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George's Wild Oats
By ALLAN EPPES
UNDERNEATH a barn was the
last place you'd have ex-
pected to find George
Martin, rising young
attorney in the small town
of Elkton—and yet, there he
was! Crawling around as
though he were six years old
instead of twenty-six.
"Drat lt!" he muttered, as
he peered about in the dim-
ness. "I know darn well it
did blow under here."
And then he found it—a piece of paper,
yellow from age, and covered with a crudely
drawn map and almost illegible writing. But
instead of coming out into the open, now
that he had found what he'd been searching
for, he stuffed the paper into his pocket,
calmly turned over upon his back, and
sighed contentedly.
He rather liked it under here. It was cool
and quiet—and a place where no irksome
invitations could reach him, phoned or
otherwise.
George, on leaving his office a short time
before, had told his friend, Lee Morgan,
who had an office across the hall, that he
was going to the courthouse to dig up some
data in connection with a boundry-line case
he had on hand. But Lee knew, as well as
he did, that his chief reason for leaving the
office had been to escape Mrs. Burt, who was
waiting in a car under his window.
"She's probably come to take you on one
of her impromptu picnics," Lee had said,
after taking a peek out the window. "Aggie's
with her—lovely little Aggie—and a
hamper!"
"Oh, gosh!" George had groaned.
"Lucky devil!" said Lee. "No mothers of
beautiful daughters ever wait under my
window." He took another peek. "She's
getting out of the car. She's on her way
up!"
George grew panicky. "I'm not going with
her! Darned if I am! The last time, I got
insects all over me, and ate sandwiches
flavored with ants and salted with sand."
He grabbed his hat. "I'll go out the back
way!"
With that, he had dashed out into the
hall, and down the rear stairs.
Now, relaxed under the barn, he was glad
to be where he could think without interrup-
tion. How weary he was of incessant invita-
tions from Elkton's admiring mothers — to
dinners, suppers, parties, dances. All he
asked was to be left alone to follow in his
dad's and granddad's footsteps, and become
a successful lawyer. But those idiotic
mothers would keep after him!
It was, "Oh, George dear, do come to
dinner! My little girl wants you to take her
to a dance," or, "George, be a darling, and
help me out! My foolish child needs a fourth
for bridge."
And always it was the mothers who pur-
sued him—never the daughters. Oh, no!
They thought him as slow as molasses in
none Help
January, called him "The White Sheep" be-
hind his back, and much preferred his more
dashing friend, Lee Morgan. But since the
mothers disapproved of Lee as thoroughly
as they approved of him, poor old Lee was
left out in the cold, while he was eternally
hounded.
His thoughts turned backward, and he
found himself remembering the things which
had forced him to take life seriously and
stick to work, thus making him what the
Elkton mothers now considered perfect son
in-law material.
He saw himself once more as the fright-
ened little boy whose father had gone over-
seas to France, never to return-the little
boy who had watched his lovely, widowed
mother struggling to make ends meet, and
to keep the old Martin homestead intact.
He saw himself as he was a little later on
a boy who had been so busy going to school
and doing odd jobs to help his mother, that
he had had no time for boyhood fun; and
still later, as the stunned, heartsick youth
standing beside his mother's grave.
After that, he had studied harder than
ever to complete the law course his mother
had urged him to take. As a result, he had
forgotten how to play, how to get any joy
out of living.
And now, because he had led a quiet,
earnest and commendable existence from
sheer necessity, Elkton's mothers put him on
a pedestal and fairly flung their daughters
at him, making the daughters as well as him
thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Who's under there?" a feminine voice
suddenly demanded, breaking In upon
George's unhappy reverie.
He was startled. He lifted his head and
saw a pair of very shapely ankles close to
the barn. Then the ankles disappeared,
and there was a girl's face peering at him
In astonishment. It was Ellen Vaughan,
owner of the barn.
George, feeling like a complete fool, turned
over on his stomach, and began to squirm
his way out.
"George Martin!" exclaimed Ellen. "What
on earth are you doing under my barn?"
"Hello, Ellen. I-I-was looking for some-
thing."
George finished crawling out, stumbled to
his feet, and, as he brushed dust and dirt
from his clothing, explained about the aged
map he had lost while taking a short cut
back from the courthouse to his office.
"It blew under the barn," he said, "and
I had to go after it."
Ellen took his arm. "You'd better come
up to the house and wash your face. The
city fathers will never nominate you for
mayor If they see you looking as you do
now!"
"I don't think," said George, "I want to be
mayor."
"Why, George!"
"In fact," he went on vehemently, "I wish
the city mothers would also leave me alone!"
Ellen, who had no mother of her own but
knew all about the matchmaking mother;
oí the other Elkton girls, glanced at Georgi
and thought how strange it was that a man
who was so skilled in handling other people Í
legal affairs had such a difficult time man-
aging his own personal affairs. And she
found herself experiencing a desire to take
him in her arms, as though he were a small
boy, and comfort him. She had often felt
that way-ever since they had been children
together.
"George," she said, shrewdly, as they
reached the house, "you were staying under
the barn on purpose, weren't you? To get
away from-the mothers."
"Yes," George confessed. "I was."
"If you hate their invitations that much,
why do you accept them?"
"I can't afford to offend people who are
my clients-or may become my clients."
"So you go on being bored stiff at their
parties?"
"Yes."
Ellen stopped suddenly, and tightened her
hold on his arm.
"George," she said, "I've got an Idea!"
"What ls it?"
"Why don't you jump down off your
pedestal, and-and-sow some oats-wild
ones! That would put a stop to their In-
vitations!"
George gaped at her.
EORGE was dumbfounded by Ellen's sug
gestion. When he finally found his
voice he spoke sternly.
"And I thought you were the one sensible
girl in Elkton!"
"It's because I am sensible that I'm sug-
gesting that you do something to get your-
self out of your predicament," Ellen retorted.
"Sowing wild oats might scare off the
mothers," said George, "but lt would also
scare off all my business! It would ruin
my reputation as a lawyer!" He hesitated,
then added, "And-and-besides, I wouldn't
know how to start."
Ellen smiled. "You mean you might start
if you knew how?"
George didn't answer, but, as they went I
up the steps to the rear porch of the house,
it was plain that he was turning the idea
over in his mind.
"I'll make some tea," said Ellen, "while
you get cleaned up."
A little later they were seated at a
little table on the porch, looking out over
the Vaughan garden. As soon as Ellen had
poured the tea, she reverted to the sug-
gestion she had made.
"I don't think that a few wild oat«
would hurt your reputation as a lawyer. I
Women will go to an oat-sowing attorney I
for legal advice, even though they might I
not accept him as a son-in-law."
George was thoughtful. "Maybe there's I
something in what you say." He looked I
at Ellen uncertainly. "Are you sure you I

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

wouldn't think any the less of me If I
started to have a sort of-sort of fling?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"It sounds as crazy as a farce out of Holly-

wood, but-but-"

"But what?"

"Well ... I still don't know how to
begin."

"There ought to be a dizzy blonde," said

Ellen.

"I don't know any blondes that are dizzy."
"If only there were a gay divorcee you
could rush ..." Ellen mused.

"I don't like gay divorcees."

"That doesn't matter. You can't be fussy
when you are out to make the Elkton
mothers decide you aren't so noble, after all."

"Yes," said George, solemnly. "I guess
you're right."

"Of course I'm right." Ellen brightened.
"Lee Morgan ought to know some dashing
creature who would fill the bill. He's been
pretty gay."

"Just a lot of gossip," said George. "Polks
have exaggerated Lee's blackness. He's a
swell fellow! I'll bet he's going to make a
big success of his real-estate business and

"Don't start praising Lee," Ellen cut in.
"We aren't here to talk about his business
but his past. I still say he should be able
to give you some pointers on how to shock
the mothers."

George said suddenly, "I have a better
suggestion."

"What?"

"Why don't you marry me and take me
out of circulation?"

Ellen laughed. "What a romantic pro-
posal. Nc, Georgie-you and I have been
like brother and sister ever since we were
knee high but . . ."

"But what?" George urged.

"But you know perfectly well that you're
not in love with me." Ellen studied him a
moment. "George . . . have you ever been

in love?"

"I don't think so." He sighed, then went
on as though he were speaking to himself.
"I've always had the feeling that some day
I'd look up-and there she'd be."

"Who?"

"The girl I love . .. Standing there smiling
at me, as though to say, 'Well, here I

am!' "

"Why. George Martin, I never knew you
could talk like that!"

"I guess it does sound rather silly."
"It doesn't! It sounds beautiful."
"Do you really think so?"

"I do. Why, if you ever talked to Aggie
Burt like that-or Lucy May Carter or
almost any girl-she'd probably fall right
into your arms."

"Gosh!" said George. "I won't, then!"
"But to get back to your oat-sowing-you
will ask Lee's advice, won't you?"

"I guess so ... if you think it's the
thing to do."

"It is the thing to do, if you want to
make the Elkton mothers leave you alone."

"I want that all right!" George said fer-
vently. "I've got a lot of work I could get
done-extra studying, I mean-if my social
life didn't take up so much of my time."

"And now," said Ellen, "I want some
advice from you."

"What about?"

"About those old houses that Dad left
me. I think I ought to spend some money
fixing them up. I'd have more chance of
renting them, don't you think?"

"Yes, I do," said George. "But look
why don't you take that up with Lee? I
mean, turn the houses over to^him. You

really should have an agent to handle them
for you, and-uh-Lee needs more business."

Ellen smiled and patted his hand. "You're
sweet, George. Always thinking of others

"Well, Lee's my best friend."

"Just the same, you are sweet." Ellen
picked up his cup. "More tea?"

"No, thanks," George rose. I must be
getting back to the office. An unexpected
but none the less welcome client might pop
in."

Ellen walked with him to the front door.
"Promise me something, George."

"Anything-if it isn't too incriminating."
"Promise to come and tell me all about it
when you start cutting capers."

