The Wingham Advance-Times, 1939-12-21, Page 16• .:n
PAGE EICT
K
If
ft.
shpujdn’t look after you. In fact, I
■was^coming up to prescribe luncheon
fey5 you with me.”
* Wh’-’
/Jan could not repress an exclama- .
Jton that was half pleasure at the
thought that such a busy doctor
. should find time to think of her —
.&and yet dismay at the recollection
jHhatr..sbe’ was even then on her way
,Mo meet Tony. She explained as well
‘.>as she could that the luncheon date
was out of the question.; she was
meeting a friends withiq/a few min- .
?'■<. ptes.
f • “A girl friend? I’ll take you both
X ■<:: to lunch.”
. T' Jan’s color rose a shade higher, as
^nj&^he explained haltingly that it was
OaMmot a girl she was meeting. As Dr.
W^Curtis still stood looking at her, with
K that very intent and friendly glance,.
Sp she grew more embarrassed. She did
not want to have him know that she
was lunching with Tony. The latter
had told her that Dr., Curtis was a
"good friend of William Anthony Dev
erest’s and it was unlikely that he
would want to sit at the same table
• with Deverest’s chauffeur. Yet she
could not just rudely walk away after
he had been so kind, and after the
wonderful things he had done for
Dora.
“My date is with Tony Williams,”
she said at last, and Bradford Curtis
thought he had never seen a more
charming confusion. He grinned as
he thought of Tony’s face when he
should -appear, and promised himself
that he would see to it that his friend
acted perfectly the role of chauffeur
he had picked out for himself.
“Why, that’s just fine!” he beamed.
“I know Tony well. I’d rather have
lunch with you alone; but since we.
must have Tony with us, I don’t mind
. a bit.”
Jan, propelled through the door by
his urgent arm, could not protest, but
she thought despairingly that it was
going to be a difficult luncheon, for
■ if Dr, Curtis did not mind Tony,.she
was sure Tony would mind him.
Tony had’ parked the car around
the corner, the usual parking place,
out of sight of the hotel. And there
was Tony behind the wheel of the car.
He had caught sight of them, and his
face was alive with welcome.
“Oll/dear,” thought Jan to herself,
“wait ’til he hears!”
“Hello, Tony,” she began as they
stopped beside the car and Tony leap
ed to the ground. “Dr. Curtis met
me as I was leaving the hotel . . .”
she stopped awkwardly. .
“How are you, Tony?” said Dr.
Curtis, looking, Jan thought, unneces
sarily patronizing. This was going to
be worse than she had imagined.
“Very well, thank you — sir,” Tony
added, apparently as an after thought.
' -
1
Chapter XV
“I am taking Jan to lunch," said
Dr. Curtis, “and she tells me that she
already has a luncheon date with.you,
— sp we’ve decided to make it a
' threesome.”
Jan laughed nervously. “I am sure
Tony will be delighted,” she said be
fore the glowering Tony could speak.
For answer Tony jammed the
chauffeur’s cap back on Ills head. “It
. suits me perfectly,” he announced —
“because I just had a piece of bad
news for your little friend, Doctor. I
was waiting around, Jan, to tell you
I have to call our date gff. Important
i business for Mr. Deverest. B-ut I will
be glad to drop you—and your friend
wherever you want to go. Will you
help Miss Payson in, sir?”
Tony stpod' at attention as Dr, Cur
tis opened the rear door of the car
and handed Jan inside. He was about
to follow when a violent kick On the
ankle from Tony caused him to utter
an involuntary cry, and Jan looked
up questioningly. “I. just barked my
shin — clumsy of me. . .” the doctor
told her,’ climbing in hastily and
slamming the door. Tony, looking
immensely pleased with himself, took
his place behind the wheel. A • few
minutes later they were in front of“
the restaurant Dr. Curtis had suggest
ed, and Tony, hardly waiting for their
thanks, shot off almost before they
were well on the sidewalk,
Jan would have been uncomfortable
about Tony if she had not found Dr.
