The East Clevelander

LOVER, BE KIND
By ELIN SORDS
Copyright 1933, by Elin Sords

So Ma was at the bottom of it all! Mercy could hardly credit Mrs. Bowers with any intention of the affair going this far, or hurting her the way it had. She had probably just wanted to warn Merilee that Ray was taken with another girl. Mercy did not know, of course, of Ray's having called Stella up asking for her address. Nor of Ma's listening in.

"So that's how it is?" sneered Ray. "You and your mother been talking us over, eh?"

"Well. I warned you about calling up the house, Ray, and you know it," returned Stella.

"I also told you about the extension telephone. Ma heard every word you said to me the morning after the party."

Turning to Mercy she began to explain.

"Ray called me the morning after the party to get your telephone number and your street address. I wouldn't give it to him and I told him why. Ray has a rather hard reputation, I don't mind telling him to his face: Merilee has had more than one bad time of it with him chasing after other girls. And she's jealous as a cat."

Things began to clear a bit for Mercy. She was beginning to understand some of the mystery now - the reason for the unexpected scene at the store, how Merilee had heard of Ray's admiration for a new girl. Whether or not Ray knew what had taken place at the store, Mercy did not know. Nor whether Stella knew.

"Let me ask a question or two," began Mercy, quietly.

"Stella, have you heard that Merilee came to me at the store today?"

"Yes that's what Ma and I had the row about. When Merilee came bursting in with the exciting news that she had slapped your face in the store this afternoon, the whole truth came out - how Ma had listened in when Ray called me, how she had run blabbing to Merilee, and finally how Merilee had attacked you in the store. Believe me, I was furious when I heard all that! Maybe I lit into Ma a little too hard. Anyhow, we had a terrible row and finally I said so much that Ma and I agreed to part company.

There's some things I won't stand for, and spying on my friends is one of them," Stella spoke with some heat.

Now the mystery had been cleared up so far as Mercy was concerned. but she still had a little bombshell to explode for the other two.

"Merilee certainly did her work well," she said bitterly.

"Mr. Cardigan fired me!"

Ray was on his feet instantly.

"Merilee did that?" he cried, sobered. shocked.

Stella looked blank for a moment, then she laughed.

"Well. I thought I had a piece of news for you, Mercy, but yours beats mine all hollow. Never mind, kid, cheer up. Things can't be much worse, so they'll have to get better."

CHAPTER 13
Stella and Mercy Talk It Over.

Breakfast was a cozy meal, with Pippy chirping pleasantly in his cage in spite of the thin showers of rain which fell gently. shutting out the world, with the coffee "purking" softly and Stella. in brilliant negligee, like the plumage of some rare tropical bird, sitting opposite Mercy, rosy and fresh from her tub, busy being a polite hostess.

The two girls had not talked very much the night before. Stella was too depressed, for her, and Mercy too exhausted after the trying scene with Ray. So they had read a little and turned out the lights early, each girl glad to be alone and quiet.

But morning, a new day, that was different. They had been cheerful, even gay, over the preparations, and now with breakfast fairly under way their tongues had loosened and conversation began to flow naturally.

It was Stella who touched on the delicate subject first

"I suppose you are wondering why Ma threw me out, aren't you, Mercy?" she asked, helping herself to home-made jam.

"You were a dear to take me in, like that, with no questions asked."

"What is friendship for, I should like to know." demanded Mercy, "if not to be friendly without asking questions?"

"That's a nice way to look at it," Stella replied, buttering a second piece of toast. "All the same, I know you are bursting to know about the whole affair. . There is more to it than what Merilee did to you. Only I didn't care to have Ray know it all."

"Well, I am rather curious, Stella.

But not if you'd rather not tell." She leaned forward, cupping her round little chin in her hands, the sleeves of her orchid dressing gown falling away from rounded white arms. her blue eyes bright with interest.

(To be Continued)