The Lincoln Times

Although Sally Alliston, airline stewardess, knows that Jimmy Kennedy is a great flirt, she finds herself succumbing to his charms. Sally's mother, housekeeper for the rich Jethrup family, urges Sally to set her cap for Philip Jethrup. While dining with Philip, Catherine Wingate, heiress, stops beside their table and informs Sally that she is engaged to Philip. Sally departs at once. Helen Stafford asks Jimmy Kennedy to go to a party. He is greatly surprised to see Dronda Moore, stage star, at this party. On a previous occasion Jimmy had kissed Dronda, had gotten slapped, and suffered the suspension of his job because of his act.

CHAPTER VI

"There are many things in her favor, and in Sally's favor. A splendid girl, young Sally. If you were not a Jethrup I would promptly give your marriage to her my blessing. But you are a Jethrup."

"Grandfather, you're out of date. The world is changing. And for the better, if you ask me. There is no longer such a thing as high society, or best people. Hasn't the war taught you that? How can there be castes in a nation where everyone, rich or poor, is risking his life and his treasure for the common good?"

"The pendulum swings one way, then the other, Philip. Now it is on the Equality side, but it will not remain there. Why? Because certain people are shrewder, more talented than others. And then what would happen, if you married Sally? You live in our society, Philip, and your friends are all in it, your worldly possessions are all in it. You know perfectly well that Sally would not be happy living in a world she did not belong in. Can you do that to her? Do you find it within yourself to give her a lifetime of unhappiness? Bah!"

No answer to that question then, no answer to it now, and consequently no peace. He scowled as he stood up. Of course he didn't ever want to make Sally unhappy. He loved her too deeply for that, had loved her too deeply from childhood days ever to want to do anything to take the joy light from her eyes. Beautiful eyes, deep purple eyes that made him thrill with pleasure every time he saw them, that made his heart beat faster, that made his senses swim.

An idea occurred to him, and he turned and made his way toward the park exit just as one of the girls playing with the rag ball came down hard on her panties again....

"Sally!" Mike caught her arm as she swung past him without seeing him. "Sally, you can't leave the field angry. Please, let's talk a minute."

"I'm not angry, Mike. Just sorry. I had to hurt you and I didn't want to. Mike, why couldn't you have been content with what we had."

"I can't control my heart, Sally; no man can."

"But at least you could control your tongue, and use your eyes," she said sarcastically.

Miss Hanscomb interrupted at this point.

"Do you wish to see Mr. Perkin?"

"I'm sorry, Sally. But I wanted to tell you that I love you, I wanted to tell you that very much."

"But I don't love you, Mike. I couldn't." She took a deep breath.

"You see... there's someone else."

"Sally!"

But his face was no whiter than her own!

Jimmy looked at Helen Stafford and smiled. Again he had gone to see her at the apartment, which was rather odd, considering that he had once told her he never wanted to see her again. That had been four years ago, when Helen, catching him dancing with another girl when he was supposed to have taken her to a party, had thrown her glass of wine full in his face. He had said he did not like hot-tempered women, and their little romance, the romance which Helen had hoped would lead to marriage, had come to a decided end.

But there was a quality of goodness to Helen which Jimmy liked, and could not resist. All he knew was that the goodness appealed to him and drew him to her, even when she was angry with him. He dropped to the sofa beside her and snaked his arm around her shoulders,

"Good cherub, you can't stay angry with me."

"Jimmy..." she breathed in an excess of emotion.

He caught the little sigh; were his ears always so sensitively attuned?

"Awfully soft, cherub."

"Am I, Jimmy?"

She closed her eyes as an old emotion flared up inside her. His lips coming down were met by hers halfway.

"Silly," he muttered, "very silly."

Then he caught her tightly against him and rained little kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, the soft hollow of her throat. Sally, coming in quietly through the door, looked and gasped, then moaned:

"Jimmy! Helen!"

"Sally!" Helen sprang to her feet and darted after the girl. She caught her near the door and gripped her arm with trembling fingers. "Sally, listen to me!"

"My own friend. What a laugh!"

