New Britain Herald Newspaper, June 27, 1929, Page 15

©”m THIS HAS HAPPENED . Man Carroll, fer three yesrs pri- vate secretary fo Attorpey Joha Bis cases and he depends on her. werk and in her prospects for acon passing the bar examinations. The only discordant note im her days W the insolence of Iris Morgan, beau- tiful and selfish wife of Morgan, who treats Nan as it she were a menial and a servant. Because of her brilliant mind. Nan is able to help Morgan witn his cases and he depands on her. When Willis Todd, an ardent suitor of Nan's proposes marriage to her for the fifth time, she refuses, say- ing she cannot give up her position. Willis, jealous, accuses her of be. ing In love with Morgan and Nan, stunned by his words, is at last forced to admit to herself that they are true. Being honorablé and “square as & man,” she despises herself for be- ing in love with another woman's Thusband and determines to turn in her resignation the next morning. At the office she finds a blackmail ‘mote warning Morgan to “lay off the enemies of Grace Cox," former telephone operator of a fashionable country club, who is indicted for blackmail and whom Morgan 18 now defending. A postscript to the note contains a nasty insinuation about Iris Morgan. There is no opportunity in the rush of the busy morning for her te turn in her resignation. When the transcript of the case arrives, Nan scans it studiously for some clew that might lead to the real truth in the Cox case. 8he finds R — in a few words which send her flying to locate Annie Crayfish, former maid in the country club. Annie admits to Nan that a Mrs. Fleming sent her (Annie) west be- cause Annie had seep her writing & suspiclous note with her left hand. Nan believes ehe has run down the truth at last and pleads with Annie to rush with her to the eourthouse to tell what she knowa about Mrs. Fleming, thus saving Grace Cox and winning another vic- tory for John Curtis Morgan. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY 2 CHAPTER V1 In less than two hours it was all over; the sensational Grace Cox blackmaliling case had come to a sudden and dramatic end, witn John Curtis Morgan the undisputed hero the superb last act of the drama, and humble Annie Crayfish its heroine. For Annie had testi- fied simply, convincingly and un- shakably to the facts which she had previously told Nan Carroll, and Martha Fleming, pseudo-soctety woman and adventuress, had col- lapsed into a snivelling confession almost as sbdon as Morgan had put her upon the stand which Annie Crayfish had just vacated. Grace Cox was free, or would be as soon as red tape had been cut, for District Attorney Brainerd, confronted with Annie Crayfish’ testimony and Mrs. Fleming's own confession, had been forced to ask the court to dismiss the indictment against the hysterically happy tele- phone operator. Nan Carvoll received and desired none of the congratulations which were beicg showered upon John Curtls Morgan. No one but Mor. gan himself knew that it was his private secretary who had discov- ered and brought Annie Crayfish into court, and it was Nan herself who had insisted that her part m the drama be kept a secret. “Don’t dare tell the press how we got hold of Annie Crayfish,” she had whispered urgently to Morgan when she had turned her witness over to him. “Remember the papers are going to call you the greatest criminal lawyer in the state when this trial is over, and they mustn’l get an inkling that accident and luck had anything to do with it. And ] was working under your orders, wasn't 1? Hadn't you told me to go over the transcript of the case? You had a hunch, and you let me play it—that's all!” But Nan would not h: been human it she had not remained in the background, drinking in every detail of the dramatic triump! which she had helped Morgar achieve, The anonymous letter, by which Martha Fleming or someone assoc ated in crime with her had attemp- ted to blackmail the defense attor- ney, was still safe in Nan's hand- bag. The teeth of the tigress had been pulled by her own confession. A rumor was already current that Martha Fleming would plead guilty and throw herself on the mercy of the court, without subjecting the state to the expense of a trial. John Curtis Morgan .thanks to his