PLAYBOY'S Secretary

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13137, 11 September 1940, Page 3

PLAYBOY'S Secretary

CHAPTER II n ot the only person that Siira ,‘iu the offices of Carrington to turn down an inand for the evening. '“f “1 Carrington, too, rejected a

“pursued by many but by . more than Juliette Carter, lie I a -phone call from that '"To lady shortly before five o'clock i '°“ , him to join a party she was ®*' n , up -to make a round of the "“ " c ,„b S . When he told her he ”! n't. she protested effusively. m, l t curt, honey, I need you—just the sort of party you ■ , we're going to Dink's first—;„ry one says the new floor show is simply-divince. Say you 11 rfinie dftrdng! ■Sorry. 'Juliette, it’s absolutely no (ilce Previous engagement of long

“"lle'ffitcned patiently while she continued to wheedle, but remained

whe n he finally hung up, he turned to find that his father had tnte red the office and had heard the last part of the conversation. Sturges Carrington, gray-haired and distinguished looking, gazed at him thoughtfully. "Juliette?”

"Yes,” said Curt briefly. "Too bad you had to turn her down, my boy.” The' older man walked over to a window and stood lookiiig out. "You’ve been rather neglecting her of late—and you know how your mother . and I feel about you and Juliette. Ever since you were little tikes together, we’ve hoped—

Curt, rising, broke in hotly, "See here, Dad, you can. run Carrington Md Broderick, but you can’t “Run you, Curt?” His father turned, "No—l’m afraid I can’t. I earned that I6ng ago. You’re pretty Headstrong,” He paused, then said, This previous engagement you ‘Ueutloned is it, by any chance, t' that little secretary of yours?” 'And if it i s ?” Curt replied defiantly.

is father gestured with upturnPalms. ‘Miss Sidney, I have no Ut, a very nice girl but—er—r< y the Sir! for you, Curt. I hope ;“ re , not Soing to make a fool of u ! Se oVer R er - Juliette is your tn .*’• k° y ~~ an cl it’s always best 8 lcl£ to one’s own kind.” Wmself on the corner o'his desk.

trouble wit h Juliette,” he s Uekin 13 that sbes ' to ° t)ent 011 l ,° me ' dust because we’ve a cts f. ayecl ar ound together, she *^ s ,r sh 1 beions to her - she ' s bit f e a nn ei . I ? e ’ and rm setting a up with u!” w?* Carri PSton sighed. “Most law?* W ° Uld be deli Shted to be tou't a-L^, 80 loV6ly a girL You "You P Ckte your good fortune.” * or l(iae * don t appreciate her V Dad^ B^.^ 17 - " Conie ksTlnc .. * “ Juliett e. instead of right. w or 6W m^^ons in her own vr m if P °° r as Sara Sidney, hr as n* 8 iJI be 80 ea ser to have His I daueht ar-in-Iaw?” Was s iient a moment, "'t wani" v Said ' “ Natu rally, I would■Wr for h : r 0U t 0 raar ry Juliette sim*»tt to m a money — 1 wouldn’t want hr, u ()w rry unless you loved li! admit t 0 be Perfectly frank, %ti me l,!l tbe Carter at ° tc arrin»f gbt salva S e what is left Moa and Broderick.”

bv LOUISE RAYBOLD *■' ' Di.tr, by United Feature STT.dlc.tr. Inc.

Curt’s head lifted quickly. “Salvage? Are things really as bad as that. Dad?” “As bad as they can possibly be. son. If we don’t land that Remo Dam contract, we’ll be in a very precarious position.” Curt frowned. “But we’re going to land it. The Foulton company is our only serious competitor.” “We only need one,” his father pointed otit. “If they win ” “Oh, stop worrying, Dad! The contract’s in the bag. The Poulton outfit hasn’t a chance of getting it. W T hy, they, didn’t get wind of the Maruban government’s intention to dam the Remo River until after our field agents had been on the ground for three months!” Sturges Carrington shrugged. “I only hope you’re right. But until the contract actually is ‘in the bag,’ as you say ” “You don’t want me to lose sight of little Juliette?” Curt smiled. “Okay, Dad—if you, insist.” He glanced at his wrist watch, then started for the door. “I’ve got to run along. Have to get home and change.” “Curt ... is your date with Miss Sidney?” Curt paused, with his hand on the

doorknob. “It’s with the prettiest girl on the company’s payroll!” he

said gaily, then strode out. Sturges Carrington returned to his own office and, for half an hour, paced back and forth, back and forth, a worried frown on his brow. Was Curt really seriously interested in that little Sydney girl? Would he actually pass up Juliette Carter for a girl like that?

Gwendolyn Pickett, his secretary for more than thirty years, heard his restless pacing, from her cubicle outside bis office, and would not put on her wispy bat and unfashionable coat to leave until he did.

I The girls in the outer office gathered up their belongings and departed. Rose Kennedy, going out with Brenda Kraus, murmured, "That Pickett woman! She’d stay here until midnight if the boss asked her to —and consider herself honoured! Such demotion! Never a thought for anything but Carrington and Broderick —particularly Sturges Carrington! That’s what comes of working all your life for a man. She’s nothing but a slave,, Oh, well . . .” Sturges Carrington went on pacing. His thoughts turned from Curt to the financial condition of the firm. Through many years, Carrington and Broderick had stood high in the engineering world —had built up a fine reputation and amassed enviable profits. Until recently, its soundness had never been threatened.

However, during the last few years, things had gone badly. In particular the firm had had stiff competition from Poulton, Inc., a comparatively new organization, which had won several big contracts that Carrington and Broderick had counted on getting. Now, one of the, biggest of all—for the damming of the Remo River in, Maruba, South America —was soon to be granted. Bids must be submitted within the. next few weeks to a Maruban government commission that had been sent up to New York. The company that landed that contract would not make a neat profit but would be in line for other Maruban projects. Carrington and Broderick had been aiming at It for months —had

had their field agents in South America making surveys and preparing blueprints. If the firm should fail to get the contract and' couldn't raise more capital—well, it would go on the rocks. Sturges Carrington paused in his stride, and shook his head gloomily. “And Curt picks a time like this,” he muttered, to slight’a five-million dollar heiress for a penniless little secretary!” . (To be continued) (The characters in this serial are fictitious)