"Good heavens, do you mean you plan to
get a vicarious kick out of my little fling
-if I decide to take one?"

"Of course I do." Ellen smiled. "Haven't
we always made confidants of each other?"

Then, as George went down the walk, she
stood looking after him, a thoughtful pucker
between her fine brows.

VyHILE George was wending his way back

to his office, Mrs. Carter, the most per-
sistent of all the Elkton mothers, was park-
ing her car in front of the little building
in which his office was located.

Lucy May, her daughter, seated beside
her, watched the procedure critically.

"Of course, Mother, you've parked much
too close to the fire hydrant," she com-
mented.

"What of it?" Mrs. Carter retorted. "I
have a perfect right to park here when I'm
calling on my lawyer!"

Ehe pressed a gloved hand down hard on
the horn button on the steering-wheel, and
glanced up at George's second-floor window.
When he did not appear she honked again,
loudly.

"Good heavens!" said Lucy May. "If you
must see George, I'll go up and get him.
There's no need of disturbing the peace as
well as parking too close to a hydrant!"

"Don't be impertinent, Lucy May! And
stay where you are-if anyone goes up to
George's office, I'll go."

The girl sighed. "You're afraid I might
sneak in to see Lee Morgan, aren't you? And
if you think I don't know why you're going
to invite George to your dinner, on Saturday
night, you're mistaken. You want him for
dinner so that I can't go to the country-club
dance with Lee! You-"

"Hush!" Mrs. Carter honked the horn
again, so abruptly that Lucy May jumped.
"I don't wish to discuss Lee Morgan. How
many times do I have to tell you that I don't
want you to have anything to do with that
reprobate? How you can prefer him to
George, I can't understand! George is a
gentleman, through and through!"

"Yes," said Lucy May. "Such a gentleman
-and such a bore!"

Mrs. Carter bristled. "That will do, Lucy
May! Some day you'll realise that I know
best. Some day you'll realise that George
is worth ten of that good-for-nothing Lee
Morgan!" She climbed out of the car.
"I'll go on up. George is probably busy,
and doesn't hear the horn."

"He'd have to be stone deaf not to hear
lt," Lucy May muttered, under her breath.

Then, when her mother was gone she
slumped down in the car. She sighed once
more, thinking of George and Lee. What
a contrast between the two of them!
George, so commendable, but so unromantic.
Lee, so reckless of the town's opinion
of him, but such a perfectly wonderful love
maker i

Lee wanted to marry her1, but her mother
had forbidden her even to see him, and was
forever throwing George at her head. It
was a discouraging situation. Not that
George wasn't sweet-he was, and she liked
him. But he was so unexciting, while Lea
. . . Lee was thrilling!

Meanwhile, inside the building, in which
both George and Lee had offices, Mrs. Carter
had plodded up the steep stairs to the second
floor. Out of breath, she paused a moment
to fan herself with her handkerchief, then
opened the door to George's office, and
stepped in.

There was no one in sight, but she could
hear the clatter of a typewriter in a back
room. Dear George, she thought. Hard at
work, as usual.

"George!" she called.

The clatter stopped. She heard the scrape)
of a chair, then footsteps. But the man who
emerged from the back room wasn't George.
It was Lee Morgan.

"Oh!" said Mrs. Carter, somewhat dis-
concerted. "It's you. . . . Why aren't you
in your own office?"

"My typewriter's on the blink," said Lea,
"so I came in to use George's." He looked
around. "Where's Lucy May? Didn't sha
come with you?"

"She's down in the car," Mrs. Carter
answered coldly. "I left her there on pur-
pose."

Lee smiled wryly. "I suppose you were»
afraid she might run into me?"

"Exactly!"

Lee studied Mrs. Carter, and wondered
if she would go on being like this even
If he should somehow manage to marry
Lucy May. Maybe he was a fool to want
to become the son-in-law of such a
woman, but he wasn't going to give up
Lucy May without a struggle.

"Where's George?" Mrs. Carter demanded.
"At the courthouse," Lee told her. "Dig-
ging up some musty old records-poor chap!"

"Poor chap? Humph! It's too bad you
aren't as enterprising! You're a fine one to
patronise George, a successful young
attorney, while you-you--" Mrs. Carter
paused. "I believe it's real estate you ara
in now? Just how many lots have you sold
recently?"

Lee looked uncomfortable. "To tell the
truth, Mrs. Carter, I have not sold any
but I have a lot of swell prospects."

Mrs. Carter was sceptical. "I supposa
you're just using the real-estate business
as an excuse for going out to play golf with
your so-called 'prospects'." She turned to
go. "Tell George I'd like him to come to
dinner on Saturday night at eight."

"Yes'm. But-but-I believe he already
has an engagement," Lee lied. "His social
programme is pretty full. He seems to be
very popular with all of Elkton's mothers."
Lee grinned ingratiatingly, and added, "I
wish they thought as well of me."

Mrs. Carter stiffened. "It's your own fault
if they don't! We mothers naturally prefer
for our daughters to go about with steady
young men. . . . And, by the way, that
reminds me-who was that loud-looking
blonde creature I saw with you in the drug
store yesterday afternoon?"

"Oh, her!"

"Yes! Who was she?"

Lee laughed somewhat hollowly. "That
was Rita Roselle, new leading lady In the
Elkton stock company. You see-"

"An actress!"

"Yes. She-she might settle in Elkton,
so I was trying to sell her a lot."

"A likely tale!"

"But, Mrs. Carter, honestly-"

"Be sure and deliver my message to
George," Mrs. Carter cut in.

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

She walked out Into the hall, with Lee at
her heels.

"Oh, those horrible stairs! I wonder
why George doesn't move Into that new
office building where there's an elevator."

"Sentiment," said Lee. "His grand-
father ' started practising In this office,
and so did his father. George wants
to be Just like them."

"A very commendable ambition!"

"Listen, Mrs. Carter," Lee said earnestly,
"won't you give me a chance to prove I'm
not such a bad sort? Won't you let me take
Lucy May to the dance at the club Satur-
day night?"

"Certainly not! I'm giving a dinner.
That's why I want George. He'll take Lucy
May to the dance."

"Yes'm," said Lee, forlornly.

Then, as Mrs. Carter started down the
stairs, he hurried back into George's office,
and ran to a window.

He leaned out and whistled softly. In- .
stantly Lucy May, down in the car, came to

life.

"To-night!" Lee called. "The old rose
arbor-the usual time!"

Lucy May nodded.

When her mother appeared an instant
later she was again slumped down in the

car.

Lee remained at the window until the
Carter car was out of sight. Then,

pondering on the obstacles in the path of
true love, he went back to his typing.

He had been at lt only a few minutes,
however, when George returned.

"Well!" he said, coming out into the
front office. "It's about time you got

back!"

"I was delayed," said George.

"You've probably been in hiding," Lee

accused.

"Call it that If you like. I stopped in to

see Ellen."

"Now there's a girl for you!" said Lee.
"If you had half the brains you're sup-
posed to have, you'd marry Ellen."

George stared at his friend. "That's
funny-I had the same idea myself, just
this afternoon. In fact, I proposed to

her."

"What!" exclaimed Lee, taken by sur-
prise.

"Yes-but she turned me down. Says
she looks upon me as a brother."

Lee's eyes narrowed. "And do you look
upon her as a sister?"

"I suppose I do. As a sort of cousin,
anyway."

Lee was baffled. "Then why did you
propose to her?"

"Oh, I Just thought," George explained,
matter-of-factly, "that If she married me,
the town's mothers would have to leave
me alone."

Lee groaned. "Ye gods! That's no way
to propose to a girl! No wonder she
turned you down!"

George shrugged. "Well, anyway, she
did." Then, dropping the subject, he
asked, "Has anyone been in to see me
while I've been gone?"

"Yes-the determined Mrs. Carter. She
wants you for dinner Saturday evening."

"Oh, gosh!"

"And Mrs. Warren phoned-she wants you
for bridge to-morrow evening," Lee con-
tinued. "Her darling little Elsie is giving
a party."

"Darn!"

"And Mrs. Thomas wants you for her
book-club meeting the following evening.
It seems that her dear little Doris hrs
turned literary."

"What did you tell them all?" George

wanted to know.

"I said you'd telephone them when you

came in."

"Good heavens, am I supposed to spend
all nrf time telephoning about social
engagements!"

"Well, I'm not going to do it for you,"
said Lee. "I've got work to do also. . I
had interruptions enough while you were
gone. Mothers popping in and out!" He
scrutinised George. "You'll end up by
accepting all their invitations, of course."

"What makes you so sure?"
"You always do."

"Yes, I guess you're right. I never can
think of excuses for not doing so."

"I could give you some excuses," said
Lee, "but they might not meet with your
approval."

"Name one."

"Date with a gorgeous blonde."

"Good Lord! You, too!" George ex-
claimed.

"What do you mean?"

"Ellen said almost the same thing-only
she called the blonde 'dizzy.' She sug-
gested that I rid myself of the Elkton
mothers by sowing a wild oat or two."

"Good for Ellen!" Lee laughed. "That's
a very good idea!"

"She said you might give me some
pointers."

"Oh!" Lee's face fell a bit. "So Ellen,
too, thinks I'm a wild one? I certainly
have got myself a reputation, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have. But lt has its com-
pensations. The mothers leave you alone
-even though the daughters have ian Idea
you're a sort of combination Robert Taylor
and Don Juan."

Lee Ht a cigarette. "Well, what did
you say to Ellen's suggestion?"

"I said I'd talk it over with you. I'm
not sure I want to wreck my reputation,"
George said cautiously. "I can't quite see
myself phoning Mrs. Carter and saying,
'Sorry, Mrs. Carter, but I've a date with a
gorgeous blonde and can't come to your
dinner.' "

"Then make it a luscious brunette."