sec- retary’s culpable tampering with his mail, would in all probability never know that his peace of mind ani the “sanctity” of his home had been threatened. “Let’s gat out of this, Nan," Mor- gan called to her across the re- porters who were still clustered about him. “I've got a lot of work pile up at the office, boys. Ex- cuse me, wor't you Blake, the young lawyer who as- sisted him with routine work. had already been dispatched on red tape business connected with obtaining Grace Cox’s immediate release rrom jail, and Nan hesping Biorgan pack his brief case when a blithe velce interrupted: “Hello, Morgan! Been trying to get‘a word with you. but the new paper boys had me crowded oul. Congratulations, old man! I'd jusr dropped in te see you strut your stuff, and was lucky enough to be here when you touched off the fire- ‘works . Some show! I'm proua to know vou, boy!" Morgan grinned at the sood-looking young man slapping his back with jovial good-fellowship. “You're coming out to dinner to- night, 1Iris tells me. Sort of a celebration for some high-finance deal you've put over, isn’t 1t? Con- gratulations right back at you!" “Ill take a hack scat tonight.” Bert Crawford laugaed. his lue eyes beaming fondly upon hix friend. “It's going to'be your cele. bration! By jove, Iris is going to be proud of you — aiready is. of oourse!” He turned to Nan, giving . NE “So you've been Crawford lightly, but Nan saw a hint of malice and anzer in bluc-green eyes, her the full benefit of his extraor- dinary magnetism and vitality. “Hello, Nan—or do I have to be formal around the boss and call you Miss Carroll? We're carrying on a desperate affair behind your back. old man. You'd better look out or you'll find ycurself minus a secre- tary. “That beinr the twinkled, “I'd better sport and encourage the affair. | Nan's coming to dinner tonig=, too — thet is, if it's really my cele- bration, for just hetween you and me, Bert, it was Nan who discov- ered Annle Crayfish and brought her to court tHis morning. She re. fuges to 3ccept any ereait publicly. but of course you and Iris must know what I owe to her—my junior partner!"” Nan flushed can’t come to dinner, Really T can't. T—" “8he’s going to say she hasn't a thing to wear,” Bert Crawford laughed, “and yet T saw her at the Vincent the other night in one of the swankest evening case,” Morgan | be a good brilliantly. *“Oh, ¥ Mr. Morgan. among a pretty swank lot of flap-| | b, There with Willis Todd, mv Morgan, Breakmg my pers. rival, heart—'% “Of course you're coming, Nan,” Morgan said brusquely. “It's an officlal order from $our boss. If you've already got a date with Todd, bring him along. I'll phone Iris as soon as we get to the office, and she'll be delighted to have you Nan accepted as gracefully as possible. 8he could nor ten htm her real rcasons for not wanting to join the dinner party, for those reasons were, simply, that she dis- trusted and disliked Bert Crawford, Morgan's and Iris's closest friena, and that she hated Iris Morgan so much that the thought of accept- ing her hospitality was abhorrent to her. But she could not dash her beloved employer's joy in victory, could not chgat him of the pleasure of paying a -portion of his debt to her. As always, she put his pleas- ure, his good before her own. As the thres of them left the courthouse and entered Bert Craw- | ford's expensive sedan, in which he | had insisted upon taking the law- ver and his secretary to their of- tice, Nan studied Crawford covertiy. and wondercd for the hundredth time why she disliked and distrust- | ed him. ] He had been a rather frequent caller at the office during the past | year, ever since he had come to| the city, in fact. n had only a| hazy idea of Crawford's business, it being covered by the vague %ut| magnificent term. “finance.” The papers occasionally alluded to Re, | bert B. Crawford as a ‘“promoter” or as a “financial wizard,” but his lordly activities were too Olympian for Nan to understand. even if she DPad been interested enough to try to do ro. At first it had been enough for her to know that he was an old friend of John Curtis Morgan; she had accepted him simply on that hasis. Then it had transpired. through a chance remark of Mor. gan's, that Morgan had only known Crawford