Curtis such a pleasant companion. He
was more at ease with her — more
than Tony had ever been. It was
highly flattering, and Jan expanded
in his company, just as Dr. Curtis had
intended she should. Jan found her
self talking gayly, when she had felt
at first that she would not be able to
titter a word. Sh? even described
♦
some of her adventures with Tony,
“You like this young chap, don’t
you?” the doctor asked presently.
“I — I — hadn’t thought much
about it, Doctor,” said Jan,
“The name is ’Brad/ ” said Dr.
Curtis. “Do you think you could
learn to call me Brad instead of Doc
tor?”
“Easily,” said Jan. “Brad!"
They laughed together and the talk
went on. But somehow, by the time
they were drinking their coffee, Jan
had the conviction that Brad Curtis
did not exactly approve, well — that
was the only way she could put it —
of her friendship with Tony Williams,
Mr. William Anthony Deverest’s
chauffeur.
When she got back to the hotel
apartment she took out the little pale
blue covered note book in which she
had promised Dora to write down
“Everything Pussy-puff Says and
Does.” It was going to be called
“Pussy-puff’s Diary,” but this was the
first moment she had had to start it.
Under, the date she wrote slowly:
“I feel so sad today I could mew
all the time. My dear Dora is away in
the hospital, and although I know
when' she comes back we will have
more fun together than ever before; I
do miss her terribly , . .” She went
on until she had covered almost two
pages.
There was a big crowd at the show
that night. The young people were
home from school and college for the
holidays, and pre-Christrnas festivity
filled the, air. Jan’s song was applaud
ed with gusto.— and she had to give
two encores after the Jingle Bells
number. Latei^ Paul Harris sent word
to her that a group of prominent busi
ness men had. taken a table and were*
anxious to have her . and some of the
other girls share it with them.
There was nothing to do but obey,
long," she thought as she looked for
the table. Three of the girls in the
"Maybe I won’t have to stay very
dance ensemble were already there —
the tall "blonde they called “Mickey”
— a lively brunette named, of ..all
things, “Matilda”---and the third,
Alice Hurley.
Jan found herself between a man
who introduced himself as “Mr. Fraz
ier, a right smart lawyer to you,” and
Clem Hallack, the big “brooch and
bracelet man" introduced to her by
Mickey.
Tan smiled a little wanly, and shook
her head in response to the insistent,
“Have a ’drink, Cutie” “What’ll it be?
— Here, let’s have a wine list, wait
er.” ’
“Oh, no — no. Please. Nothing to
►drink,” murmured Jan hastily, and
pushed away the card the waiter off
ered her.... ■“Bring her an old fashioned, Mr.
Frazier insisted, “she doesn’t want
anything to drink, and that’s just a
fruit salad with whiskey flavoring . .
Won’t <Jo you a bit of harm — not a,
bit.”Tan laughed in spite of herself —
“Well, if I have to . . .” These people
were honestly trying to be nice!
“Sure you have to,” Clem Hallack,
■the jeweler, shouted. “Sure you do '
— liddle drink never hurt anyone,”
suddenly joining vigorously in the
conversation.With a pudgy forefinger he reach
ed out and touched the bracelet
gleaming on Jan’s wrist. “Nice liddle
junk pile there.” T
“Tt is pretty, isn’t it?” agreed Jan,
“I think it’s wonderful the way they
can imitate diamonds nowadays.”,
“Imitation!” cried the now wide
awake anda stdnished Clem. “That’s
no imitation, sister. Looks to me like
something out of the Rajah’s jewel
chestBy this .time their talk had attract
ed the attention of the rest of .the
table. “There’s been a mistake, and
she made it,” Matilda murmured ir
onically. , „ , .“If I Were in the mood I could tell
you where that shining bauble came
from,” observed the grinning Mickey.