"Sally, you must listen to me. You must!"

"Listen to you!" The girl's bosom heaved with the depth of her fury.

"No, you listen to me, Helen Stafford. And you, too, Jimmy! I'm finished with you both. Yes, and that goes for Mike, too. You're all contemptible. You hear. I'm through!"

A sob broke from her throat as she turned and stumbled into the bedroom and over to the closet. Helen, about to dash after her, was brought to a halt by a ring of the doorbell.

Philip Jethrup. A Philip Jethrup who was still looking for peace....

A half-hour later, while Helen and Jimmy, mute and white-faced, looked on, he carried Sally's suitcases out of the apartment. The girl, stony-faced, gave them one disgusted glance, then passed quickly through the door.

Mary Alliston's philosophy was not in the least bit complex.

She believed that things had a way of working out well for a person if only that person were sensible enough to be patient.

"Ah, here you are, madam," growled Grandfather Jethrup. "Please sit down!"

"Grandfather Jethrup," she murmured, "I have so many things to do. I hope this won't take long."

"Bah! Don't try your tricks on me, woman. I can detect false meekness, false flattery, false everything even without eye, and that a poor one. Now then, what is this nonsense about young Sally? Why is she here?"

"She wished to be with me, Grandfather Jethrup. I didn't think you would have any objections."

"You mean you did not believe I would offer them, eh? You are a pathetic creature, Mrs. Alliston. You don't own half the cleverness you credit yourself with. I know why the girl is here, as does Catherine."

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't know what you mean."

"Now you add lies to make the matter worse. Do you know one good reason why I should not discharge you, Mrs. Alliston?"

"If you are displeased with me you would be very foolish not to, Grandfather Jethrup. I have done my best for you for twenty years, but don't consider that. No, judge me from day to day."

"Tut, the words do not deceive me. Well, on your way. A scheming, traitorous servant has never been tolerated in this house, and one never will be."

"I have done no scheming," she denied loudly. "All I have done is offered my daughter a refuge when things became too difficult for her to bear!"

"You will make it quite clear to your daughter that Philip is engaged to marry Miss Wingate, and that I intend to see that he keeps that pledge!"

"But he doesn't love her," she said frantically. "You can't expect him to marry a woman he doesn't love. That would be indecent!"

"You will tell your daughter that, or clear out."

"But..."

He cut her short with a curt gesture of his hand. "Yes or no, Mrs. Alliston?"

The color gleamed in her high cheek-bones as she inclined her head.

"I am a good servant, Mr. Jethrup. I shall tell her."

Her step was the step of an old, defeated woman as she returned to the hall. The thought that Sally and Philip were out on a picnic together wasn't enough to restore the confidence of a moment before, either.

It was true that Sally and Philip had started out for a good, old-fashioned picnic. But as they rolled down the highway, the drone of an airplane motor reminded her of something she had planned to do, and she asked Philip to take her to New York instead.

She walked slowly into the office of Mr. Perkin, appearing just as Mike was wheeling around to leave. He stopped dead still and looked at her with her pleading blue eyes.

"Sally-"

"Hello, Mike. May I introduce Mike White, Philip?"

Philip bowed and extended a hand.

"I've heard about you, Mike. You seem to be one of Sally's favorite people."

"Am I?" Mike asked it directly and received a little self-conscious nod for an answer, which brought the old gayety to his face. "Swell!"

"I'm leaving the company, Mike," she vouchsafed after an embarrassing pause. "Funny, don't you think? Once I thought being a stewardess was the grandest career in the world."

"Hey, are you crazy or something?"

"But after all," she continued lightly, "there are more important things. Such as marriage, Mike."

"Jimmy!" His face worked. "Helen told me about the scene at the apartment. But you shouldn't have walked out on her, Sally."

"What wonderful friends I have!"
Philip caught her arm as she started for the inner office. "Sally, you should at least think a minute. You spent a lot of time learning your business."

"There are other professions, Philip."

"Besides," shouted Mike, "Jimmy has quit. You won't have to worry about him any more."

(Continued Next Week)