rlightly when the two hadl attended college together. But there was no question now as vo (hfij firm place which Bert Crawford had wmade for himself in the affections of Iris and John Curtis Morgan. The three of them went about te- gether constantly. | Crawford tactfully remained in the outer office with Nan white Morgan talked en the teléphons with his wife. The conversation lasted so long that Nan hecame hotly embarragsed, sure that Mor- gan would emerge finally with 4 » humiliating report that Iris could not after all arrange 6 have four at a table instead of threc. RBut Morgen. in his jubllatfon over %is dramatic triumph at the courthouse, must have exercised some of the masterfulness which marked hir 11 the courtroe:n #na in his own offices. but to which Iris Morgan was alnost a stranzer, for when Morgan did refoin them. his | face flushed with the hattle he had fought, his words were not a shame- ful confession of fallure: “My wife is dclighted to have you. Nan. Dinner wilt be at harr past seven. You'll bring her, won't you bad boy!” Iris Morgan chided those you, Bert?" For a second Bert Crawford hesi- tated, and Nan saw the color deepen slightly in ais pink-and-white cheeks. “Delighted. old man. About seven-fiftzen Nan?* “Please, 1'd rather foin you botn at Mr. Morgan's,” Nan answered. ‘'m suie yvu three have a lot to talk over hefore dinner, and T'll want to artive at the very last pos- sible mun ate, if T mg nings 10 do to my dress,” she explained off. handedly. She caught the fleeting expres- sion of retief that lighted up Bem Crawford's blue eyes. “He's as much of a snob as Iris,” Nan told herself contemptuously. “He didn’t want to call for me for fear 1I'd presune on the intimacy later, regard him as my ‘boy friend, T suppose. Or maybe—but that nasty anonymous letter is ma%- ing me g1-ga with tuspicion. Ber- ter curb your imagination, Nan Carroll, or you'll get yourseir mto trouble!™ “I'd like to see you a minute, dresses | Nan,” Morgan stopped at her desk after bidding Dert Crawfora good- Now's my time to tell him 'm going to resign,” Nan realized, with a dreaiful sinkipg of her | heart. “He’s so elated over his vic- tory that my news can’t make him terribly unhappy, and since he hasn't any very big case on right now, he can do without me better than at almost any other time. I've got to do it! 1 can’t stay on, know- ing that I love him—" 8he followed him into his private office, stood trembling before him, trying to make her lips form the words. But he forestalled her: “I can’t begin to thank you, Nan. for what you did today. I might have forced a confession out or Martha Fleming, with what evi- dence and conviction of her guilt I already had, but your bringing Annie Crayfish into court today was a stroke of genius. “Nan,” and he laid a big. warm hand upeon the small cold one that ched upon the edge of his “I've been calling you my partner, half seriously ani in fun. true. Nan. You're going to be ready to take your bar examina- tions hy nmext June, aren’t you? Well. then — how about it, Nan? Partners?” junior half CHAPTER VIT “I'f 1'd had the nerve to resign. 1 could have missed this agon; told herself angrily as she sat stiff and silent in Iris Morgan's charming living room, watzhing two men pay court to Iris' beauty. “But how could T resign today, when he was heaping appreciation and rewards upon me? Ten dollars a week raise -— I could have done so much with $10 a wsek. But T must give him my written reaignation tomorrow, tell him some plausible lie, hurt him as little as possipie—"* If it weren't such bad taste shc could tell him now. for he zeemeq curiously al’*sn to her. here in his home, or rather in Iris' home, for the place seemed wholly hers some- how. Nan had never been in the Mor- gan home before. It had obviously never occurred to Irls to elevate her ‘husband’s secretary to the status of a friend of the family, ane likewize it had never occurred to Nan to resent the fact that she had not been invited 0 mer emploverss home. Now that she found herself there she was tasting to the fuir the horror of the realization that had come upon her the night ne- fore. Punisment for leving another woman’s hushand had descended upon her swiftly and surely. For an engire evening she would