Show JESSICA by H LOUIS MH 1820 20 by mcclure Ne nebo Newn wO paper syndicate so this was the answer I 1 jessica folded therit of paper her lip curled scornfully well any one who mixed up op her letters in such a careless fashion certainly needed a secretary here ab she bad been walting waiting and ana waiting tor for a reply to the long letter she had sent her auxt aut and now had come this brief brict note addressed addi essed to the head bead of some vocational bureau asking said heiti to please secure me as soon as poi aible an efficient effi clent secretary not too prepossessing in appearance jessica had spent her life in a tiny western town with her invalid father released by his bis death from years of tedious it if affectionate devotion she bad followed his bis list last wishes and written to his bis sister in new york from whom he had not heard in many years A note requesting a secretary I 1 ebli i clent but not prepossessing prepossess ine that was an odd requirement roused mused jessica aunt louisa had bad no sons startled at the idea which occurred to her she jumped up ap ran to the dresser and leaned toward the mirror undoing with rapid fingers her gold tinted softly curling hair two weeks later Aunt louisa a vi vigorously intellectual woman sat in tier lier library interviewing a simply gow gowned neti sober ober eyed young woman who had presented herself as applicant tor for the the only trouble said the aunt Is that when you smile well you show bow possibilities to be quite frank my dear young lady I 1 am through with attractive secretaries with me lives my ward the ion son of an old friend and although on an estimable young man I 1 may say that he has an eye for beauty my last secretary wast was one of those flighty blue eyed er baby dolls as they hey say and but you understand what I 1 am getting au at never before had jessica been so happy as she elie was in the days that followed then home came slade tremont and it if aunt lo 10 louisa ulsa had seen possibilities in Jessl cano less did slade 1 I say r ay miss boardman why dont you weary wear your our hair more more fluffy or something he asked the second morning of his arrival please do not be personal mr tremont said jessica coldly for the first time in his bis young youn g life slade was hard hit the afternoon that slade announced his intention of running on to boston for a day or two her aunt also decided to visit a e friend who had a model farm in the country jessica left in charge of the house yielded to ii a sudden whim to forget for a moment that she was the very plain deborah boardman going to her room she took out her one frilly feminine gown and laid it on the bed then her eyes sparkling she did up her hair not as she hat had worn it 1 in the old days daya but in the latest most daring coiffure she had observed in the fashionable city ah this animated aril mated woman with the lips the soft throat rising from the lace flohm this was not the unprepossessing deborah nor yet the oldS old Jessica essica I 1 this was EL a quite new person touched with the magle magic wand of lovel love I 1 jessica ran lightly down the stairs and out into the garden she drank in the permeating fragrance lifted her head and looked straight into the eyes of f slade Trem tremont 1 I 1 I beg your pardon why was mists boardman Boar droan you the look of surp surprise rhe on slades face became one of puzzled but happy bewilderment you wonderful wonderful girl I 1 got a as s for far as the station and ame came back to tell you I 1 loved you and I 1 adore you I 1 Jes eyes filled with happy love then fell my darling said slade my darling deborah otherwise jessica interrupted a voice dryly you 1 cried slade just me said aunt louisa 1 I came home tor for seome something thing I 1 had forgotten I 1 found more than 1 I expected wait she lifted a hand band to ward or off Jes rushing explanations but not more than I 1 hoped my ward has given me several uneasy moments yes you have slade and when you jessica wrote to me it occurred to me that you might be just the wife for my eny ward but how to tell if you were so I 1 tried that little ruse of apparently mixed letters thought I 1 to myself if the girl Is worth anything and clever shell see the chance and take art ad vantage of it and I 1 will get a light on oil her real self you ever wonder why you hear bear again or why the position on filled before you come came Y yes s mu murmured ared jessica of course but exactly continued her aunt also I 1 wanted slade to see you under the least favorable circumstances rf if then he fell in love I 1 would be sure it just with a pretty face although yours Is pretty eri enough ough she concluded 1 I cant thank you enough began jessica but tier her aunt perhaps not unaware of her irrepressible wards hinting glance and gestures toward the house moved slowly away jessica cried slade holding out both arms now what bat do you say when I 1 say will you marry me I 1 what jessica said as she entin to ills arms was not loud enough aorl for even the nodding richmond rose to hear bear although it reached straight to slades happy heart |