"It would be just as hard to call up Mrs.
Warren and say, 'So sorry, Mrs. Warren,
but I'm stepping out with a luscious bru-
nette,, and can't come to play bridge." I
couldn't do a thin, '.ike that, now, could
I?"

"Why not-If you want to give them a
shock? I'd love to see their faces!"

George chuckled. "So would I. But I
don't know whether I'd dare . . ." He was
thoughtful a moment, then asked, hesi-
tantly, "You don't happen to know any
er-gay divorcees, do you?"

"No . . ."

"Ellen said a divorcee might help. Folks .
usually look at them askance."

Lee suddenly brightened. "Say ... I
don't know any divorcees, but I do know
someone else who might damage your repu-
tation just enough to make you undesirable
as a son-in-law. She's a gorgeous blonde,
too!"

"Who ls she?"

"A stranger in town. She's an actress."
"Oh!"

"Don't look so snooty. She's swell."
"What's her name?"

"Rita Roselle-the new leading lady in the
stock company. You must have seen her
about town. She's a knock-out for looks."

"Yes," said George, "I've seen her. She
rather overdoes the make-up business, seems
to me."

Lee laughed. "Maybe her eyelashes are
too long, her lips too crimson, and her

cheeks a lot redder than Nature made them.
But, oh, boy! She certainly would make
the Elkton mothers sit up and take notice
if you made an appointment with her!"

"How well do you know her?" George

asked.

"Well enough to introduce you," said Lee
"I've been talking real estate to her."

"Just real estate?" George chided.

"Sure! Believe it or not. I'm all business
and ambition, now that I'm in love with
Lucy May-"

Hts words were suddenly cut oft by a loud
honking down In the street.

"See who lt is!" said George, leaping up,
a hunted look In his eyes.

Lee went to the window. "It's Mrs.
Carter again! She evidently didn't trust
me to deliver her message."

George grabbed his hat and started for

the door.

"I'm going home! Maybe I can get some
work done there. Tell her I-"

"I'll tell her nothing!" Lee snapped.
"I'm going with you!"

A moment later as they went clattering
down the rear stairs, they could still hear
Mrs. Carter's horn-honking, honking,
honking.

rpHE next day, Ellen Vaughan sat facing

Lee Morgan in his office. A contract
between them had been drawn up and now
lay on Lee's desk. He had written it on
George's typewriter, and George had assured
him and Ellen that it was al] perfectly legal.
They had just signed it.

"This means a lot to me, Ellen," Lee said
seriously. "When folks find out that I'm
handling all your real-estate holdings they'll
maybe think I'm not such a worthless guy

after all."

"And what a load off my mind!" said
Ellen. "Those old houses Daddy left me
have been a great worry to me. Now I can
leave everything to you. Thanks a lot, Lee,
for taking hold for me."

"I should thank you," Lee said.

"No-thank George. He suggested that
I come to you."

"Good old George!"

"That's just the trouble," sighed Ellen.
"George is too good for his own good-I told
him so yesterday."

"I know you did." Lee laughed. "He told
me all about it. and I think the remedy you
suggested is swell. I went a step further
and told him I could supply the dizzy

blonde."

"You did! Who is she?"

"Rita Roselle. You know-the actress."
"And what did George say?"
"He seemed a little shocked."

"I'm not surprised. Couldn't you think
of someone a little less flamboyant . . . and

still a blonde?"

"Yes-you."

"Me?" gasped Ellen. "Why, Lee Morgan,
are you crazy? No one would ever accept
me as an excuse for George's staying away
from dinners and parties!"

"No?" Lee eyed her, taking In her nice
grey eyes, her attractively-tanned skin, her
well-shaped eyebrows, and the soft blond
hair beneath her perky little hat. "You're
a blonde, aren't you?"

"Of course I am, but-"

"And you're not flamboyants-you're Just
right. In fact, Ellen, my dear girl, you're
a darned attractive young woman I"

"Listen, Lee, you don't have to start pay-
ing me compliments just because I've turned
some business your way."

"That's a heck of a thing to say!"

"I'm sorry."

"You are an attractive young woman,"
Lee repeated. "Maybe George hasn't taken

«

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

time to take a good look at you, but, when
he does-well! Why don't you turn on the
glamor, so to speak?"

"What a crazy Idea!"

"It Isn't crazy. George takes you too
much for granted, Ellen. Make him a little
less sure of you."

"Will you shut up!"

"No. I won't," Lee persisted. "I have
often wondered why you and George don't
marry. You'd make a swell couple!"

Bien Jumped up. "This utterly ridiculous
conversation has gone quite far enough!"

"I'm going to run along now. Lee . . .
And to get down to earth again, please
do your best to rent or sell those houses
of mine, won't you? Being land poor Isn't
»ny Joke!"

"Don't worry," said Lee. "Ill scour the
countryside for renters and buyeri."

"Thanks, I'm sure you will."

"Now that you've shown your confidence
In me," Lee said, "there ls no stopping
m? He took Ellen's hands In his. "Seri-
ously. I'm darned grateful to you, and I'm
going to show you Just how good a real
estate broker I can be. I'll show the town,
too! Just watch me!"

She paused at the door. "By the way,
TM- was the Idea breaking the speed limits
;r. 'hat yellow roadster of your's yesterday
af^moon? You went by my place like a
ihot out of a gun."

Lee chuckled. "I was In a hurry."
"So I gathered!"

"Did you see who was with me?"

"No-I didn't even recognise you, you
pent by so fast! But I recognised the
-,-?>..rm streak as your car. Who was with
you?"

George. You should have seen the way
he r.eld onto the car with one hand and
to his hat with the other."

"But why were you in such a hurry?"

"I was hurrying him away from Mrs.

You mean she was chasing you In her

car?"

"No, not quite that bad. We had left her
behind, honking her horn underneath
George'» office window." Lee paused and
pinned. "But to be perfectly honest, Ellen,
I had another reason for speeding."

"What?"

I thought that, If we got arrested, it
might help to damage George's reputation

tie."

"Lee Morgan, of all things!"

"And being arrested with me would
iamage anyone's reputation-since I'm

h a hopeless black sheep!"
..ot!" said Ellen.

But. as she went out and down the stairs,

.miled to herself.

Wheo Ellen had departed. Lee stepped

George's office, where he
lound his friend hard at work.

"Veil," he announced, "it's all fixed-con

igned and everything. I'm now Ellen's

» you!"

To me?" said George. "What have I to

Plenty! I know all about your suggesting

.p.n that she let me handle her pro

' Lee held out his hand. "Thanks,
r:an. Ir. was pretty swell of you. Get

ft you up to lunch at the
Blt on Hotel grill."

You don't have to pay me for doing a
attie favor."

Lee laughed. "I'm not trying to pay you.
I have an ulterior motive-being seen with

jives me prestige!"

"S'.op talking like an ass!" said George.
'Anyway, I'm too busy to get away now.

And I'm expecting an out-of-town client at
any moment."

"Always the ambitious young lawyer,"
sighed Lee. "Always the man who puts
business before pleasure . . Okay, we'll
make the lunch another day. Hope the
client comes across with a good fat
cheque."

"So do I."

Lee grinned. "You'll need some surplus
cash if you start sowing that crop of wild

oats!"

"Will I?"

"You bet! It's a more or less expensive
pastime."

"Maybe I'd better not try it, then," said
George, frowning.

"Nonsense!" Lee clapped him on the back
"It would do you good to get out of your
rut! Well ... I must be going , . ,"

When the door had closed on Lee, George
went back to his work. He was studying
the old boundary-line map which he had
chased under Ellen's barn the day before.
But he had a hard time concentrating on it.

As he sat staring at it, he was surprised to
find himself wishing it were a hidden
treasure map, and that he were planning to
outfit a sailing vessel to head for some far
off island. . . . Then, silently scolding him-
self for wasting time on silly day-dreams,
he settled down to tracing boundary lines
and making notes.

He was lost in contemplation of the map
and his notes when he heard .someone com-
ing up the stairs. His out-of-town client,
he thought.

But lt wasn't the client. It was Lucy
May Carter.

"H-hello," George stammered, reddening
guiltily as he recalled that he hadn't yet
phoned Mrs. Carter about that dinner in-

vitation.

"Mother saw Lee leaving, so she thought
lt safe to send me up here," said Lucy May,
grimacing. "Why haven't you let her know
whether you're coming to dinner on Satur-
day night? She has used up several gallons
of gasoline driving by here-to say nothing
of wearing out people's nerves with honking
.the horn! Why aren't you ever in your
office?"

"I-I've had a lot of business that has
taken me away," George faltered.

"Well, how about it? Can you come on
Saturday, or can't you?" asked Lucy May.
"Mother's waiting down In the car, and
wants to know."

George gazed at her a moment, thinking
how pretty she was and that it was no
wonder Lee had fallen in love with her. -

"Do you want me to come to dinner?" he
asked abruptly.

"Why, of course. I-I-" Lucy May
stopped.

"That's all right," said George. "I under-
stand. You'd be tickled pink if it were Lee
your mother were inviting. But you can't
get excited over me as a dinner partner,
now can you?"

"It's not that, George," said Lucy May,
blushing. "I think you are a dear, and I do
want you to come to dinner, but-but-"

"I know," George put in good-naturedly.
"You're tired of being stuck with me when
you'd so much rather be with Lee, if only
you could manage to escape your mother.
So that leaves us just where we've been for
a long time, doesn't it?"

"Yes, George."

"All right," he said. "Just tell your mother
I'll phone her later. Maybe I can arrange to
be called out of town or something. That
will save you from being forced to entertain
me, and at the same time will keep your
mother from being angry."

"George, you are sweet!" Lucy May took

a step forward, and gave him a quick kiss
on the cheek, much to his embarrassment.

"A sweet, rather uninteresting, big-brother
sort of person-that's me!" he said wryly,
but he was pleased that she had kissed him.