have to be the unwilling guest of an unwilling hostess, and - that host- ess the wife of the man she loved. Heaven knew it wes hard enough to go on seeing John Curtis Mor- gan in his office. There he was not a husband but a man, and a great man. In his home he was all lover and husband. so completely pos- sessed by Iris that Nan's tortured eyes roved desperately around te room to escape the picture he made. bending eagerly toward Iris ador- ing her, so pathetically grateful for her carcless smiles, her 1l Atly flung endearments, “Nan's overwhelmed by your Let's make it come | portrait, Iris," Bert Crawford sang out in his slightly too loud, too jo- vial tones. “Isn't it a corker, Nan? Benet's masterplece — Benet, the famous portrait painter, you know."” Nan realized theu that her agony blinded eyes had indeed been fixed upon the life-size portrait in oils that was hung above the fire-place, dominating the room. The artist had immortalized 1-js' flamboyant beau- ty with a subtle brush, for the close observer could read - cruelty. selfishness and vaniy n the ex- quisite face. Nan knew now the source of the pose which Tris nearly lll‘l)'l| struck when she took a seat, for /e artist had chosen it as the one | Lest calculated to show off every point ‘of her beauty. A tall, slim, languid body, clothed in shimmer- ing turquoise velvet, relaxed in a throne-like chair, the lovely face | in three-quarter profile. “It's very beautiful, almost as beautiful as Mrs. Morgan herself,” Nan for:ed herself to say gra- ciously. . “Thanks. Nan. 8he's a dear little flatterer, isn't she, Jack?” Iris acknowledged the compliment car:- lessly, but her eyes remained upon the portrait, worshipping her own beauty. “It was hung in a Parls salon, vou know. My poor husband had to pay a fearful lot of money |to get it. You see, the artist saw me and begged me to pose for him and poor Jack somehow got it into his stupid head ‘that I'd flirted with the jolly little ¥Frenchman. I think he would have stolen the picture if he hadn’t been able to buy it." “l said that the jolly little Frenchman was in love with you, and be was,” Morgan corrected her, every word like a caress. “I didnt blame him. -Who could help being in love with you, darling? But | wasn't going to have anyone else buying my wife's portrait.” Bert Crawford’s laugh rang out. “I'm glad you're so broad-minded. old man! It gives me a wonderful chance to confess that I'm mad about TIris, too. As you say, who could help being in love with mer?" “This morning it was Nan you were mad about,” Morgan laughed comfortably. “Some woman's gcinz to take you seriously one of thes: days, and then you'll come whim pering to me to get you out of a breach-of-promise suit.” “'Oh, so you've been unfaithful to me, you bad boy!" Iris Morgas chided CrawforJ lightly, but Nan. watching closely, saw a glint of malice and anzer and somethini; strangely like warning in those odd blue-green eyes. “You mustn't let him raise your hopes too high Nan. He's a gay philanderer, as Jack says. But there's Estelle, with serving; & salad of lettuce and pineapple, with balls of cream cheese; apricot whip in tall, thin glasses; demi-tasse. For herself, Nan was fiercely glad that the food was meager and no- too good; it made her eating or it less of a crime somehow, for it was shameful to break bread with a woman whom she hated ana whose husband she loved. John Curtis Morgan Nan felt a hot surge of angry pain. “She's half-starving the poor darling,” she told herself. “Ana she pays a cock $S0 a month of s money to give him puny little meals like these,. Of course she doesn’'t want substantial meals! She's too afraid of adding a r.,und to that lissome figure of hers. I'm sure she calls it lissome,” shs added maliciously. Then, “Oh, I'm becoming unspeakably cattis| r {have to get out of all this." As it TIris had read Nan's thoughts, the lovely, careless voic> flung a sort of apology to Morgan: “I'm sorry there are not two chops for you, Jack. I'd already done my ordering befcre I knew we were ‘0o hav: Nan with 13 tais cvening. The greedy pig likes two chops, she explainod to Nan. ' “T don't understand how men can eat go much. Bert's on a diet, thani heaven, so I don’t have to plan w stuff him when he comes to dinner. Not that he weighs an ounce too much,” she added. reaching acrecss the corner of the table to lay an af- fectionate hand on Crawford's. After dinner Crawford made for the radio i a homing pigeon. When the syncopated blare of a jazz or:hestra came flooding into the room. he snapped his fingers to the rhythm ‘or a joyous minute then held 2ut his 21ms ror his nose- ess. “Shall we dance, Nan?" Morman bhent awkwardly over her, h smiling and fond. 0. please. T'd rather not!