“If vou look closely you will probab
ly find the initials W. A. D,” she
broke off suddenly and a look of pain
crossed her face. Alice Hurley had
pinched her hard under the table —
and it was Alice who now abruptly
changed the subject. t
The rest of the evening was a nightmare to Jam Sick with horror,
she had no idea how she finally man
aged to get away from the others and
escape to her apartment. She unfas
tened the beautiful bracelet and flung
it into a drawer as if the very touch
of it burned her fingers. 4
Mickey’s reference to supposed in
itials -inside her bracelet had not dis-
ttirbedj. Site had steeled herself
to such referenc.es, feeling that it was
* part of the role that, for Dora’s sake,
she had to play. It was the know
ledge, that the bracelet Tony had giv
en her was valuable that frightened
her,
Now she understood everything;
• Mrs. Mallord's legacy, the club house
for Jackie and his friends, Tony’s fine
evening clothes — his invitations to
her to dine and dance in smart places
and, finally, this gift that she had ac
cepted so'happily. Why, Tony could
not afford any of them! She had
wondered how he could have done so
much to please her on his chauffeur’s
salary^ Of course — he wasn’t doing
it on his salary at all! A man in his
position — the trusted employee of a
millionaire — must have unusual op
portunities for — Jan winced away
from the word 'theft' she would not
even think it! '
“Oh, Tony — Tony!” With a little
despairing cry she threw herself on
the bed.
“Oh, he needn’t have done it — he
needn’t have done it,” she sobbed ov
er and over again.
Chapter XVI
“Some party last night."
Molly, the telephone operator, turn
ed eyes full of eager curiosity toward
Jan, stopping her as she tried td pass
‘her switchboard. Jan smiled, but re
fused to be drawn into conversation.
“I didn’t stay long,” she said.
“You didn’t?” Molly’s vast astonish
ment became, 'swiftly, pleased satis
faction. She herself was now the one
to do the talking. “You should ’a’
seen that fella they called Clem try
ing to dance with Alice Hurley!” she
began, plugging calls industriously. ’
“He
“Sorry, Molly, I have to rush,” ap
ologized Jan, and fled up the lobby.
Outside, it was Unbelievably cold,
Polar weather had descended on the
city during the night and Jan found
herself, after a few minutes, slapping
her hands together to keep her fing
ers from freezing. I-Ier thin kid glov
es offered no protection against the
icy wind. ’-Tony had promised to meet
her at the hospital •— they were to
go in to see Dora together. Jan wish
ed she were not going to meet him
so soon', and was glad that she could
say. what she had to say and get it ov
er with so quickly. She felt confused,
one emotion struggling with another
— 'everything was so discouraging!
Except, of course, Dora and her op
eration. And Dr. Curtis*.
Jan didn't feel nearly so cold-as she,
thought of Brad Curtis’ face across
the luncheon table; she was conscious
of a sudden warm surge around her
heart. It was silly, but she had a feel
ing that Dr. Curtis — liked her. A
prominent surgeon like that, a man
at the top of his profession!
' Her mind was so full of Brad Cur
tis that she had forgotten Tony and
the problem that, confronted her as
she entered the hospital reception
room. Tony, sanding by the window,
whirled at the sound of the opening
door and was puzzled as he saw the
light go out of Jan’s face.
“Hello, Tony,” Jan said lifelessly,
answer to the "Hi!” that was his hab
itual greeting accompanied by a hand
snapped upward in salute. “Let’s get
going, Dora’s probably waiting.”
Tony obediently followed Tier as
she passed quickly through the door
he held open, and they went ,on to
Dora’s- sunny room without exchang
ing another word. Tony had brought
an enormous box of flowers whicli/he
waved at Dora, and then, when she
reached out thin hands for'it, he turn
ed it over to the nurse.
“No hard work for you yet,” he
told her. "Save your strength for op
ening Christmas presents. I've heard,”
he dropped his voice to a’ whisper,
“this is strictly between you and me,
that Santa Claus has been working
overtime this year fixing up presents
for Dora IJayson.”
“Only’for me? ’’Dora laughed, de
lightedly entering into the spirit of
Tony’s make-believe. “None for
Jan?”
“There’ll be one or two small par
cels for Jan,” Tony assured her.
When he had gone to the door to
take the flowers from the nurse who
was half concealed among tile flam- '
ing red roses which filled two vases
Dora, her hand in Jan’s drew her sis
ter’s face down close to her own.