When she had gone. George sat think-
ing. Maybe he ought to move to som«
other town to get away from the match-
making mothers. In a strange town where
no mothers knew him, he could work in
peace. But he didn't want to leave Elk-
ton. He loved it. It was home. No,
he'd Just have to find some other way

out ...

His thoughts were Interrupted by a knock:

on the door.

"Come in!" he called, once again expect-
ing to see his out-of-town client.

The door opened with startling sudden-
ness-and upon the threshold stood a dazz-
ling platinum blonde.

George, his Jaw dropping, stumbled to his
feet. It was Rita Roselle-the actress!

"Are you George Martin, the lawyer?" th«

actress demanded.

"Y-yes." stammered George. "I am."
"Then, I want a divorce I"
"Wh-what?"
"A divorce!"

"Oh," said George, struggling to regain
his poise. "Won't you-uh-sit down. Miss

Roselle?"

"I see you know who I am."

"Yes, Miss Roselle. Now-er-what's
this about a divorce?"

The actress' eyes flashed. "No man can
treat me like a dog and get away with it!
I want my freedom at once!"

"But I-I-" George had a breathless
sort of feeling. Rita Roselle had some-
thing of the effect of a high wind. "I
mean it's not as simple as all that-getting

a divorce."

"Why isn't it? Heaven knows, getting;
married was simple enough!" Rita leaned
forward. "You must help me, Mr. Martin.
All this unhappiness is bad for my art. It'll
be making me get wrinkles. You will
take my case, won't you?"

A sudden suspicion assailed George. "Look
here, did-did Mr. Lee Morgan send you

to me?"

"Oh, no! It was the cashier at the
theatre. She said you were nice and
understanding-Just the person to free me
from Ted. The brute! When I think of
the way he manhandled me!"

"He-he struck you?" asked George,

shocked.

'No, but he shook me! Just as though
I were an old shoe or something!"

"What had you done to provoke him?"

Rita bridled. "Nothing at all! If that's
the attitude you're going to take-"

"I don't mean to imply that you provoked
him intentionally," George said hastily.
"But perhaps you said or did something1
thoughtlessly."

"I didn't do a thing. All I did was to
tell him I was leaving him!"

"I see." said George, weakly. "Well,
suppose you begin at the beginning . . .
But wait a minute. Before you go on,
I think I should tell you that I've had
very little experience in divorce cases. If
you retain me, you're getting more or less

of a novice."

"I don't mind. I'm sure you and I can
get along-I like you already." Rita gave
George such a dazzling smile that he red-

dened.

He cleared his throat. "Very well, then.
Just tell me all the circumstances."

Rita leaned back in her chair, and lit s
cigarette.

"It's like this," she began, "Ted'i ft

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

dancer, and I was his partner-In vaude-
ville. But I got tired of being Just a hoofer
-I wanted to branch out and be an actress.
So, a few weeks ago, when I got the offer
to come here, I Just told him I was going
to take it. That's when he got mad and

shook me.

"And the things he said to me! You
wouldn't believe it! He said I was clever
enough from the ankles down, but that was
all. Did that burn me up! So I left
him, and now I'm playing here in your
charming little town."

"Where is your husband now?" asked
George.

"In New York. The last I heard, he had
landed a dancing part in a musical that's
going into rehearsal."

"How long have you been married to

him?"

"Oh, it was one of those hasty affairs
of youth," said Rita. "My parents had a
vaudeville act, and Ted was in lt. Then,
when my parents were killed In a wreck,
I sort of turned to Ted. He was awfully
sweet to me, and I mistook my feeling for
him for love. Anyway, he begged me so
hard to marry him-and I felt so alone In

the world-that I did."

"Weren't you happy with him at first?"

"Oh, yes! He taught me to dance, and
we formed a team, and everything went
along fine, until I decided I was getting
nowhere. My dad had always wanted me
to be an actress, and so I made up my mind
I was going to be one. That's when Ted
and I started fighting. It got worse and
worse until I finally quit him to come

here."

"I see . . . And you're quite sure you've
reached the partjng of the ways?"

"I certainly am!" Rita crushed out her
cigarette. "Ted thinks I won't stick to it
-but I'll show him! I'm sort of on trial
with the stock company here, but so far,
the manager is pleased and, If I make
good, he'll give me a long-term contract.
And then"-she snapped her fingers-"that
for Ted Lane! He can't pull a stone-age
stunt on me and get away with it!"

"I hate to see a marriage go on the
rocks," George said slowly. "After all, we
all lose our tempers at times. Maybe
your husband is sorry now,. I mean, maybe
you two could effect a reconciliation."

"Don't you want my business?" Rita

demanded.

"Of course. But I want you to be sure
you know exactly what you are doing."

"I do know what I am doing. I am no
child! I want you to get me a nice,
quick divorce on the grounds of extreme
cruelty."

"I'm afraid that won't do," said George.
"As I said before, getting a divorce ls not
such a simple matter-not around here,
anyway. You'll have to have other grounds
than cruelty."

"Why so?"

"Because you can't get divorced In this
State on those grounds. Your husband
must be proven untrue to you."

"Oh!" said Rita, obviously unprepared
*>r this. "Well, for Pete's sake, why didn't
you say so, instead of letting me sit here
and spout my head off?"

"I'm sorry," said George.

Rita was thoughtful a moment. Then
her mouth set in a determined Une.

"Okay! I've got nothing on Ted now
but give me a little time!" Again her
eyes flashed. "I'll get a co-respondent if
I have to go out and hire one!"

(GEORGE said stiffly, "If you are Intend-

ing to frame your husband, I'm afraid
I can't take your case. I refuse to be a
party to anything of that sort."

Rita stared at him In surprise, then
shrugged.

"Oh, all right-skip it! Maybe I'll Just
have to be satisfied with a legal separation.
You could get that for me, couldn't you?"

"I suppose so."

"And in the meantime," said Rita, "I'll
write to Neille and tell her to keep an eye

on Ted."

"Who's Nellie?"

"A friend of mine-she's rehearsing for
the same show as Ted. I can count on her
to let me know If he starts getting in-
terested in anyone else. She's all for having

me ditch him."

"She's not, by any chance, Interested
In your husband herself, ls she?"

Rita laughed. "Of course not! She's
a lot older than he ts, and terribly plain.
Ted wouldn't give her a second look! But
he might give someone else a second look
and then I could bear down on him and
make him meet my terms."

She and George discussed the question of
a separation further, and then, deciding to
leave other details until later, Rita rose to

go.

"You are kind and understanding," she
said. "It's been wonderful talking to you
and I'll be in to see you again to-morrow."

"Yes."

"And look-how would you like to come

and see me act?"

"Why-why, I'd like to," George said,
politely.

Rita took a card from her purse and
scribbled something on lt.

"There! Just show that at the box office.
It's a pass for two for any night you'd like
to come. I want you to see that I do have
ability as an actress-no matter what Ted
says!"

George took the card. "Thank you-that's
very kind of you."

"You'll surely come?"
"Of course."

"Pine! When you decide what night, let
me know, won't you-so that I'll know you're
out front watching me."

"I will," George promised.

"And after the show be sure to come back-
stage to see me. If you're going to be my
lawyer we ought to be getting acquainted
don't you think?"

"Why-er-yes," said George, somewhat
dubiously.

"Well, now I must be toddling along." Rita
held out her hand. "Thank you for being
so helpful."

"Don't mention it . . . And here's wish-
ing you success in your new career."

"Thanks!" Rita flashed him a radiant
smile. "You are sweet, Mr. Martin -
darned sweet! Mind if I call you George?"

"Why-er-no."

"And you must call me Rita." She
stepped to the door. "Toodle-oo, George!"

Then she was gone.

George stood where she had left him,
staring at the card she had given him. He
began to smile. Darned If he didn't think
it would be fun to go and see her act-and
even more fun to go backstage! He would
ask Ellen to go with him. She would enjoy

it also. ...

And then, suddenly, he had an Inspira-
tion. He hesitated only a second, then
snatched the telephone and called Mrs.

Carter's number.

"Mrs. Carter," he said rapidly, when he
had that lady on the wire, "I called about
your invitation to dinner. I should have
called you sooner, but I've had so much on
my mind that I-"

"I understand, dear boy. I know how
rushed you are, with all your work. But you
are coming to dinner, aren't you?"

"No, Mrs. Carter-I'm sorry, but I cant

make lt."

"But, George! I'm counting on you and-,
and-Lucy May will be so disappointed!"

"I'm sorry." lie said firmly. "But I'll ha«
to decline-I have a previous engagement."

"A previous engagement?"

George drew a deep breath. "Yes-with
Miss Rita Roselle."

He heard a gasp. It was a moment before
Mrs. Carter spoke again.

Then she stammered, "Did-did y
Rita Roselle? The-the actress?"

i a Mrs. Carter. I promised

would go to her .show Saturday i.
have a date with her afterwards."

"Why, George! A date with that flashy
creature? Why, I never-" There was a
choking sound. Then Mrs. Carter's vol»
became very icy.. "Very well, George itt
sorry you can't come. ..."

A click told him she had hung u]

put down his own phone and mopped his

brow.

"Whew!"

Once more he looked at the card Rita had
given him. As he slipped it into his

he grinned widely. A feeling of great reck-
lessness was surging through him.

He was, he told himself, planting hi

first wild oat!

/ ' BORGE was still feeling reck^.

* iin hour later when he tele¡,

Ellen.

"Hello, Ellen!" he said gally. "How art
you?"

. orge, are you ill or something?
"Why should I be ill?"

"Calling me like this to ask how
only an hour or so after you sa.

"Oh, that's right-I did see you,

I? But never mind. I'm not phoning »
ask you how you are-I'm phoning to tel
you I'm off!"

"Off! You certainly sound it! Georp
Martin, have you been drinking?"

"Of course not! You know I dont
drink."

"Well, I'm not so sure at the moment!
What do you mean, you're off?"