™ 2 gasped. “Let's just watch ther —_— the good news that dinner 1s served.” Iris, linking her arm with Craw- ford's, led the way into the dinmg room, her red-gold head bent to- ward his in a low-voiced confidence. Nan followed with Morgan, wno twinkled =t her fondly: “You mustn't mind Iris’' teasing you, Nan. The three of us always carry on like that and don't meun a thing by it 8he's as full of spirits as a carefree child,” he added admiringly. Whea they were seated and the soup serveq, Irish flashed her bril- liant eyes &t ncr husvene anaq sug- gested arcnly: “Now, Jack, do tell uge all ubcnt tlis scandalous Grace Cox case the papers are so full of. I haven't had time to read them, but T knew I'd have to listen . the story all over again from the hero. You were a hero, weren't you, Jack? T seem to gather that id~a from your stiue this evening. Morgan's gaunt, sensitive face flushed darkly. *“I didn’t realize T was strutting, darling. T simply secrrad a uismissal of the indict- ment against my client; didn’t even g0 to the jury.” “How you must have hated that!" Iris laughed a mocking tinkle. “Hv does loge to rant befure a jury. But I suppose all lawyers have exhibi- tion complexes, or they wouldn't be lawyers. Does he practise his ap- peals to the jury before you, Nan?" Nan's face was as full of dis- | tressed color as her employer's “We're both so busy he doesn't [have time,” she answered curtly. “I owe this case to Nan, by the vi Morgan cut in, trying to look as if his wife had not hurt him |deeply, “Tt was s'e who discoverea {my star witness for me and hauled | her to court this morning." “Very dramatic!” TIris tinkled {hut the music had a hollow ring [to it. “I hope you don't have to | split the fee with her, for 1 warn you, husband of mine, that I spent a small fortune on clothes yester- day and today. But the loveliest [things! Gorgeous enough for a trousseau. I'll have to run away with one of my important admir- ers, in order to get the full benefit of them.” And the blue-green eyes laughed = challenge at Bert Craw- ford. That was the extent of the cele- bration of John Curus Szorgane sensational triumph in the Grace Cox case. Nan, watching the be- loved face of her emp:oyer closely. could have wept for him, but she could have shaken him, too, for being so fatuously content with the crumbs that Iris tossed him. How could a big man like Morgan be so blind ? Iris gaily took the conversation into bypaths more congen:at to her- self. Nan would have enjoyed., as much a« she could enjoy anything at Tris Morgan's table, hearing = discussion of new books. plays and politics. 8he could have taken a modest but intelligent part in such a discussion, for among her own friends she was rather noted for her crisp, keen comments, Ther Joyous sense of humor, but such conversation was, apparentiy, not one of Iris’ talents. Personalities were shuttlet briskly between Iris and Bert Craw- ford — choice tidbits of scandal, caustic comments on the dress. manners and affairs of their absen: friends. Through it all. John Cur- tis Morgan ate absent-minGedly of the rather haphazard meal that his wife had provided, or rather. thut her cook had deemed-good enough for a small, informal par:y. Afier the clear soup there were tam< chops, a tiny. hard-fried one for each plate: hig stalks of expenssve California asparagus, but no: qu:ce enough of them to make a decenr ut for | Aren't they a perfect pair?