“He’s sweet, Jan,” she murmured
softly, “you should have let me see
him before. I was worried about him,.
Jan smoothed Dora’s pale hair
where-it lay on the pillow. “Don’t you
worry atjoyf anything,” she sgid, smiU
“Worry? I should hope not!” cried
Tony, coming pack, “Look at these
roses — do you think they bloomed
this way by worrying? No sirree!
And girls who don’t worry get to
look like roses in next to no time.
Provided, of course, that they eat
their spinach. You eat spinach, dbn’t
you, Miss Dora Payson? You don’t
by any chance, lie on your face and
kick your feet up and down and bawl
‘Wall! I do’ wanna cat my spinach.’
Do you?”
His banter kept Dora giggling soft
ly until it was time for them to leave,
t “Bring him again,” the sick girl
begged Jan as Tony left them alone
for a good-by moment.
“Of course, darling,” Jan promised.
The, uneasiness that had gripped
her earlier in the day enveloped Jan
again like a cloak as she stepped into
the car. Tony used this car as’ .if it
were his own. -The thought stabbed
her consciousness, so that she spoke
sharply before Tony pressed the start-'
er,
“I’ve decided not to go shopping.”
They had planned that this was to be
a shopping day. _ ■
“You haven’t time?” Tony a'sked.
"I/have to do something else.” She
fi. shed around in her bag and drew
out fhe bracelet that the odious Clem
had admired the night before. “Take
it back, Tony, I can’t bear to think
that you—”
“That I what?” said Tony, mystif
ied, making no move to take the
bracelet. She slipped it into his over
coat pocket. .
“Let’s not talk about it,” said Jan.
“Qnly — only don't give me, anything
like that ag^ain. Please, Tony.”
That wasn’t what she meant to say.
She had meant to be stern, and atlthe
'same time pleading. She would coax
him to tell her the truth about the
bracelet, make him promise to return
it however he had managed to come
. by it. She had made up her mind to
this program just as the dawn came
after last night’s weary, heartsick
hours. Now, witli Tony beside her, '
Jan found it hard to speak at all. '
There was a silence. “Okay,” said
■ Tony finally. “If that’s the way you
want it.” *.
He was not a real criminal, of that
Jan was sure. He couldn’t have held
this job so long without discovery if
he really were a thief. No, it was sim
ply that he had been led by the de
sire, probably, -to please her, into
some kind of shady transaction that
netted him enough money to show off,
as he had been doing.
“If you don’t want to go shopping,
maybe you have time for a ride?” he
asked..
“I think not,” said Jan. “You’ve run
up n lot of mileage on my account.
I think .that had better stop, too.”
For answer Tony shot past a red
light, and a few seconds later turned
off Fifth Avenue and began weaving
his way-to Riverside Drive. /
“If that’s all that’s troubling you—”
“No, that’s not all,” said Jan quiet
ly.
“Well, what else then?” Tony de
manded.
“I don’t believe I have to tell you
that.”
\Tony kept his eyes on the road. So
she knew who he was. Knew, and dis
trusted him because he had kept the
truth from her. Evidently she believ
ed he had b.een amusing himself with
a romantic interlude out of his own
class; that he had not told her who
he was because it meant nothing to
him, that he meant to disappear from
her life when it suited him.
Pie could get her point of view
clearly enough.
“Fool!” he said to himself. “You
seven kinds’of an idiot!’ You might
have known this would happen.”
Chapter XVII
It had seemed a good idea in the
beginning, though, to Deverest. He
had never before known any girls who
took him for anyone but William An
thony Deverest, millionaire designer
of sailing boats. All these’ girls had
discounted the boat designing, about
which he was serious, and thought on
ly of the millions, about which lie was
indifferent. Jan was the first girl who
had ever known him as just “Tony”,
a youpg man who liked to barge ar
ound finding adventure in unadvent
urous places. It had seemed a lucky
accident when she mistook him for
his own chauffeur a real break for
him, a chance to find out what a girl
was like when there were no millions
in sight to dazzle her.
The setup was Wrong though, he
pow admitted to himself. Too dang-