"ANN STEPS OUT"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1938, Page 10

"ANN STEPS OUT"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT, s*

By

MARGARET GORMAN NICHOLS.

CHAPTER Xll.—(Continued)

John Hamill was back in his office. Miss Wallace, who had been his secretary, returned from a prolonged vacation and was immediately placed as secretary to another man in me office. Ann was conscious ot unpleasant wnispenngs behind her back. "Ann walked into something nice.” "What did I tell you? Didn’t i say that J. H. would never have Wallace back?” "You can’t tell me —something’s funny there. J H. was sick at home, and Ann. went to his home to work.”

For several days the girls in the office snubbed her and whispered about her. Miss Wallace went about with redrimmed eyes. Ann felt sorry for her, but was timid about approaching .her for fear Miss Wallace would unleash her feelings and blame her. She came into the dressing room and found Miss Wallace there. The older woman looked at her reproachfully. “1 hope you’re satisfied,” she said in a broken voice. "Ever since you came here, you’ve been trying to get my job.” “That isn’t true,” cried Ann. "I am not to be blamed for this!” "I’d been his secretary for years, and just because you’re young and good looking . . .”

Ann pitied the woman. Women like that lived for their employers and their work. They had nothing else to live for. "I’m sorry,” she said.

That afternoon she was taking dictation from John. Suddenly her hand stopped. "I—l want to ask you about something,” she said. “Perhaps I shouldn’t. But there is a great deal of unpleasant talk in the outer office about Miss Wallace being made Mr Lord’s secretary.” “And they are blaming you,” he said. “I know. Employers see a great deal they pretend not to see. You’re not to let it bother you. There’s, always gossip in offices. It will die down. Miss Wallace’s salary has not been reduced. She’s been a faithful and efficient secretary, but I want you.” That was Wednesday and Friday was Doug's wedding day. In her room Ann debated with herself whether or not she should go. If she didn’t go, people would pity her and say she couldn’t bear to see the boy she had loved be married to another girl. If she went, she knew that she would be hurt.

"I’d go if I were you,” said Jean, sitting on Ann’s bed and pulling on her stockings. “I’d show him I could stand it. He thinks you’re home, eating your heart out because of him. Ye Gods — and John and Nick Hamill are both crazy about you!” ' “John,” said, “but not Nick.” “Well —if I had to choose between the two of them, I’d take Nick. He’s handsome and rich and amusing.” “Nick thinks of me as a girl he wants to marry to his lonely brother.”

“But that still doesn’t answer the question. Are you going to the wedding?” Jean twinkled her pert little nose. “Gosh, Emmanuel church and all the trimmings. I wish I could see it. I like fancy weddings. Only when people are poor, it’s a waste of money to spend it on a grand show like that. Reception at Gail’s home. Yon ought to go, Aim. It’s admitting a broken heart, if you don’t.” “Then, too, there is the subject of clothes,” Ann said. “Why don’t you spend some of the money John Hamill gave you?” “I gave it back —all that I didn’t use on the trip to New York.” “You’re crazy. You ought to dress up and go to the wedding and make Doug see what he missed.” “You haven’t seen Gail Tracy,” said Ann.

Jean got up, smoothed down her dress over her slim little hips, and went downstairs. “Jean and Dick Nelson remind me of the way Doug and I used to be,” thought Ann. “Only in this case it's going to last. Jean has learned her lesson.” Mrs Dryden came into the room. “Jean says you don’t want to go to the wedding because of clothes,” said her mother. “We don’.t have very much on our charge accounts now. Why don’t you get a new dress for the wedding. I want you to look nice. It's going to be a very fashionable wedding.” “If I go, T won't go to the reception. I’d be alone, and I wouldn’t know many people.” “You could borrow Linda’s fur coat next door. She’s borrowed enough of your clothes.” The next day in her lunch hour Ann bought a new dress. It was a blue chiffon Sunday night dress that reached her ankles and hugged every curve of her body. “Buying a dress for Doug’s wedding” she thought, looking in the long mirrow in the department store. “All dressed up to watch Doug marry Gail. He won’t see me. He won’t even know I’m there. He won’t know that I went into debt to buy a dress for his wedding.” That afternoon in the office John asked. “Did your sister go back to school?” “No,” Ann smiled. “She said she couldn't bear high school after such a grown-up experience in New York. She’s hounding the employment agencies looking for a job.” He put down his pen. “Why didn’t you send her to me?” Ann’s face coloured. “Oh, I couldn’t. You’ve done so much. I’d have been ashamed to ask you." vloighvD/edK h:aupgtairsow( Sh M "But 1 can use a girl in the office. There’s always a great deal of filing to be done.” "She can take dictation, too.” "That’s fine. Miss Wallace is failing. She’s a lot older than she looks. I’m going to pension her soon. One of the other girls will be promoted to be secretary to Mr Lord, and there will be a vacancy for another stenographer. Until then your sister can be trained in the-work.” "Eve said, ‘thank you.’ so much that it no longer sounds as though I’m grateful. But I am.” “Send here in tomorrow morning. I’ll speak to Mr Prestorj about her."

CHAPTER XIII

There was a general celebration that evening at dinner when Jean learned she had a position. Dick Nelson was there. “Mr Hamill certainly is a kind man,” said Mr Dryden. “I don't like office work very much.” said Jean, “but I guess it’s the only thing I can do.” She smiled impudently in Ann’s direction. “Until somebody in the family marries for money.” "There you go again," said Mrs Dry-

den, "talking as if money's the only thing in the world. 1 should think after what happened you’d be happy to get a job in me same office with Ann."

"I am! I won't have to wear Ann’s clothes any more, and 1 can pitch in and help out the family finances a little.”

