New Britain Herald Newspaper, February 1, 1929, Page 26

Ruth Leater, secretary, conceals ber blond loveliness behind spectacles - and ill-fitting clothes and skins back her curis in order to escape the attentions of flirtstious employers. But for this disguise she could not have worked unmolested four months for “Hand- some Harry” Borden, promoter of dublous stock companies and notori- ous for his affairs with beautiful women. Ruth, suspecting him of shady Jdealings, would resign but for a ro- mance which springs up between her #nd Jack Hayward, young insurance hroker, whose office s just across the narrow alrshaft from Borden's pri- \ate office on the seventh floor of the Starbridge bullding. tuth and Jack become engaged on | a Friday night in January and Ruth dares to come to - the.office next morning with her disguise removed. In her office, Ruth greets Benny Smith, office boy, who. ia astopished at her transformation and who in- stantly becomes infuatuated. He hates Borden and begs Ruth to don her diaguise before his return. She is in- terrupted by a phone call. It is “the woman with the contralto voice” whom Borden has previously refuscd | to talk to. Ruth has time to put on her spectacles before Borden's arrival. Borden finds an orchid-tinted cnve- lope In the mail and thrusts it in his pocket with an oath. Ruth is sent to the bank with instructions to get 500 in cash and to the station for two round-trip tickets and a draw- ing-room for Winter Haven on the 2116 train. As she returns to the of- fice she wonders whom the sccond ticket is for. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER TIT “Hul-lo, Migs Lester! Is God's gift te women in his office? T phoned and he's expecting me. Oh, ‘pardon me! T thought it was Miss Lester! But T guess Handsome Harry can- ned her, the poor little scared bun- nw Can't say I blame him—why!— what—?" Ruth turned in the little syivel chair and taced the girl who had announced herself mo nonchalantly. So it was Rita Dubois who was go- ing to Winter Haven with Borden. Ruth was hardly surprised. but a little sorry. for she liked the viva- clous, dark-eyed. black-haired little singer and dancer from the noisiest. most garish night club in the city. “I've just turned my hair loos Ruth smiled. putting on her timid. scared-bunny. manner and peering upward at Tita through her cnor- ned spectacles, ita applauded. as she touched up her already vividly roug- od Jips. “So you've fallen for Hand- <ome Harry, foo. you poor little simp! fecn to the movies and got a few hot tips on how to vamp vour boss? . . . Well. Bunny. don't be nalous of little Ttita, no matter what sou hear! You can have him—next week! But listen, don’t you toddle in and tell him 1 said so. after I'm gone. or T'll snateh thore golden curls of vours out by the roots. . .. Pretty stuff!” And Rita, finiched. with her . ‘c: lipa, lifted one of Ruth’s curls and fngered its yollow sills almost tender- ty Ruth laughed. then glanced ap prehensively toward Harry Bor. den's closed door. “The curls are out in somcone clse's honor, Miss Dubois. And don't you tell Mr. Tiorden. but “1'm engaged to he married. Tt just happened last night. You're the scc- ond person T've told—" “Giood child! Wise little ba Rita approve her - voice curious). gentle and low. Then she stooped *Gund” Mis. Borders quav- g iking vy o e | iscented lips against the rose and \I\O‘r)‘ of Ruth's cheek. “That's the only way. Infant! Lasso 'em with a 'wedding ring when you're young !and—oh, hul-lo, Harry! The top of the morning to you, darling!” l Harry Borden held his door wide, and, vegardless of Ruth's presence. [ his arms. too. “Glad to see you. sweetheart! Miss Lester's just bought Ithe tickets. Drawing-room, too, if | you're a good girl:” | As Harry' Borden, laughing in- dulgently, was about to close the door. Rita Dubois turncd her head nd gave Ruth a confidential, mock- |ing grin. along with a slow, signifi- cant wink. | Ruth's fingers were flying over the typwriter keys again - when Benny | Smith's voice, sullen and indignant, Interrupted her “Hunh! Thought it was a scerot— vou getting engaged!” he flung at her from his own desk in the corner. “*Nen