* sas|throughout the breadth of the llndi | babbled, to hide her confusion. Sh=/as “the wonder horse of the cen- ! could not te'* him that she did not | tur; {dare add the agony of his arms| The Sells-Floto management is | about her to the agonics she had |paying the screen star and his beau- | already sufiered during the last 24 [tiful chestnut horse the hour: weekly stipend ever paid fo any Bert and Tris were still dancing |single circus feature. ..nd Mix nat {half an hour later, sublimely ob- |only does some of his famous witl | livious of Mergan's wistfully fos- | West stuff at every performance but | i d in the living room coor. | paccs that made the horse the most | ther eyss L g with fright. | popular animal in the United States. | “Plezcs, Mr. Morgan, therew o| Tom Mix is known wherever the | gentleman and a policeman at tae | civilized tongue is spoken, and th [door. They want to see you and |adult and the youth of the land Mr. Craw *r=d voth.” | have never tired of speaking words Defore Morgan could answer, the | of fulsome praise for his ability to “gentleman and the policeman™ | entertain on the screen. But seeing loomed behind the maid. im in animated adventure on the “Sorry to inferrupt a party, Mr. |silver sheet does not give one-half | Morgan, but 1 have a warrant for |the thrill that the public gets in the arrest of Herbert 8. Crawford.” |secing him in the flesh. And where (TO BE CONTINUED) Tom appcars Tony will be with hini. | The two are inseparable, This act is | Then there is a newly | I l P lact called CHff Aeros | a thrille A human being is firel from a " pound naval cannon, | hurled through space at terrific ! | speed. with death facing the human importad cannon ball in every yard carried. ' | The Cliff Aeros will give death- ‘Tom Mix and Tony Hea’flifle}'s efying, nerve-racking n\f;tl’.m\ml ot this year ' Hanna- | ing Han- | rejoined the year after Hollywood pluck and cndurance at cach per- | . formance tomorrow With Sells Floto Qi v Gt S16 U (150 include the great * |ford and his family Tomorrow circus day—Sells |nafords. “Poodles Floto circus day—and only a Sells Floto circus this more hours and a breakfast befo ny months spent in |Sells 1loto circus trains will roll | making picturcs. into the railroad vards at Commer-| Mabel Pelky, graccful and daring |cial street and the big lot at Vib- acrialist. three biz fying acts. h | berts show grounds will be covercid | ed by the famous Clarkonians; {with a mammoth spread of canvas.|rell's Liberty Horses, 36 in number, | The big show this year offers a|including white Arabian, black Ken- practically new program of per-|tucky and sorrel thoroughbreds formers. The principal feature will |clowns with new funny odditics to | {be Tom XMix (himself) and Tony,|make the children laugh; Iren: [the highest salaried artist in the|lcdgett and Peggy Marshall w ‘ |world with a circus. The momenttheir five herds of highly trainad s mentions the name |clephants, and many other circis Tom another mame crovs | featurcs which all go to ma N it. namely. that of | Floto “America’s Greatest Show.” | a ‘(‘n‘d,h’-]i The menagerie of & s of will } right out his famou lowing eyes, wnen the maid, Estelle, |also puts Tony throi th some of the 2 beasts. which jncludes cameis &~ phants, barious speciés of monkevs and Bon-Tam. the 5-ton hippopeta mus, will be open’one hour eartler than the big show performance highest |starts. in order that the education. al value of this rare exhibit may be fully appreciated. 7 Doors will be open at 1 and 7 and the big show will start promptly at and 8 p. m. is & Preseription ton Colds, Grippe, Flu, Dengue. Bilious Fever and Malaria. 100s G st speenty eennsts knows B2 e e ———— To maintain a slender figure, no one can deny the truth of the advice: “REACH FOR A LUCKY | INSTEADOFASWEET.” Insidious Falsehoods—Boomerangs The insidious falschoods apparent in the claims of selfish interests are boomerangs emphasizing the truth of Lucky Strike’s popularity and success. Lucky Strike is a blend of the choicest tobaccos, m; ;h By nature, abounding in fragrant aroma and bursting into delicious, satisfying flavor when toasted for 45 minutes. This heat treatment is the reason 20,679# physicians claim Luckies to be less irritating than other cigarettes. Toasting, the distinctive process, makes Lucky Strike the ciga- rette of distinction. SIGN S e Tifted to by LY. 088 MONTCOMERY, Accountants end Anditers. The American Tobacco Company, Incorporsted The Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra will continue every Saturday night in a coast to coast radio hook-up over the N. B. C. network.