"Off on my career of wild oats!" '
said jubilantly. "I've hopped down ?

pedestal, Ellen, and I've given Mrs. '
a shock!"

"George! Not really! How?"

"I told her I couldn't come to her <
Saturday night because I had a

Rita Roselle."

"What! Have you?"

"Well, no-not exactly. But I'm
to be her lawyer, and she asked

come to see her act, and I decided

.mrday. I want you to go wi!J.
Will you?"

"You bet I will! But George, when ?
this happen?"

"A little while ago. She came In to *
me-wants me to get her a divorci

tell you all about it when I see you. No»
be sure to keep Saturday night for me."

"Of course, but-"

"No buts, Ellen. And, by the waj
going backstage."

"We are? What for?"

"Because Rita wants me to. She sa;
we should get better acquainted, nov. tbs
I'm to be her lawyer."

"So it's 'Rita,' ls it? You seem to b
pretty well acquainted already!" said

perity. Then, si

"You've taken my breath away, Georfi
My head is in a whirl!"

"So's mine. Rita's perfume ha.', fil>
my office, and I had a heck of a time a
plaining it to an out-of-town client Wi

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

'.Amt rn right after «he left. He kidded me
no end. But anyway, Rita brought me

luck."

"How do you mean?"

"Well this client asked me to represent
hun in a suit against the railroad and,
right this moment, there's a fat retaining
cheque nestling in my wallet. Right beside
the pass."

"What pass?"

The one Rita gave me. We're going
to see the show as her guests."

"Oh!"

"Oh. boy!" said George, sounding like
» high school kid. "Things have certainly
been happening around here!"

"That's apparent!" Ellen remarked.
"Now, don't fOTget-you are to tell mama
all about it."

"Ill tell you everything. And thanks
a lot for saying you'll go with me on Satur-
day."

"All the king's horses and all the king's
men couldn't keep me from going!" said
Ellen.

As George turned away from the tele-
phone. Lee came in from lunch. He paused
upon the threshold, sniffing the air.

"Ye gods! Your office smells like a
beauty parlor!"

"Oh, hello, Lee," George said, with ex-
aggerated casualness. "Have a nice
lunch?"

Lee eyed him. "You look guilty as the
dickens," he accused. "Who has been
here?"

"I've had a very lovely caller." George
grinned.

"Who?"

"A gorgeous blonde."
"No kidding!"

"Yes-Rita Roselle."

"Well, you old son of a gun!" gasped
Lee. "Put one over on me, eh? Went
out and met her all by your little self,
without my aid! Wait till the mothers
hear about this"

"One of them has already heard about
it," said George. "But I did not go out
and meet Rita, as you put it. She came in
?j> engage me as her lawyer."

"Since when did you start calling her
by her first name?"

George flicked his sleeve nonchalantly.
"Oh, I started calling her 'Rita' ten
minutes after I met her. Not so bad for
old George Martin, eh? Some girl. Rita!"

Lee collapsed into the nearest chair.
"Well, I'll be gosh-darned!"

Then, he sat, open-mouthed, and 11s
.ened while George told about Rita's un-
expected visit, and the results thereof.

I "She's bound, bent, and determined to

get rid of this Ted." George finished. "She
even said that she would find a co-
respondent If she had to go out and hire
one. But I said nothing doing."

"I see ..."

Lee found a cigarette, and lit lt. Then
he got to his feet. He stood looking at
George for some seconds.

"So you're going backstage to see her?"
he said slowly.

"Yes-but why are you staring at me
like that?"

"I was Just thinking," 3aid Lee.
"What about?"

"About you and Rita-and this Ted."
"Well, what about us?"

"Watch out! Suppose this Ted fellow
names his co-respondent first-and you're

it!"

With that, Lee turned on his heel and
talked out.

For some moments after Lee's abrupt
departure. George sat wondering if that
parting remark could have been serious.

But no-Lee must have been kidding, he
decided. The possibility that he could be
named a co-respondent by Rita's husband
Just for going backstage to see her was
utterly ridiculous!

Besides, who ever heard of a divorce
case in which a man named his wife's lawyer
as co-respondent? It was silly, absurd!
But it was just like Lee to make a remark
like that!

George straightened up. and put, lt out
of his mind. He remembered, all of a
sudden, that he had had no lunch, and,
glancing at hts watch, he found that it
was afteT two o'clock. He caught up his
hat and went out.

A little while later, he was ordering a
toasted sandwich and a glass of milk from
Eddie Jones, soda clerk in the Corner Drug

He always felt uncomfortable In the pre-
sence of Eddie, for he knew that Eddie mis-
takenly considered him a rival for the
heart and hand of Elsie Warren. Of course,
this was silly of Eddie but, since Mrs.
Warren was doing her best to make her
daughter desert soda-jerker for lawyer, he
could scarcely be blamed.

George sighed. Come to think of it,
he was the involuntary rival of at least
six of Elkton's young men. With him out
of the way. Eddie and the others would have
a far better chance of overcoming maternal
objections and winning the girls they loved.
As George pondered upon this awkward
state of affairs he felt more and more
uncomfortable.

Eddie, scowling, placed the sandwich in
front of him.

"There you are-I hope it's all right."

Tm sure lt ts. Eddie," said George,
pleasantly. "You're the best sandwich
maker in Elkton."

But, as he bit into it he found himself
wondering if Eddie would not have liked
to sprinkle a bit of arsenic in the dress-
ing.

He was half-way through his lunch, when
he heard a woman's voice hail him.

"George, my dear boy! I'm so glad to
find you here!"

He Inwardly groaned as he turned to face
Mrs. Buxton, another of the mothers. She
had a daughter named Katrine.

"How do you do. Mrs. Buxton?" he said,
not. giving a.darn how she did.

"I was Just on my way to your office."
She beamed upon him.

"Was there some business you wanted to
discuss with me?" George asked, knowing
that there wasn't.

"No, dear boy. I want you to come to
tea Sunday afternoon. A lawyer friend
of Mr Buxton's will be with us over the
week-end, and I want you to meet him.
He's a member of an important firm in New
York, and a contact like that might be of
value to you. I said to Katrine this
morning that you never can tell what lt
might lead to."

"But you won't have to spend all your
time talking dull business-I know you
don't want to do that! Katrine, of course,
will be there, and I'm asking several young
people so it should be a real nice little
party."

"I'd planned to-to-go on a fishing trip
Sunday," George stammered.

"Oh, the fish can wait! Mr. Peters
will be here such a little time, and I do so
want him to meet you."

"Well, you see, I-I-that ls-"

"Besides," Mrs. Buxton interrupted, with
a sweet smile, "I believe Mr. Buxton is
planning to turn some business your way.
and it would be a good opportunity for you
two to have a talk."

George knew only too well what she

meant. She was bribing him. She might
Just as well have said, in so many words,
"Come to my tea, and be nice to my daugh-
ter, and 111 use my influence with my hus-
band to give his legal business to you."

"Yes'm," said George.

He knew he was licked. He could not
afford to antagonise this determined woman.
It might mean the loss of a potential client.

"Then ni expect you- Sunday afternoon
at four. But do come early. George, so
that you can have a talk with Mr. Peters
and with Mr. Buxton, too." Mrs. Buxton
paused, and gave a nervous laugh. "Then,
after tea. perhaps you and Katrine would
like to take a little drive . . ."

"Yes'm," said George again, feeling Uko
a drowning man without even a straw to
grab at.

" "Bye. George dear!"

Mrs. Buxton flipped her hand In a coy
wave, and departed, leaving George looking;
decidedly morose.

Eddie, who had been an interested listener
to their conversation, now grinned wryly.

"She seems to like you," he remarked,

with a touch of malice.

"What if she does?" snapped George.

He turned back to his sandwich, and
quickly finished it. Then, paying his
cheque, he went out onto Main Street.

He was heading for his office when he»
once again heard his name called. He
stopped, annoyed. Who now?

It was Rita Roselle. She was waving
to him from across the street.

"Have you decided when you're coming
to see me act?" she called.

"Er-yes. Saturday night!" Georg«

called back.

"Swell! That's a date! And don't for-
get-you're coming backstage!"

"You bet!" said George.

He didn't see Mrs. Buxton, who had
emerged from a near-by store Just in time
to hear this little interchange. He didn't
see her scandalised expression as she re-
cognised Rita Roselle. Nor, as he proceeded
on hts way, did he see that she was standing
stock still, gaping after him . . .

I^EN minutes after Rita Roselle had

hailed George so informally across th«
width of Main Street, the news of their
encounter was spreading like wildfire. Mrs.
Buxton was not one to keep it to herself.

She was no sooner home than she sat
down and phoned Mrs. Burt to tell her,
with bated breath, what she had seen and
heard. Then she phoned Mrs. Warren.
The shocked surprise that both these ladies
evinced more than fulfilled her expectations,
and left no doubt that they, in turn, would
soon pass the story along-with embellish-

ments.

But when she phoned Mrs. Carter she
herself got a surprise.

"Oh, yes." Mrs. Carter said calmly, though
she was actually far from calm. "George

has told me all about the woman."

"He has!" gasped Mrs. Buxton, feeling
cheated.

"Yes-it's nothing to be disturbed about."
Mrs. Carter had no intention of letting
Mrs. Buxton know that she was not only
disturbed, but stunned, by George's refusal
of her dinner Invitation for a date with
an actress-and such an actress!

"Nothing to be disturbed about!" ex-
claimed Mrs. Buxton. "But the brazen
creature shouted at him all the way across
the street. And he shouted back, as
friendly as you please. George Martin, of
all people. Carrying on like that with a
cheap show girl!"

"She's not a show girl-she's an actress.
Leading lady, I understand," Mrs. Carter

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

said coolly. "The woman is probably a
client of George's. After all, a lawyer has
all kinds of clients."

"But he has a date with her. He's going
backstage-I heard him say so!" Mrs. Bux-
ton persisted. "Next Saturday night!"

