i CHAPTER V ” Jim was staring down into her lovely pointed face <*nd it seem ed to be wiped quite free of sophistication and affection. He had not until then realized that she was very young, much young er than her pose. "You forgive me?” "Certainly!” Again she laid her hand on his arm and he learned that ecstacy can cut like a knife. “Will you dance the next dance with me?” she asked softly. i “I’ll be delighted,” he stammer ed, “only I warn you I’m an aw ful dub on the dance floor. I’m no lady’s man.” "Perhaps that’s why I like you so much.” Nothing in his experience had prepared him for the rapturous emotions which surged through him at the feel of her supple frag rant body. Once when he bent his head a little bronze curl brushed his cheek, thrilling him from head to foot. He had a wayward de Rre to press his lips to the se ducive hollow in the slender ivory column of her throat. "You dance beautifully,” mur mured Miss Sanders when the music ended. He still did not trust himself to speak. Howard Leigh was coming toward them with a scowl and still Jim said nothing. "I’ll see you in the morning?” she asked, “for our first lesson?” Jim swallowed hard. “Yes,” he said unsteadily, although he knew that the first lesson was behind them; It was apparent on the sur face that Janet Phillips no longer occupied the same position in re spect to her old crowd which she had once held. She did not suffer for lack of partners at the dance that night. Gordon did not look happy. In Lpite of his mother’s persuasions, ■Jordon had never liked Priscilla. Even when it was her whim to be amiable, he never knew what minute she might turn upon him. Janet understood the distressed wicker between his eyes and why ft spite of himself he glanced ftngingly at her from across Pris cilla’s sleek blond head. When some one cut in on him he could not resist the temptation to tap Janet’s partner on the shoulder. |k "Hello, Gordon,” said Janet. ' Gordon drew a breath of relief as his arms closed about her. It was as if he had escaped unpre dictable perils and rediscovered security. Involuntarily Janet’s voice took on a soothing note. "You mustn’t feel conscience stricken about me, Gordon,” she said gently. "I feel terrible about letting you down!” cried Gordon in a choked voice. Janet still found herself in the Anomalous position of defending nimself from herself. “It isn’t as though we were ever formally en gaged, or as if you had jilted me at the altar,’’ she said' kindly. "I wouldn’t have hurt you for the world. My one consolation is that you’re too good for me,” he said with a mournful smile. It was Janet’s cue to bolster up Ids self-esteem by a denial of his statement, but she had a sudden vision of truth. "Yes,” she said, "I am.’” She wished some one would cut in, but her friends were too tact fid. She muttered an excuse when the music stopped and escaped to the dressing room. She arrived at the ballroom to (md that her partner for the next dance had looked everywhere for her before retiring in dudgeon to the bar. Had Janet followed her [inclination she would have hunted ! up Jim and asked him to take her home. She felt sure he was bored to death and eager for an excuse to go; but at that moment a couple drifted by her on the dance floor. Janet could scarcely believe her eyes. From the rapt expression on his rugged face, her brother with Miss Helen Sanders in his arms was anything but bored “Oh, no!” cried Janet. She did not realize she had spoken aloud until some one who had come up behind her address ed her. “Shall we finish this dance?” She turned sharply. Tony Ryan stood at her elbow. Evidently he had only that moment arrived. She intended to make an excuse for not dancing with him. How ever, he gave her no chance to do anything of the kind. He merely put out his arms and danced off with her as if he be lieved any girl would feel flatter ed to be singled out by the fam ous Tony Ryan. Janet was glad when the music | She gave him a grudging glance. “That at least needn’t worry you any longer.” “I always get what I go after,” he said quietly. “Modest, aren’t you?” “No, just sure of myself. There’s difference.” “Who am I to take exception to your pride in your accomplish ments,” she inquired bitterly. You are an your way up, I am on my way out.” He stared at her curiously. “Yes?” She. shrugged her shoulders. “As you may know, a generation ago my family was prominent locally. Now my mother works in a store and so shall I when I finish my course in interior deco rating.” He