Dick said, "I know a man who’s had business dealing with Mr Hamill. He says he’s a very fine man and very wealthy. He hasn’t made it all in the advertising business. It was left him. The Hamills have always had money.”

"I think it’s funny,” said Mrs Dryden, “that the two brothers don’t live together.” "They’ve got a mother and an old maid sister living in Roland Park,” said Dick. "They’re pretty hard to get along with. The old lady’s an invalid and the sister lost the man she was engaged to in the war. They’re stiff-backed aristocrats.”

John’s mother and sister! Ann had heard of them but she had never given them a thought. What would they say to John’s marrying his secretary, a poor girl from a middle-class family? Aristocrats!

“There’s the telephone,” said Jean. “It’s probably one of the Hamills now. We’re getting to be important people with the Hamills calling us.”

Ann went upstairs to answer the telephone. “It’s Nick,” said the drawling casual voice. "A bad penny turned up.. But I've got to be brief because I’m in a hurry. Lot of people waiting for me to join them. “It’s nice to hear from you, if only for a minute. A party, you say?” "Yes. I just wanted to tell you that I‘m coming to Baltimore Friday morning. It got an invitation to the wedding. I am sure it was Gail who sent it. I’m coming,” said Nick, "to take you and after the wedding I have a surprise!” The church was beautifully decorated. Most of the guests were there when Ann arrived and walked down the aisle with her arm through Nick’s. It was a gathering of beautifully dressed people, who were there to see the marriage solemnized between Douglas St John and Gail Tracy, the dashing, beautiful Gail.

Music pealed forth from an unseen organ, and there was the fragrance of flowers everywhere. Doug’s parents did not see Ann; she wondered what they would think if they saw her with Nick Hamill. The aristocratic looking gentleman Nick pointed out was Gail’s father. Her mother was dead. Ahn felt that Nick had come to see her through this thing. It would have been unbearable to 'sit here alone and wait —wait for the wedding march that would bring Doug and Gail to the altar and. unite them forever. "You look lovely,” said Nick, “in your blue dress.” “And my borrowed coat,” whispered Ann, smiling. “I wish this were over. Lot of people here just for what they can see.” “I wouldn’t have a wedding like this,” said Ann. “I want to be married very quietly and go away at once. No people. No fuss. Just the man and I. I wouldn’t want to go to Europe either. I'd want to go to a mountain lodge or some place like that on my - honeymoon.”

“I’ve always had the same idea myself,” said Nick. “I think getting married is a very personal affair. I don’t see why a lot of curious people should be entertained.”

Ann was suddenly thoughtful. She had visualized many times marrying Doug in just such a brilliant atmosphere as this. She had thought of it so much that it had almost become a reality. But one night —New Year’s Eve —had wiped out in one bold stroke all the dreams of many yeai's. It was Gail and not she who would join him al the altar. She looked down at her hands and took a long breath. Old memories of Doug and the times they had had together flashed through her mind. Doug in a serious mood saying, "Kiss me, Ann. One more kiss tonight. One of these days we won’t have to say “goodnight.’ ” Good night! Now it was good bye. “All right, Ann?” asked Ni6k.

“Yes. Can’t stop thinking.” He wished there were something he could say to her. Sensitive as she was this was hurting more than she showed. She looked lovely, he thought, in her filmy blue dress with the gardenias he had sent pinned on her shoulder. He saw that her slim hands trembled a little. He saw her clasp them tightly together. When Doug appeared at the altar with his attendant, Nick took her hand and pressed it between his palms.

It was the first time she had seen Doug for weeks and she had a feeling that she was going to cry. Cry here in the church —with Nick beside her and everyone knowing! She bit her lip. She thought, "There he is—handsomer than I remember his ever being —the way his dark hair grows back from his forehead, his face tanned. He looks supremely confident. He is never nervous . .

There was suddenly the familiar wedding march and the doors in the back of the church opened. Ann turned her head to see Gail and her attendants enter.

She wasn’t thinking of how beautiful Gail looked and the proud, poised smile on her lips. Gail was not thinking now of Doug or of marriage. She was thinking that everybody was looking at her and thought how beautiful she looked, and that her wedding would be the most discussed one of the season.

Nick’s strong hand still held Ann's. She looked at him for reassurance. Slowly, to the strains of the music, Gail walked down the aisle. She passed where Nick and Ann were sitting and then joined Doug at the altar. Ann did not hear what the clergyman said. Her ears were ringing with her now perturbed thoughts. She had not believed that this could be true. It couldn't be—yet it was happening before her eyes like a beautiful pageant. It was as though all those girlish drcams came tumbling down to earth with Gail and Doug standing there before her, close together. It was over in a short time. Nick released her hand and held her coat for her. The bridal party passed out of the church. Gail and Doug—man and wife! People about them were whispering what a handsome couple they were, and what a brilliant match it was.

Nick said, "Let's gel out of here. It’s almost suffocating.” They walked two blocks and got into Nick's car. He turned to her. “Poor kid. That was an ordeal for you wasn't it? I thought you'd gotten over it more than that. But I should know by this time that you don't get over things easily.” Her attempts to be gallant were almost futile. Nick couldn’t help seeing that look in her eyes. “I thought I had, too,” she said in a tense voice, “until I saw him again. But it is over now. It must be.” Nick put 'his foot oii the starter. “You’re not keen about going to this reception, are you?” Ann pulled the collar of her coat around her chin. "No. But it’s one of those things one must do—to be gallant.” Cars were ’ lined several blocks around the Tracy home. It was a large house almost obscured from the main street by thick shrubbery and high trees. “Prepare yourself for a lot of overdressed bores,” said Nick. "They’re your kind. Society people, I mean. They’re not mine.” (To be Continued,)