PLAYBOY'S Secretary

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13138, 12 September 1940, Page 3

PLAYBOY'S Secretary

bv LOUISE RAYBOLD / ... , Fr.luc- S,n.lk*lc. Inc.

chapter in Sidney, eating her solitary JIr ,r in the tiny kitchen of the •"' P .oartmcnt she shared with danger, could hear Sara movhe' , ”,f. h-r room as she dressed to with Curt —could hear the *? r r, «av snatches ot song. g Then. Sara was standing in the iilcben doorway, slim and straight, *£ dTI look. Mother?" she niroted, with “ swirl of her long rt ■'Even It my dress is a year I still think Ifs a honey." "You look lovely, dear.” Sara gave a quick, happy little laugh “Mother, I hope you realize what a lucky girl your daughter is.” -You mean because you’re going out With a rich young society man?” Mrs. Sidney’s tone was not exactly enthusiastic. “Oh, Mother, it’s not because he s rich, that I think -I’m lucky—in fact, T’m not sure that he is very rich. It s because he’s the nicest man I’ve ever ■known!” Sara paused, then asked askiously, “Mother you do like him, xion’t you?”

"He seems very attractive,” the older woman answered guardedly, "and it’s easy to see why you—why you admire him. But ”

“Now, no buts!” Sara protested. "Child, it’s only—well, I don’t like to see you so carried away just because he has taken you out a, few times. A young man of his type, from such a very different environment, is not apt to be seriously interested in you,:—his secretary. It’s only that I’m afraid you are laying yourself open to heartache and unhappiness if you take his attentions too seriously. • Don’t let him turn your head, Sara.”

“I won’t, darling!” Sava answered \ lightly, stepping over to peck her mother on the cheek.

I d much rather see you give more encouragement to Toby Marlin" Mrs Sidney went on. “After nil. he s a very attractive young man, t°o, and he- ” _

Oh, Toby!” Sara shrugged'. “He’s sweet, of course, and I’m awfully ond of him but—well, Toby’s just a nice brother.”

He’s a-nlce boy, Sara. You’d go ong way to find another like him.” Oh, I appreciate his good qual- • Sara agreed, “But Mother, if thi n , stir that certain somem you - he just doesn’t.” ' thia n 1 h6>S your type - and this— Curt Carrington isn’t.” dJ^ t,SWhy 1 like him ” Sara said ' eat fr U> ’ “ Because he is so diffsrMoth Q 0n V any one I ve ever known. 1 hei *. he’s marvellous!” ieftTh minUtes later - as she gaily t ? artment with * Curt to go sighed , tb ® car, Mrs. Sidney Qnd shook her head - Priced Frp k v Sara t 0 a smart > highrented h restaurant - much fre*as th n ? y the s °ctal elect. Sara e *citediv ! ’. and gazed about her *ho S 9 t>i’rh, ryUlg t 0 Plck out people bravura r !! ! b6 had Been in the Supers. r& sect ! oll s of the Sunday "LV at chinp u 1 bere? ” asked Curt, He rpaf ' She breathed. "Hate vn. ed hiS arms on th » table. Sai-T * dea kow lovely you She Sidney?” to urs ( . not B | hed » and laughed - “Of y ° tt to tell I>V& been waitin S for

He grinned, and reached for her hand. “Little imp! But honestly, Sara, you're the prettiest girl in this room —you stand out. I mean it!” Thus, the evening started.

After dinner, they went on to the theatre, where their seats were among the choicest. Sara had never sat so far down front. But she told herself she would have been equally happy in the last row of the top balcony, so - long as Cuct was there beside her. She revelled in his nearness.

The show was a musical-comedy hit filled with laughter and catchy songs. Then, it was over, and they were in the chattering throng streaming through the lobby into the street.

“Let’s look in somewhere for a bite to eat and a dance,” Curt suggested. “Have you any favourite spot?” So the evening wasn’t yet over! “Wherever you say,” Sara smiled. Curt was i*elieved that she did not pick the popular night club that Juliette had nicknamed “Dink’s” in honour of a certain young man with a horn to whom she had taken a

fancy and who, according to the headwaiter, , was Dink somebody. Curt would have liked showing Sara off to those of his friends sure to be found at Dink’s, but wouldn’t have liked running into Juliette,

Hence, he took her to the resplendent Silver Slipper, where the two doormen looked like Kensington guards, and the hat-check girl like a movie Star. Toby , had once taken her to one of the dressier night clubs to celebrate his first raise, but they had been put at a table far off in a corner and had, somehow, felt that they didn’t belong. To-night was different. Tile headwaiter greeted Curt deferentially and quickly led the way to a floor-side table. The orchestra leader twirled bis baton in Curt’s direction and smiled. The w,aiter who took the order called him by name and was most obsequious. Every one knew him, and hurried to serve him.Then, Sara was in his arms, dancing. She as though she were floating through clouds —wished that the evening never end. She thought fleetingly of her mother’s warning not to lose her head over Curt, but shoved it, away. She didn’t want to look one minute beyond the rosy, exciting, lovely present. She felt his arm tighten about her, and dreamily lost herself in the happiness of the moment. As they rounded the end of the floor nearest the entrance, she vaguely noticed a group of new arrivals coming in—then suddenly looked more closely at one particular darkhaired girl. At the same instant, she felt Curt stiffen —-and knew she was right as to the girl’s identity. She had seen her picture in the paper many times. It was Juliette Carter. (To be continued) (The characters in this serial are fictitious)