes widened karl had sent paul after her certainly paul had not given her that impression dont you believe me karl asked softly and joan felt the color rush into her cheeks karl however did not seem angry he paid the check and together they walked to where he had parked his car it was not until they reached the beach that karl stopped and said 4 paul shermans Sher mans warning had bad disturbed joan paul had said that karl would never marry her abruptly 1 I know what youre thinking joan she stared straight ahead into the blue waters of the pacific she did not know what to say you are wondering karl miller continued why I 1 dont ask you to marry me her heart beat heavily she could not bring herself to meet those piercing blue eyes joan she felt his hand strong and warm over hers look at me he commanded blindly she raised her eyes to his will you marry me she could not believe it she stared at him as though she had not heard no answer you do not love me oh karll karl of course I 1 do we cant be married for two or three months yet karl said 1 I want to get the club going first then well take a long honeymoon maybe to south america would that make you happy tears trembled in her green eyes happy im so happy I 1 cant speak you must learn leam to trust me joan I 1 would have asked you before to marry me but I 1 wanted to be secure financially you understand of course 1 1 I do darling how could she have doubted him paul sherman had been so sure that karl would not marry her how wrong he had been how wr wrong ong sybil had been karl had been misjudged by them all ill never doubt him again joan vowed as they drove back to the club elite she sat contentedly with her arm tucked through his no girl had ever been so happy as she was at that moment all fears had been swept away by karls proposal of marriage when they entered his private office he drew her to him kissed her and said 1 I have a surprise for you what is it her eyes eye s shone like a childs child s in their the ir happiness karl smiled as he opened hi his safe and drew out a small velvet box snapping open the lid he took out a ring a magnificent emerald set in plain platinum it was a large stone beautifully cut oh karll karil karl its gorgeous an emerald to match your eyes karl said as he slipped slip pec the ring on her finger hurrying home at six 01 clock joan displayed the ring to sybil were engaged sybl syb were going to be married in two or three months karl asked you to marry himle him sybil asked unbelievingly a beautiful emerald joan I 1 must have cost a fortune ayou you dont seem very enthusiastic frankly im not sybil confessed 1 I suppose you would have been better pleased if karl and I 1 had quit joan said coldly sybil was silent for a moment then said youre not going to be married for at least two months right sybil the matter with you you act so mysterious lately Is anything wrong not a thing in the world sybil denied 1 I just wondered all joan could not worry about syb ils meaning now she could not worry about anything karl wanted to marry her his ring gleamed on her white handl hand she could scarcely wait to see paul sherman and tell him the good news but paul did not appear at the club elite that night or for several nights to come and then one night bs as joan sat alone in the office typing paul sherman made an appearance he was as good looking as debonair and cheerful as ever did you miss me he inquired grinning at joan karl sent me out of town joan smiled she was going to enjoy telling paul he had been so sure about karl so prejudiced not much she informed him airily A lot has happened while you were gone such as what karl and I 1 are going to be married she said proudly pauls expression changed he advanced towards joans desk repeating incredulously do you mean that karl miller has asked you to marry him there was something in his face that took the joy out of her announcement no but she said calmly yes you were wrong about karl 1 I was wrong all right he agreed savagely 1 I suppose nothing I 1 can say now will make any difference joan smiled right when is the happy event taking place in about two or three months were going away on a long honeymoon Is that so joan was really annoyed with him now the least he could do was admit he had been wrong well its your funeral my girl paul said and jamming his hat down on his head he bolted out of the office joan smiled as she turned back to her work perhaps sybil had been right maybe paul was in love with her but he certainly had a peculiar way of showing it sybil seldom mentioned her sisters approaching marriage t she was behaving strangely these days saying little staring into space for long periods and so life moved on triumphantly until the week before christmas it was a rainy windy winter d day ay and san franciscans thronged thron ged the shops armed with umbrellas and go lashes the stores were open at night now and joan found herself hersel f elbowing her way through the crowd she had dined downtown preparatory to buying karls christmas present ten past eight joan exclaimed glancing at the clock on the corner ill have to come b back ac k t tomorrow she took a taxi to the cl club ab elite and arrived breathlessly in karls private office he laughed at her excitement does christmas always affe affect ct you this way only this one darling this one is special there was no doubt in her heart hear t as his lips touched hers N no 0 p premonition re of disaster she was completely om sure completely happy it was nine thirty when the office door opened to admit eric strom ali ah karl said and joan noticed that his voice was annoyed you come early eric shrugged indifferent shoulders you wanted to see meal me ja karl said rising eric went to the cleverly concealed little bar opened it and reached for a bottle karl glanced at joan go to the dining room I 1 ill 11 send for you in about ten minutes joan obeyed but she was worried she did not like the way eric had looked at karl evidently there was bad feeling between them but why TO BE CONTINUED |