Mrs. Carter maintained her calm with
difficulty. She didn't like to be reminded
of that date, which had so completely upset
her own plans.

"I know," she managed to say, in a tone
of Indifference. "George told me. It's
nothing. I suppose he has to be nice to the
woman-if she's his client."

"I don't see why he should have to have
dates with her!" Mrs. Buxton averred
haughtily-and with that she hung up.

She was utterly baffled by Mrs. Carter's
attitude, and decidedly let down. However,
that did not prevent her from spreading
her story further-and she was gratified to
receive more satisfying reactions from other
quarters.

In fact, her broadcast, and the subse-
quent broadcasts of her hearers were so
successful that by the next day the whole
town knew of George's "date with Rita."
And when he was seen walking down Main
Street with her, the gossip became more and
more excited. The word had got round
that she had engaged him to obtain a divorce
for her, but this only added spice to the
gossip.

George was seen with her more than once
during the course of that week, for Rita
paid daily visits to his office to discuss her
case with him. and more often than not
he concluded these discussions by escorting
her back to the hotel. As everyone said,
he certainly seemed to be paying her a lot
more attention than was warranted by
-the ordinary lawyer-client relationship.

As a result of all this, when Saturday
night arrived the box office of the Elkton
Theatre did an astonishing business. For
the first time on record., the Standing Room
Only sign had to be hauled out and hung
up. All the town's mothers were on hand,
avid with curiosity. And surprisingly all
the town's daughters as well!

Meanwhile. George had called for Ellen.
As they drove towards the theatre he
noticed that she seemed strangely aloof.
It puzzled him.

"Well!" she said finally. "You certainly
seem to have started something, George!"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know that the whole town is
talking about you and Rita Roselle?"

George's eyes widened. "Really?" Then
he chuckled. "I suppose Mrs. Carter must
have told every one that I turned down
her dinner to go to Rita's play to-night."

"She didn't need to," Ellen remarked
acidly. "What with Rita calling at your
office every day-not to mention the time
you scandalised Mrs. Buxton by shouting
at each other across Main Street-it didn't
take long for the town to know that some-
thing was up!"

"Gosh!" murmured George. "I didn't
know all that. . . . But, say! That's just
what I wanted, isn't lt? I've just realised
that I haven't had an invitation from a
mother in four days!"

"Of course it's what you wanted," said
Ellen. "But I don't see why you have to
carry things quite so far."

George was astonished. "What are you
talking about? Can I help it if Rita comes
to my office every day? She comes to see
me about her divorce. She's been bringing
me letters from a friend of hers called
Nellie, who appears to be something of a
snooper. Anyway, Rita's husband doesn't
make a move that this Nellie person does
not know about it."

"That's all very well," said Ellen. "But
ls it really necessary tor you to escort
Miss Roselle home every time she calls?"

George looked sheepish. "Well, I thought
it might give the mothers a shock if I were
seen with her. Apparently it has."

"And do you have to let her cling to your
arm and gaze up at you quite
so soulfully-the way she was when I saw
you with her yesterday?" Ellen demanded.

George turned. "Why,*Ellen! You act
as though you were mad! You were the
one who suggested that I find a dizzy blonde,
weren't you? Tm just following your advice.
Why should you mind my walking home
with Rita?"

Ellen didn't answer. She knew George
was right but, just the same, she wished
now that she hadn't made that "wild oats"
suggestion. She hadn't realised she would
feel this way about his attentions to an-
other woman. It was silly of her, she
knew, but she couldn't help it.

As for George, he was completely be-
wildered. He had never before seen Ellen
in a mood like this, and he couldn't make
it out. Why should she pick on him for
doing what she had told him to do? He
sighed. Girls were certainly funny!

As George turned his roadster into the
block In which the theatre was situated, he
got a surprise.

"Gosh!" he exclaimed. "Look at all
the cars! I never saw so many around

here!"

Ellen, too, was surprised. "Nor did I.
It certainly looks like a big night for the
theatre."

"Darn!" said George. "There's no place
to park."

However, he did finally find a small space
and squeezed into it. He helped Ellen
out of the car, took her arm, and guided
her towards the theatre.

At the entrance, he paused, his eyes widen-
ing. The lobby was jammed with people
-mostly women-all talking at once. He
glimpsed several of the mothers of his
acquaintance and, over in one corner, he
saw a bevy of their pretty daughters, chat-
tering like magpies.

"For Pete's sake!" he murmured. "Every-
one seems to be here. The play must be
good."

Ellen gave him a sidelong glance. "The
play?" she said slowly. "I don't think lt's
the play they've come to see . . ."

Just then, one of the girls in the group
in the corner caught sight of George, broke
away an.d came rushing towards him. It
was Lucy May Carter.

"George! We thought you'd never

come!"

He stared at her. "What do you mean?
And say . . . what, by the way, are you
doing here? I-I thought your mother was
giving a dinner to-night."

Lucy May laughed. "Oh, the dinner!
That's been called off!" She gave George
a wink. "Can't you guess why-you sly
old thing, you!"

George was utterly astonished, particu-
larly by that last little dig. But, before
he could make any reply, he found him-
self surrounded by half a dozen other girls.
They crowded around him, babbling ex-
citedly, smiling at him, radiantly.

The thought flashed through his mind
that he had never attracted so much atten-
tion from these girls-that all of them had
heretofore thought him a "slowpoke."

"Listen George!" said Katrine Buxton,
plucking at his sleeve. "See if you can
get Miss Roselie to autograph one of her
pictures for me!"

"Get one for me, too. George!" cried

Elsie Warren.

"And me, too!" put in Aggie Burt.

George was blushing in confusion. "I'll
-Tn try," he stammered. "But right now
if you'll excuse me, I've got to get my

tickets . . ."

He started pushing his way through the
crowded lobby, but the girls only pushed
after him, and clustered around him, still
jabbering, as he exhibited Rita's card a;
the box-office and obtained two tickets for
it.

Ellen stood off at one side, watching
all this with mixed feelings. This theatre-
going date with George was certainly turn-
ing out to be quite an event. Heavens'
One might think he were Robert Taylor
or Gary Cooper !

As she stood there alone, Lee Morgan
came into the lobby, saw her, and joined her.

"Hi. Ellen! Where's George?"

"He's being mobbed," Ellen said tersely

"Take a look."

Lee looked and gasped. "Good night!"
"Exactly," said Ellen. "Maybe George
has given the local mothers a shock, but he
seems to be giving the local daughters a

thrill!"

Lee laughed. "So they've changed their
tune, eh? Good old George!"

"You'd better go and rescue him," Ellen
suggested.

"Not me, honey! Let him be-mobbed
he's probably enjoying the experience."

"Lucy May seems to be enjoying it, too,"
Ellen pointed out. "She's the ringleader
If she gets any closer to George, she'll be in
his pocket."

"Oh!" said Lee, loking closer. "That's
different. Maybe I had better go and
rescue the old boy."

He grinned at Ellen, then elbowed his way
to George's side.

"What's the big idea of deserting Ellen?"
he demanded.

George turned to him with a grateful
smile. "Where is she?" he asked vaguely.
"I-I've been trying to find her ..."

"Over there." Lee caught hold of Lucy
May's arm. "Shame on you girls! Keeping
a man from his best girl! Scram! What
do you think this is-a mob scene for the

movies?"

The girls, looking a bit foolish, backed
away and allowed George to make his escape.

Lee drew Lucy May into a corner. "Where's
your mother?" he asked.

"Somewhere in this jam. I'd better go
find her. She's probably furious at me
for making so much of George, and she'll
be more furious if she sees me with
you!"

"Is she very sore at George for turning

down her dinner?"

"I should say she is! It wasn't any fun
telephoning everyone that the dinner was

off."

"I don't see why she had to call lt off
just because George couldn't come."

"Don't be dense," chided Lucy May. "Don't
you understand the real reason why she
called it off? You know how people linger
over a dinner. Well, if they had lingered
too long, Mother couldn't have reached the

theatre in time."

"Oh!" Lee grinned. "I get it-she had
to see just what George was up to!"

"Exactly!" said Lucy May. "Now, trot
along. I must go and find her."

"Just a moment," said Lee, catching her
hand. "I never saw you making such a
fuss over George before. What's the

idea?"

"Why, nothing! I don't know what you

mean."

Lee looked at her Intently. "Llsten
you aren't going to fall for him, are you,

i

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

Just because he happens to have an actress
for a client?"

"Dont talk like an idiot!"

Lucy May pulled away from him. and
disappeared In the throng, leaving him
feeling far from satisfied.

Meanwhile, George had rejoined Ellen.
He was decidedly dishevelled. His tie was
crooked, and an unruly lock of hair was
dangling down on hts forehead.

"Gosh all hemlock!" he gasped. "What's
come over those girls? They've never be-
fore given me so much as a second look!"

"But that." said Ellen, caustically, "was
before you became a divorce lawyer!"

(1EORGE had been so taken up with girls

In the lobby that he had scarcely
noticed those girls' various mothers or their
reaction to his arrival.

The mothers, like the daughters, had been
walting in the lobby for the specific purpose
of seeing him arrive, but they had wit-
nessed their daughters' enthusiastic recep-
tion of him with patent disapproval. It
had been their intention to show what they
thought of his "friendship with Rita" by
greeting him coldly, but their daughters had
given them no opportunity. It ls impos-
sible to snub a man who Ls so surrounded
by an admiring throng that he doesn't even
see you.

Hence, the thwarted mothers, dragging
their husbands with them, had haughtily
withdrawn into the theatre proper.

However, if George had been unaware
of them in the lobby, he soon became very
acutely aware of them. As he and Ellen
entered the auditorium and started down
the aisle, he suddenly saw that all eyes
were turned toward him.