you go and tell everyhody | haven't told anyone but Miss Dubois and you. Benny.” Ruth pro- tested. | “Well. if you gotta whisper your little secret. looks like you'd pick out somebody besides one of Handsome Harry's dames.” the hoy persisted ‘I thought you just told me > you—you sorta liked me—" P Startled, Inth let her hands e idle on the keys. So that was it! Benny. too! Well, thank goodness, he was too young to want to gobble her up. 8he must be very reful not to hurt him, never to let him smile with amusement at his cent turabling into love. . . “1 do like you, Benny said gently, “Now be a | don't interrupt me any more. 1 to be through hy one.” | *Then 1 guess you don't want to come to his offices that he might humiliate her. There had been & legal separation, but no divorce, and | Borden had arroguntly stipulated that he weéuld pay the court allot- ment of $500 a month for the sup- port of his wife and two children. a boy of 12 and a girl of seven, only ! if Elizabeth Borden came to him each month and asked for it. And Ruth knew that if Elizabeth Ror- den had had only herself to consider. she would have died rather than so | humiliate herself before him. “*“Benny told me Mr. Borden was in" Mra, Borden answered Ruth's greeting In a hesitant. gentle voice. Ruth glanced miserably toward the closed door. behind which Harry Borden and Rita Dubois t“ere ar- rangiqg detalls of thewr week-end | trip to' Winter Haven. “Yes, he's in. Mra. Borden, but he—he's in confer- enee.”. | A burst of high-pitched laughter | penctrated that closed door. and Mra. Borden flinched, her nostrils quivering, her gloved hands clench- ing upon the handbag she held. Ruth did not consciously notice the | discarded wite's veaction then. but ' later, when every tiny thing was of 50 much importance, she remember- | ed—and wished she could forget. “I—then T—" Mrs. Borden stam- mered, “Shall T come backsa little later. Miss Lester? T brought . the children dewntown with me, and | they're waiting in the rest room of A department store. T—yvou know it is—necensary that T—that' T ask | —that T see Mr. Borden toda 1s coming for her alimony this morn- ' the boy retorted, grinning ain. “Oh, 1'd forgotten that today's the Ruth cricd. “Docs Mr. Borden | know she's coming Benny chuckled. didn't tell him He was talking to this Dubois dam« on the other line when his missur called up, and then you come back and T forgot to mention it. I'm going |to be forgetiing a lot o things if you | don’t slick back them curls again.” nny, remember that I'm an en. gaged woman!” Ruth langhed. “But what am T going to do if Mrs. Bor den comes while—" There was a faint rat-tat upon the outer door and Tenny sprang to an- swer, knowing who it was, for no on hut Harry Borden's wife bothered fo knock when she came to his offices, “Morning. Mrs. Borden.” Benny mumbled, as he openel the door wide. “Say. Ruth. T gotts heat it te the post office for them st:mps. Any thing clse you nced 2" | “No thanks, Benny.\Fifty twos, o hundred ones, and 10 speclals, . . . Good morninz. Mrs. BHorden.” Ruth had risen as she spoke. and now facced Mrs. Borden nervously hut - smiling the little timid smik which Mrs, Borden would expect of her, for it had greeted her once a month for four months, A rather faded, tired 38, as against Harry Horden's triumphant 40, Soft ne skin, going a little lax bencath high, aristocratic check bones, and wrinkling faintly around tragic eyes - and a patient but bitter mouth, Teaf- hrown eyes, no longer glowing with the fire of spring. Of all the. varied duties which she was called upon to perform as Har- ry Borden's confldential secretary. | none was so painful to Ruth as this monthly encounter with Mra, Bor- and lald her heavily rouged and ilw todl that Handsome Harry's frau | den. For Borden forced his wife to Bage-Allen & Co. graceful line. SUITE |aren have a d “Yea" Ruth nodded. Harry Bor- den's ultimatum was that the menth- ly 3500 would be paid en the 15th day of the month and on no other. If his wife did not call for it then. : +and ask in s0 muny words for what was hers and the children’s by right. she would have to , wait until the {same date the next month. *J sug- | gest, Mrs. Borden, that you cope back in about an hour. 1 am sure he will be out of—conference—by then. Mrs. Borden flushed. *The chil- ist's appointment at 12, and thenl'm to take them to lunch. T wonder it Mr, Borden will be here about half-past one?