Henderson Daily Dispatch

thunder and then some."

"Lovely," Jenny said complacently.

He said, driving at a legal rate of speed, and wishing he needn't, "About last night-"

Jenny interrupted brightly. "I already know. Last night some kids drove into a ditch and they took three to your office. . . . Steve, doesn't that make you want to find out what's going on in this town and stop it?"

He said shortly. "I have enough to do without meddling. The kids were tight, yes, the boy told me frankly that he'd swiped a bottle from his father's supply. That's all there was to it."

"A lot of people think these juke-box places are selling it."

"I doubt it," said Steve. "they've been investigated. They are just what they profess to be, places selling soft drinks, sandwiches and ice cream, with a mammoth juke-box and a dance floor. But I didn't bring you here to talk about that. I want to talk to you about yourself. And your esteemed boss. I watched you for a couple of minutes last night. Very effective. Garden," said Steve, "moonlight and roses. Hearts and flowers. ."

"So what?" said Jenny.

"So, I went walking with Mr. Hathaway and he was taken romantic and kissed me. What's so world-shaking about that?"

Steve said, "I don't understand you. You're the man's secretary. And he's married. That's the situation in a nutshell."

"Habit forming, isn't it?" said Jenny. "And nutshell is right."

He said angrily, "Haven't you any excuse?"

"Well," said Jenny cautiously. "I suppose I could run one up on an old loom. Justice is very attractive. Also very rich. Or hadn't his sister brought that angle to your attention?"

"What has she got to do with it?" Steve demanded.

"Don't shout," said Jenny sweetly. "Nothing at all, as far as I'm concerned."

"Go on with your excuses," he said shortly.

"It's war," she said dreamily. "forcing house of emotions. I quote. Also man shortage, or hadn't you noticed? And Justice hasn't much of a wife," she said plaintively. "She's sort of worn thin after four years' absence."

He said, "I can't believe my ears. Do you mean to sit here and tell me that you expect he'll marry you?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead," she said. "But, now that you mention it, it's an interesting possibility."

Steve said, "I could shake the daylights out of you. You-you aren't yourself. You've changed incredibly.."

She said, "And so have you."

To Be Continued

On the following day two things happened. The first concerned Justice, coming in bright and early on a Monday morning, and the second concerned him also.

He stood by Jenny's desk and put his hand on her hair. He said softly, "It ought to burn, but it doesn't. It feels cool and rather like curly silk."

Jenny moved away from his hand. She said, "How quaint!"

Justice asked, "Have you forgiven me for last night?"

She swung around, looked up at him. She said, "There's nothing to forgive. I could have stopped you."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to," replied Jenny, with perfect honesty. She watched Justice read his own meaning into that reply. She had intended him to, and now she saw him look slightly smug.

He said, "You're an honest little thing, Jenny."

That amused her very much. He added, loy, "And very disturbing."

"Good." She bent her bright head to the machine. She said, after a moment, "There are some messages on your desk."

"Thanks," he said. He inserted, however, "I'm not to mix pleasure with business."

"That's right," said Jenny. "Office hours are strictly office hours?"

"Roger," she said.

Justice laughed. That's what Charlotte had said, too, if a little more ardently. Charlotte had said, "But, darling, we have to pretend . . . from nine to five."

She had thought they could: she had believed that from nine to five you could be one person and after hours another. She had been wrong.

Jenny would find that out. But Jenny, he reflected, going into his office, would try to play it that way.

He had tried, with Charlotte; it was Charlotte who had given up trying. But this time it must be much more discreet. His father had not been happy over the Charlotte episode. There had been a good deal of talk in the New York office and, of course, here.

Charlotte had left of her own free will. One, there was no longer any reason for staying, and two, Mr. Hathaway had demanded that she leave: Justice wouldn't fire her, he would. It had taken a long time for Justice's father to come to the correct conclusion about Miss Granley, but he had done so eventually. From now on in, he would be less indifferent to his son's employees. Last night, for instance, Justice had seen him regarding Jenny thoughtfully more than once.