George saw Mrs CartCT staring at him
icily and a few rows beyond, was Mrs. War-
ren, equally chilly in her gaze. There
was Mrs. Burt, too . . . and Mrs. Thomas
. . . They were all looking at him as though
he were a worm. Gosh! This was ter-
rible!

Then, he felt Ellen's hand on his arm,
heard her murmur. "Don't mind them.
George!" Her hand on his arm gave him
courage. He wished, though, that the seats
Rita had reserved for him weren't right
in the middle of the first row. By the
time he and Ellen reached them, he felt
as though he had run a gauntlet of freezing

stares.

And then he suffered another bad moment.
Just as he was about to sit down, he saw
that Mrs. Buxton was in the second row,
directly behind him!

"Oh-uh-good evening, Mrs. Buxton."

She nodded stiffly. "Good evening.
George."

Her tone was far different from the gush-
ing one she had used when she had met him
in the drug store and practically forced him
lo accept her invitation to tea.

As he sank Into his place, he could feel
her eyes on the back of his neck, could feel
tt turn hot and red under her scrutiny. He
wondered whether she still wanted him to
come to tea to-morrow and, as he waited
in agony for the lights to go down, he half
expected her suddenly to lean forward and
cancel her Invitation. If only she would!
But she didn't.

Then at last welcome darkness enveloped
the auditorium, the curtain went up, and
the play began . . .

Rita did not appear until the middle of
the first act. Her entrance had a sort of
bop, skip and Jump air about it.

Her role was that of the younger sister
if a devastating young woman noted for
r.er ability to ensnare all the men. The

playwright had obviously meant his lead-
ing character to be a shy girl who was fight-
ing desperately to keep the man she loved
from being stolen by her alluring older
sister-a girl who forced a superficial gaiety
to cover the fear that lay in her heart. But
Rita turned the character into a silly in-
genue.

"Well," George whispered to Ellen, "how
do you like her?"

"I have a feeling that she's going to break
Into a song and dance at any moment."

George smiled. "She'd be pretty much
in character if she did. She was a vaude-
ville performer before she gave up dancing
for dramatic art."

"Then that accounts for the fact that all
her histrionic ability seems to be In her
feet."

"Those are dangerous words, honey! It
was because her husband said practically
the same thing that she now wants a
divorce-"

"Shhhh!" hissed Mrs. Buxton.

George started guiltily, and turned his
attention back to the stage.

The play went on and on. good in spots,
bad In others-a new play which a rising
playwright had persuaded the stock com-
pany to try out for him.

The curtain finally fell, and the players
came out to take their bows. Then, Rita
took a bow alone.

As she did so, she looked directly at
George, gave him a slow, enigmatic smile
and, Just before the curtain hld her from
view, he thought he saw her wink.

"Oh!" he heard Mrs. Buxton gasp.

His face flamed. He rose hastily, and
caught Ellen's hand. He dragged her from
her chair, and, as the house lights came
on, he was already hurrying her up the
aisle.

He hustled her out of the theatre and
Into the little alley that led to the stage

entrance.

"Wait a minute," said Ellen, stopping.
"Do you really want me to go with you to
see Miss Roselle? I might perhaps cramp
your style and besides, she might consider
me a crowd."

"Nonsense! I certainly don't want to be
alone with her."

"Then little Ellen will come along. Ill
Just stand meekly in a corner, and let you
and Rita have your little business con-
ference. Or ls it a business conference this
time? Judging from that smile she flashed
you, I'd say not!"

George was the one who stopped now.
"What are you talking about?"

"I've seen many a smile in my life," said
Ellen, "and If ever a smile spoke, that one
did! It seemed to tell everyone in the
theatre that you and she shared a wicked
secret."

"Good heavens!" gasped George, "You
don't suppose anyone else read anything
like that into it, do you?"

"I really couldn't say." Ellen shrugged.
"But you know how people are . . ."

"Well, all I've got to say ls that they cer-
tainly are using their Imaginations if they
think there was anything"* unusual about
that smile! Rita was just being friendly
and-and grateful."

"Grateful for what?"

"Why, for-for-our coming to see her
act."

"Don't be naive, George!"

"It's all a matter of thinking," he said
stiffly. "You put one construction on Rita's
smile, and I put another."

"I see ... As simple as that?"
"Yes! As simple as that!"

Ellen sighed, and took his arm. "Well,
anyway, come on-here comes that bevy of

beautiful girl». You'll be mobbed again
If you don't watch out."

They darted through the stage door. .
\ S George and Ellen were ushered into

Rita's dressing-room she rose from her
make-up table and eagerly came forward.

"George, darling!" she exclaimed, seizing
both his hands. "How sweet of you to

come ! "

Ellen felt a wave of resentment sweep
over her. How dare the woman call George
"darling"!

"When I saw you down there watching
me, I Just knew I had to act as Td never
acted before!" Rita gushed on. "I wa»
practically inspired!"

"Rita-uh-this is Miss Vaughan," George
said awkwardly. "Ellen, Miss Roselle."

The actress turned and bestowed a smllo
on Ellen.

"I'm so glad to know you," she said
dulcetly, "George has spoken of you-and
any friend of George's is a friend of mine!"

Ellen stiffened. Any friend of George's,

Indeed !

Rita found chairs for them, then.turned
back to her dressing-table. "I'm sure you
won't mind if I go ahead and remove my
make-up ..." She seated herself before
the mirror, bound a towel about her head,
and began cold-creaming her face.

"How did you like me, you two?"

"You were great!" George flattered.

Ellen smiled crookedly, thinking, "What
liars men can be!" Aloud she said. "It must
oe exciting, Miss Roselle, to create a part.
I understand this is the first time the play
has been produced "

"Yes. It is. I'm the very first actress to
play the part of Anne! It is exciting. I'm
only sorry the playwright couldn't come here
to see me, and to tell me what he thinks of
my portrayal of his brain child."

Ellen thought it was Just as well the poor
man was elsewhere.

"What shall we do now?" Rita asked
brightly. She had removed her stage make-
up and was now applying another which
was only slightly less noticeable than the
make-up she had worn behind the foot-
lights. "I don't suppose there's much ona
can do in a small town like this."

"No," said Ellen, "there isn't."

She hoped George would make som«
excuse for having to get home-but ho
didn't.

"How about a drive?" he suggested.
"There's a gorgeous moon."

"I'd love it!"

George turned to. Ellen. "How does that
suit you?"

Ellen's first Impulse was to decline, but
she checked it. She would see this thing
through

T think that would be very nice."

"Let's drive out to my place." George con-
tinued, "and show Rita the moonlight view
from the ledge overlooking the harbor. I'm
sure she'd enjoy lt."

"Indeed I would. George dear!" Rita en-
thused. "And I'd love to see your home, too.
I'll bet it's precious!"

"That doesn't exactly describe it," said
George. "But the place does have atmo-
sphere. The house is very old-a typical
old New England home."

"I adore anything that smacks of long
ago!" Rita bubbled. "Now, if you two don't
mind waiting outside while I change. 111
be with you in a jiffy. ..."

George and Ellen wandered backstage,
looking curiously at the stacked scenery
and other stage appurtenances, until Rita
sent word that she was ready.

As they re-entered her dressing-room, sha
was adjusting her hat before the mirror.

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

"Oh, George-I forgot^o tell you," she
said, swinging round. "I had another letter
from Nellie to-day." Then, to Ellen, "I
hope you don't mind, Miss Vaughan, if I
discuss business for a few minutes. You
probably know that George ls handling my

divorce case."

"Yes-I know."

Rita tucked her hand confidingly through
George's arm, and smiled up at him.

"He's been so sweet and sympathetic about

lt all!"

"I'm sure of lt," Ellen said tersely.

"He's going to free me from a brute, aren't
you, George?"

George blushed. "Uh-er-that depends,
of course. What about this letter from your
friend Nellie?"

"She says Ted has been stepping out with
the dizziest, silliest, most brazen creature
she has ever seen! I guess that gives me
one up on him!"

George glanced uneasily towards the half

open door.

"Hadn't we better walt and-er-discuss
lt in my office? Someone might overhear
you Were and. after all, you don't want the
whole company discussing your private

affairs."

"I don't care much if they do hear. There's
a girl in this company who knows Ted. She
thinks he's perfect, and that I'm the one to
blame for our disagreements. Her name's
Mazie-such a silly name!-and I think she's
got her eye on Ted herself. I'd be only too
glad for her to know what a wretch he
really is!"

"Just the same," said George, uncomfort-
ably, "let's walt and talk lt over In my office."

As they left the dressing-room they didn't
see the actress called Maizie peeping at them
from the room next to Rita's. They were
scarcely out of the theatre before she was
seated at her dressing-table, dashing off a
letter to Ted Lane.

"... and so, it looks to me like a case
of the pot calling the kettle black ! She has
no right, In the first place, to be sore at you
for stepping out now and then when she's
gone off and left you all alone. And then
she has the nerve to make a fool of herself
over this small-town lawyer - and to call
you a brute into the bargain! It's a rotten
shame, Ted-that's what lt ls! And if I
were in your place I'd certainly do something
about it. ..."

On and on, scratched Mazle's trouble-
making pen. When she had finished the
letter she placed a special-delivery stamp
on lt so that Ted would get lt the next day,
Sunday, and hastened out to mall it. . . .

George felt relieved, as he and Ellen and
Rita emerged from the theatre alley, to
find that no one was about. He had half
expected that a curious throng would be
walting to see him come out with Rita. But,
thank heaven, everyone had apparently gone

home.

He helped the two girls Into his roadster,
climbed in under the wheel and drove off.

Elkton was a little seacoast town, and
George's home, a few miles out, was ideally
situated on a bluff overlooking the harbor.
As he turned his car Into the driveway
leading to it, the house and trees, bathed
In moonlight, made a lovely picture.

"Oh, how beautiful!" breathed Rita. "Is
this really your home, George?"

"Where I was born-and where I hope to

die."

"It's simply adorable!"