™ Ruth agreed riy. She was glad | she would not have to see poor Mra. Borden again on that, her. own happy: day. “Yes, He will be here until near- ly two. He told me 8o just a few min- utes ago. 1'm sure half-past one will be fine.” “Thank you.” Mrs. Borden wi turning toward the door. when an- |other burst of laughter—treble wed- ded to bass—shook the ground-glass panel In the door between the outer and inner offices, Ruth saw the slight, frail body sway, sprang to put her arm about the older woman. “Please sit down 1iust a minute, Mrs. Borden. Here! | keeping the ‘thing In my chair. And lay your head on drink of water. There! Feeling bet- ter?” she asked as she helped Har- ry Borden’s wife to the littie swivel chair, Ruth darted to the water cooler in the corner near Benny's desk, then discovered that the paper cup Com- tainer was cmpty. But there was & tube of them in the bottom draw- er of her desk. She ran, a_ little, for Mra. Borden looked [terribly white and ill. The drawer stuck a bit. ‘and the older woman was leaning downward to help, with trembling hands. “Don’t bothen-dear Mra. Borden,"” , Ituth begged. “There! 1t often sticka, . . . The cups are here somewhere. . ... On" 8ke snatched her hand | from the putled-out drawer as If she had touched a snake. Then she |laughed. shakily. “What a. goose I | Please don't be frightened. Mra. | Borden. 1 keep forgetting that the sun is in ther . oy “Gun?" Mrs. Torden quavered, shrinking away from the drawer, her l,h-nd going to her throat, Ruth laugned nervously. “Yes— an automatic pistol. :1sn't it ridicn- | { lous—my having a pistol? But there | | were 50 any holdups in the building | last. month that a—friend of mine—*" !she could not yet toss oft Jack Hay- { wprd’s name nonchalantly—*bought i one for me .and for himself, too. He Imu offices in thia building. and he was terribly in carnest about my e here in case of if 1'd touch it! | anather holdup. As the desk. Tt's the heat—they keep | I'm: more afraid of it than T am of these offices stifling. I'll get you | a bandit! Here are the cups. Sorry to be #o long."” Five minutes later—just four min- utes after Mrs. Borden had left, looking so strange and ill that Ruth Dubeis frightened | tugging |though now she |that the man scemed to be waving a was . “Dep't worry! I'll be at the sta. tion on time.” the assuring ‘hilm gaily. “J can de- more shopping In a couple of hours than most girls could do in a day. And mind you don't call up the stores and limit these charge accounts, old dea “Mind you don’t fall to keep your part of the bargain!” Harry Borden reminded her, as they reached the dopr. “I'Il keep mine—all of it! But | —no double-crossing, Rita!™ v Ruth gianced up, her spectacled eyes taking.jn the laughing but mutually suspiclous couple. She saw Harry Borden wave goodby to Rita. and mapy hours later she was to try to recall every detail of that picture, only noted, idly, torn banknote, and that Rita's finger-tip kiss was for the torn bill rather than for Harry Borden. (To Be Comtinued) Tn the next chapter—motive for a murder. Shunted Aside Because They Couldn’t “Wiggle” Chicago. Feb, 1.—M—Quadrilles and Virginia reels of the gay nine. tiea still hold sway in the Viking Temple ballroom on Chicago's south | side. was genuinely frightened—the door jof Harry Worden's private office | \ jave You Wante Three hundred middle-aged cou- ples, unwilling wallfiowers in a jazs One of America’s Foremost Makers Contributes This Unasaal Value to 'the Centary Sale SELECT THE PIECES If you have ever planned on some day furnishing your living rcom in con'(y‘t fashion and fine good taste, see this suite now. Every piece in this exceptional group has been created by one of America’s foremost style manufgcturers. " Beauty sparkles in the luxurious coverings. visit this store early and to see this suite in particular. 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