was studying the dead end of hia cigarette. “If you’re an expert on interior decorating, I might have a job for you.” “A job?” “Perhaps you aren’t interested in jobs.” “Oh, yes,” said Janet with a hostile smile, “I’m interested in any chance to earn money. It’s •3 “I always get what I go after,” he said guietly e'nd&d, glad when Phiscilla came skating across the room to assert her prior claim to the visiting celebrity, glad when everybody crowded around Tony Ryan so that Janet was edged to the ex treme rim of the group and fin ally extricated from it entirely by Ted Hughes with whom she had the next dance. The last dance of the evening was the only one in which no cut-ins were allowed. Every one was supposed to dance it with his escort, but Janet had not seen Jim for an hour. She had a notion he was lurking outside with a cigarette. However, she made a circuit of the veranda without locating him. She was perched on the porch railng star ng somberly at the setting moon, when Ted Ryan again came up behind her. “Want to dance?” he asked. “No,” said Janet without turn ing her head. There was an interval of silence which Janet found trying. In the end it was she who broke what had begun to seem a contest between their wills, “It must be nice to return to the old home town in the role of conquering hero,” she remarked in a light, disdainful voice. He laughed. “It’s a complex, I suppose. I could never convince myself that I had outgrown Shanty Town until I came back here and had the seal of approval put upon me by the elite of Bay City. Queer, isn’t it?” YOUR BEAUTY YOUR HAIR Don't be Barfm mMi your hair . . . keep it colorful, sparkling, youthlihe . . . with CLAIROL. You'll be de lighted with the remit... dry. drab, lifeless hair takes on lustrous beauty in ONE 3-in-l treatment, for Clairol shampoos as it reconditions as it TINTS. Choose from 36 natural-looking Clairol shades! .. . mi/Ji Writ* now forte— booklot add It— advice on your hair problem 14 loan Clair. President. Clairol. Inc.. 130 W. 46th St.. New York. N. Y so important to make money. Nothing else matters.” “I’ve bought the old Radcliffe mansion.” “My grandfather’s house!” i . “I signed the, papers a couple of hours ago.” “But,” cried Janet breathlessly, “It’s dreadfully run down. That’s why Mother let the property go practically for back taxes. We couldn’t afford to live there and no one would rent it. People don’t care for those huge, old-fashioned places any moire.” “I do,” said Tony Ryan. “It’s like this,” he explained. "When I was a ragged alley rat I promis ed myself that some day I’d buy the best of everything. At that time the old Radcliffe mansion represented my idea of the most elegant thing of its kind.” “It broke Mother’s heart to give up the place,” said Janet icily. “It’s one otf the few times I ever saw her cry. Since then I've gone blocks out of my way not to pass the house. It isn't pleasant to be reminded that the glories of your past are past.” “If it would be painful, forget it.” “Don’t be ridiculous,’’ said Janet. “Paupers cannot afford sentiment.” “That’s settled then? Shall we fix a day to go out and look thinks over? Tomorrow?” “If you like.*’ “I’ll pick you up at two at your homa.” “She gave him a curious glance. “Won’t you rattle around like a marble, alone in that huge place ?” He shook his head. “Of course I shan’t live there, long alone,” he said. She stared. “You’re going to be married?” “Naturally,” he said, “one can’t select a wife as quickly as a house.’’ “You haven’t selected one yet!” cried Janet in a dismayed voice. 1 THE POCKETBOOK °/ KNOWLEDGE The avepase cost OF AN cjjmc RimttoW WAS *sso IS 1921. TODAY, IT IS */6Q, I It is estimated that INDUSTRIAL USES NOW BEING PERFECTED MAV ADD AS MUCH AS VO TO 60 CENTS TO the value of a bushel os corn. r£DiKAL Cg^jPNMENrJOaNOLOERS NUMBER MORE THAN ALL WORKERS IN PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION AND AU TRANSPORTATION— LAND, SEA, AND AIR-IN THE U.S. y 7/ OniV 3^4GS in the united states are never FURLED. 7JV j PLEADED™*^ SUMMOI"*^ UNUcao ■ ■-*- T _ - PLAINTIFF'S CAT WOULD STOP • PLEADED l HA i .. HIS CUEKTTS CCXAD NOtJ I OBEY the courts tst J SUMMONS UNLESS THE T 5 pi AIM-TIFF'S CAT WOULD SI rUM«'>rr u -. ■ molesting them. \ j CHASSANEE'S CLIENTS J WERE HOUSE RATS/// ) Copyright 1940 L*no WJ-fOH/ FAST CAM1 A X RIFLE BULLET--J800 M.RH. JF%, PRIMCE ,OF MEDIEVAL ;ec>ROPe was _permitted ■jk TO EACT WITH THE ^ KING UNLESS HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED SOME feat of valor. /