Show d ping J anict aku lt bu jane corah olby 0 mar mfr urte SYNDICATE WN WN II 11 UFE EC ari A ri IR jan payson lives in a small apartment with her invalid sister dora hurrying to her lob job at the devon arms hotel she steps in front of a car and ts Is thrown down the driver steps out to help her there are some words and then jan disappears in the hotel where n paul harris fires bres her tor for rig late jan thinks the man behind me wheel Is s a chauffeur but paul recognizes him as tony demerest De verest a social lion as he stands talking to molly the telephone operator shortly after the accident demerest De verest Is angry when he hears jan has been fired bred so paul gives jan the lead part in the hotel floor show and bets et mary alary elizabeth howard a smart dressmaker to outfit jan CHAPTER II 11 just it broke in jan eagerly this seems such an expensive dress I 1 dont know that I 1 can afford 11 oh youre not paying paying for it yourself paul harris tell you jan turned back to the mirror to hide her expression there it was ya ain ml that secret knowing look she had surprised on pauls face are abre than once since that incredible moment on thanksgiving afternoon when he had told her she was to have a part in the floor show in the days that followed jan found herself far too busy to follow any clues to the mystery that surrounded her she and dora lived in a kind of ecstasy jan knew that paul harris was disappointed in the crowd that had turned out for the opening but she had no idea of the extent of that disappointment A week later his bitterness had grown to such proportions that he had decided to do something about it but and he hated to admit it he could not bring himself to ask the fragile dora to go back to that miserable hovel from which he had rescued her it must be that he was getting softhearted soft hearted and paul had not been troubled that way in years there was a quality in doras white face and her pain widened blue eyes that reminded him yes it did of helen the situation was complicated it made his manner all the more brusque now that a crisis in the form of mary elizabeth howard had arrived she would have to be paid in some way for jans outfit 1 I act hastily he now told the dress designer because sometimes these things take a few days to straighten themselves out but ive finished waiting this is the end and what about me mary eliz seth eth inquired smoothly C you wont lose ioset by it paul assured her im the one who has lost her salary that suite they have he broke off as jan with a laughing remark to the operator stepped out of the elevator miss pa payson n paul called to her reproof for her untimely laughter in every syllable mary elizabeth eyed the girl as she approached and almost forgot the annoyance the whole incident had caused her in admiration of her own handiwork the girl in the midwinter mid winter costume mary elizabeth howard inc had designed was lovely what a pity she made goedl jan who had bad been ready to dance across the lobby for delight when the he first stepped out of the elevator the it a sudden chill at pauls tone ohe had been on her way to buy a brand new kitten for dora the uniformed man at the hotel entrance reaching out a gloved hand at this precise moment set the revolving door spinning and it spun william anthony demerest De verest correctly and coated into the lobby there he paused glancing involuntarily toward the magazine stand the dark girl there who looked up with obvious interest made him turn quickly the other way and then he saw her or was that the girl he had last seen breathless mud stained and reproachful ful why she was beautiful full seen from the side this way she seemed standing still as she was to be poised for flight her face up tilted her lips parted eagerly then she turned toward him so that he saw her face she was in trouble paul was saying indeed that he was disappointed greatly disappointed miss payson after all william anthony demerest De verest might have found it impossible to be present on the opening night but a whole week had gone by and he had never even looked in at the roof garden garde nl jan dazedly trying to figure out why she should be held accountable for mr Deve rests absence looked away from paul seeking enlightenment from her surroundings her eyes encountered the gaze of the tall young man near the magazine counter who was staring as if he knew her and she had certainly seen him somewhere oh yes that careless chauffeur who got her into difficulties on thanksgiving day she smiled faintly and paul waiting for her reply caught the smile and followed her glance further caustic words died in his throat and he seized miss howard firmly by the elbow and propelled her rapidly toward the office what the matter mary elizabeth protested paul put his lips close to her ear william anthony demerest De verest he whispered and miss howard looking over her shoulder departed docilely enough you are jan barent arent you he inquired how tall he was jan raised her golden eyes for a brief instant to his interested gray ones and nodded but how did you know my name its quite a long story I 1 found it out when I 1 came to ask you to dinner as a sort of apology for my clumsiness that day though its a little late I 1 still owe you that apology will you 1 I was on my way to buy a kitten jan demurred walking toward the door and I 1 much time for dinner I 1 have to get ready for the show jan laughed and he suddenly decided she looked even more irresistible sis tible than when she was sad you had your chauffeurs cap with you on thanksgiving of course but you in uniform that day either you must have a pretty nice boss he hes abroad demerest De verest said absently the main thing was to keep beside her to keep her talking she was a real person riot not giggling and coquettish but human and interesting maybe he thought wistfully all girls were like that to chauffeurs it was only his infernal money that made them act so silly he led the way to the car but jan shook her head the shop is only around the corner my a beautiful car she said appreciatively WAD W A D initials are so tunny funny when they spell a word william anthony demerest De verest 1 I 1 she repeated aloud turning a frightened face to the man beside her Y yes he agreed hesitantly you know jan gazed at him wide eyed hes your boss when he did not answer I 1 she went on bitterly 1 I hate himl jan turned away so abruptly dev erest had to hurry to catch up hes not so bad he said defensively if he knew you were in trouble hell never know it the girl said fiercely and walked on for a while in silence then as they reached the corner heres the pet shop that the most adorable kitten you ever saw by the way your name my my name the man stammered oh tony tony williams say dont hold my boss against me that dinner date means a lot to me jan gurgling at the kitten missed his intent pleading glance you can have a sandwich with me in the cafeteria she promised it if you like the kitten but it if you complain about a flea or two the parmys off she walked ahead of him through the door and grinning tony followed there was a question in doras blue eyes as she raised them from V I 1 mr harris very displeased he be observed deliberately the calendar which she had been marking on her knee only a few more days to christmas jan she said absently her gaze following jans movements as she took another evening dress from the closet jan smiled at her sister she smiled a great deal nowadays and dora thought she looked happy even when she was not smiling well it if it made jan happy to go out all the time dora put it to herself with this wonderful tony williams she would be happy about it too has paul been to see you lately inquired jan with elaborate unconcern the delicate wild rose color that tinted doras pale cheeks gave her her answer even before her sister said well he was here yesterday he could only stay a few minutes and he here the day da before well yes said dora 1 I believe he was and what about the day before yesterday and dont dor t you expect him today youre teasing me dora protested pretending to be annoyed wait and see ill get even with you for that ill why dont you bring your tony here sometimes jan I 1 think I 1 could do a better job of getting even if I 1 just knew what he looked like 1 I can tell you what he looks like said jan enthusiastically hes frightfully tall and he has gray eyes oh nice gray eyes that can be as bright as steel or as dark as as the winter sky he like anybody I 1 ever met before dora when he had dismissed the chorus and turned his attention to her had no fault to find with jans rendition of the cute jingle bells song which she had been assigned she was drawing a deep breath of relief after the song was over when the orchestra leader looked at her sharply mr harris very displeased he observed deliberately he say to me wrong with the show why we no get big society parties lots of crowd I 1 ten tell him its my business to put on a good show its not my business to bring in customers 1 I should think not said jan uncertainly all any of us can do put on as good a show as possible shook his head mr harris maybe hes wrong he continued as if jan had not spoken but mr harris he still the boss he thinks we should have more customers maybe he thinks we should bring them in ourselves why began jan you know this mr demares said Zam brim the girls gossip they say you know him well why does not mr demares come to see the show he like it he bring his friends he has plenty friends the show a big success then I 1 pleased you pleased mr harris pleased jan had listened bewildered to this sudden attack what could mean what did everybody mean linking her constantly with this unknown william anthony demerest De verest she stared at for a moment noting the anxious expression in the little round dark eyes then she impulsively laid her hand on his arm ill see paul right now she promised and turned away slowly as she walked she arrived at paul harris office at last and her sudden wild hope that he would not be there was dashed by his invitation to enter paul ive been talking to he he said something about your being disappointed in the way the show was pulling paul stared at her a minute and then said crisply sit down miss payson ive been wanting to have a talk with you for quite a while and I 1 think this is as good a time as any youve been around here long enough to know that I 1 dont usually do things without a reason you are a fair dancer and your voice is good but there are a hundred other girls who are just as talented or perhaps more so yet I 1 picked you without a trial from among the hundreds of girls who would have considered it an honor fo be a star in the devon arms christmas show why did I 1 do it 1 I I 1 dont know paul well ill tell you I 1 did it because of your friendship with one of the best known men in town william anthony demerest De verest ive seen it happen before a girl in the show knows a man like him he brings a lot of his friends in to see her they bring their friends and he threw up his hands in a gesture there you are but what happens to me paul said 1 I hire the girl I 1 put her in the show and she never asks her boy friend to come in even once he stays away his friends stay away everybody stays away paul threw down the paper cutter with which he had been toying and walked over to the window in disgust jan dared raise her eyes finally and studied his slim back in its faultlessly tailored morning coat she was trying in the space ot of a few seconds to make a decision that would most certainly affect not only her own life but doras she was seeing again her sisters face as she had told her an hour before of her joy in the hotel room and in the new luxuries they enjoyed the dark richly furnished room in which she was sitting vanished completely and she could see again the miserable crowded space on the court that had been all the home she and dora had had if she denied knowing demerest De verest they would be condemned to return to that same squalid atmosphere she could could not do it at whatever cost to herself she must encourage paul to believe this fairy story a little while longer im sorry paul she said hesitantly mr mr demerest De verest been feeling very well it sounded lame even to herself but paul accepted it and turned to her with new eagerness then see that he comes in why yes at least ill try paul beamed with delight and escorted her to the door with a flourish at another time she would have been amused at his sudden transition to the perfect maitre dho tel but now she was too miserable to see anything funny about it 11 by the time the show was over and she was dressing to meet tony she had arrived at only one clear decision she would tell him the whole story and perhaps he would think of some way in which they could manage to satisfy paul well tonys expression was a tribute to the success of the blue satin evening dress his eyes evidently saw nothing wrong with the willowy vision of loveliness that stood before him and jan smiled for ther the first time that night 1 I can return the compliment she said looking at his perfectly cut tuxedo and his general air of having been well scrubbed just a few minutes before oh were we re stepping out tonight he said offering her his arm 1 I have the car outside and were going over to the little dance place across the river ever been there jan shook her head and fell in step beside him her heart heavy again the only thing thin that troubled her about tony was hah hi constant effort to live up to what was evidently his masters social position As she took her place li the gleaming car she resented again the tact fact that everything she was forced to do was only an imitation of the real thing abut but tony can you afford this As he turned a startled face to hers she colored and added 1 I mean I 1 would be just a satisfied to tc to go to a movie or something wily why you funny little thing his hand touched hers briefly and reassuringly and then pressed a button and started the car purring softly dont you worry about me and dont you worry about us taking this car either in spite of the way vay you feel about him mx mv boss is fairly decent and he mind this sort of thing at all TO BE CONTINUED |