"Glad you like lt," said George. "But walt
till you see the view from the ledge I was
telling you about. It's really worth seeing
cn a night like this."

He stopped the car in front of the house,

and they all climbed out. George took Rita's
arm, and guided her towards the ledge.
Ellen trailed along behind.

A few minutes later they were seated
side by side, Rita very close to George,
gazing out over the moonlit harbor. Rita's
ecstatic exclamations over the view were
all that George could have wanted.

"The water looks just like silvered satin,
doesn't it?" she said dreamily.

"Yes, lt does," George agreed, "though I'd
never thougth of lt as poetically as that."

Ellen threw him a quick glance. Many a
time, she thought, she had expressed her-
self Just as poetically, but he hadn't noticed.

"This ledge ls not only famous for Its
view," he went on. "There's also an In-
teresting legend connected with lt. There's
a cave beneath here leading into a tunnel
that comes out behind my garage. It's
said that pirates, long ago, landed their
boats on the beach down there, and either
hld their loot in the cave or carried lt
through the secret tunnel to some cache

on land that I now own."

"Oh, how thrilling!" exclaimed Rita.

"Probably Just a pipe dream," Ellen said

suddenly.

George looked at her In surprise. "Why,
Ellen, you know you've always liked and
believed that legend."

"I can change my mind, can't I?"

"But you used to dig with me In the hope
of finding buried treasure."

"That was when we were silly children."
"Buried treasure!" cried Rita. "Do you
mean it's still hidden some place around

here?"

George chuckled. "No-I guess not. This
place has been dug up so many times, there
couldn't be so much as a hairpin left. Most
of the digging, though, was done before my
time. They say my great-grandfather used
to get up in the middle of the night to chase
treasure-hunters off the place."

Rita said eagerly, "I'd love to explore the
secret tunnel some time. Will you take
me through it, George?"

"Gladly," he said. "I have a very senti-
mental feeling about it. I used to play in
that cave and tunnel when I was a small
boy."

Rita sighed. "How grand to have had a
childhood like that-a happy, carefree one,"
she said wistfully.

"George's childhood wasn't so carefree,"
Ellen put in. "You don't need to envy

him."

"Ah, but at least he had a home-and
such a lovely one!"

"What was the matter with your child-
hood?" Ellen asked unfeelingly.

Rita gazed out across the water, and a
sad note crept Into her voice as she

answered.

"My cradle was a tray of my mother's
theatrical trunk, my nursery was her clut-
tered dressing-room, and my playground
the dark and musty spaces backstage. Not
much of a childhood, now was it?"

"I should say not!" said George sympa-
thetically, at the same time throwing a re-
proachful glance at Ellen. "It doesn't sound

like much fun."

"Oh, I had a little now and then," Rita
said, with what was evidently meant for a
brave smile. "But all my time was spent
either in the theatre or In theatrical hotels.
And because my parents wanted me to start
in the profession young, I was working
learning to act-while girls like you, Miss
Vaughan, were playing with dolls and
dreaming dreams." A deep sigh. "And
then ... to lose both my parents in such
a terrible way when I wasn't yet out of
my teens. It wasn't easy, I can tell you,
being left all alone and having to fight
fight-fight."

"Gosh!" said George. It waa Just on»
short word, but lt was weighed down with
pity. It seemed to say, "You poor little
thing!"

At least, that's the way it struck Ellen.
And as Rita went on to describe the bitter
outcome of her marriage-the crowning
blow oí an unhappy life-Ellen thought
wryly that the actress was simply dramatis-
ing herself for the benefit of a man who was
obviously swallowing all she said, hook, line

and sinker.

Then, Rita shrugged expressively. "But
I mustn't bore you any longer with my
poor little story." She looked at George
with a wan smile. "I'd much rather hear
about you . . . and your home . . . and the
pirates . . ."

Ellen, gritting her teeth, rose abruptly.
"I hate to break up this charming little
party, but I really must be getting home.
It's quite late, you know."

George glanced at his watch. "By Jove!

So it is!"

He rose, and held out his hand to Rita.
She clasped it, but, as he pulled her to nar
feet, she stepped on a stone, staggered
then shrieked.

"Oh! My ankle! I-I've twisted it!"

She fell against George, crying out with
pain, and clinging to him for support.

Ellen smothered a groan. Ye gods!
So the woman was going to pull that ancient

trick!

Ellen looked on silently as George, with
his arm about Rita, showed agitated
solicitude over her injury.

"Do-do you think you can make lt to
the house with my help?" he asked
anxiously. "I-111 get my housekeeper to
look at the ankle and bandage lt up. She t
good at things like that."

Rita, leaning heavily on him, took a ten-
tative step, and winced.

"Oh!" she cried. "I'm afraid youli have
to carry me, George."

And carry her, he did-all the way to

the house.

Ellen tagged after them, wishing to high
heaven she hadn't given George ideas. She
was convinced that Rita was faking-play,
lng on George's sympathies.

George carried her into the living-room,
and gently laid her upon a davenport.

"Now, if you'll just He there, I'll see if I
can rout out Mrs. Simmons."

As he left the room Ellen settled herself
in a chair and gazed at the actress coolly.
Rita, however, seemed quite oblivious of her

critical attitude.

"What á wonderful husband George
Martin would make," she said dreamily.

"You think so?"

"I know so. He's so sweet and gentle and
kind! You local girls must be blind or
something-I'm surprised one of you hasn t
snatched him up long ago."

"George ls not easily snatched," said
Ellen, then added acidly: "At least, up to

now, he hasn't been!"

After that, silence prevailed until Georg«
reappeared with Mrs. Simmons.

The elderly housekeeper, bearing band-
ages, liniments and ointments, stared wide
eyed at the strange young woman on the
davenport. However, she made no comment
as she efficiently set to work, removing Rita's
shoe and stocking, and applying first aid

to her ankle.

George looked on anxiously. "I can't tell
you. Rita, how sorry I am that this had to
happen."

Rita smiled meltingly at him. "Now, I
don't you worry, you old dear. Fortunately, I
to-morrow's Sunday, so I won't have to I
work. My ankle often goes bad like thia, I
but it gets all right very quickly, aft« a ie» I

hours' rest."

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

Elen longed to say, 'TU bet lt will
get all right quickly!" She held her
tongue, but, when George continued to
bend over the actress, asking her again
and again how the ankle felt, Ellen couldn't
contain herself any longer.

"Shall I caji an ambulance?" she asked,
sarcastically.

George looked around sharply. "That's
hardly necessary," he said coldly.

That hushed Ellen. Never had George
used such a tone to her. She knew she
deserved it, but she felt utterly miser-

able.

When the ankle had been securely ban-
daged, and the stocking and shoe replaced,
Rita rose and tried the foot gingerly.

"Oh, that's much better! It still hurts
a little but, if you'll just let me hold on
to you, George, I can hobble out to the
car."

Outside, Ellen was again seized by a
spiteful impulse, and refused to sit in the
front of the car with George and Rita.

"No," she said, climbing grimly into the
rumble seat. "It will be too crowded-and
I might hurt Miss Roselle's ankle!"

George said nothing, but he looked
volumes as he pressed the starter, and
started the car with an angry jerk.

When they reached the Elkton Hotel,
he assisted Rita Inside, and lingered a long
time. Ellen, transferring herself to the
front seat, sat there waiting.

When George came out. she did not
speak. Neither did he until the car was
again underway. Then, finally, he broke
the heavy silence.

"What the heck's the matter with you,
Ellen?"

"There's nothing the matter with me,"
she retorted. "It's you! I hate to see you
making such a sap of yourself. I never
expected you, of all people, to fall for a lot
of cheap tricks!"

George stiffened. "Tricks? What tricks?"
That twisted ankle, for one thing. That
stunt is as old as the hills! And that sob
story about her childhood-you fell for it
like a ton of bricks."

George slowed the car. "Ellen-I can't
understand what's come over you. You've
always been such a sweet, sympathetic,
understanding person, but to-night, you've
acted like a-like a-"

"Like a what?"
"Like a cat!"

"George Martin! How dare you say such
a thing to me!"

"Well, you have acted that way. Rita
was nice and friendly with you, but you
treated her as though she were poison!"

"A woman like that is poison," snapped
Ellen. "And anyone with an ounce of
sense could see through her! You're a
fool not to."

"So I'm a fool now," George said bitterly.
"A moment ago I was a sap. And look here
-who was it that suggested that I cultivate
a dizzy blonde? Not that Rita could be
called that, by any stretch of the imagina-
tion, but

"Oh, I know I made the suggestion,"
Ellen interrupted impatiently, "but I didn't
expect you to be so gullible! If it were all
Just a lark, that would be different, but you
-you-you're being taken in by that
woman!"

They had reached Ellen's home, and
George drew the car to a stop.

"Listen, Ellen," he said, slipping an arm
about her, "let's not quarrel like this-"

"I'm not quarrelling," she retorted, pull-
ing away from him. "But when you call
me a cat just because I-"

George's anger flared. "All right, then!
I meant what I said, too! You are a.cat
-a mean, clawing little-"

He got no further, for, at that Instant,
Ellen's hand flew up and slapped him
hard on the cheek. Then, she leaped out
oí the car, and rushed into the house.

'THE next morning George awoke with the

memory of Ellen's slap still rankling.
He was in a bad temper when Lee Morgan
dropped in while he was at breakfast-in
no mood for his friend's jovial greeting.

"Well!" said Lee, clapping him on the
back. "How's Don Juan this morning? Boy!
You sure did cut a swath last night!"

"Did I?" George snapped.

Lee stared at him. "What's the matter?
I thought you'd be all puffed up over your
conquests, and here I find you looking as
though you could chew nails."

"I could!"

Lee sat down. "What's eating you? I
thought everything was going swell. You've
got the mothers down on you-which was
what you wanted-and you've got all the
girls in town ga-ga over you. Maybe you
didn't bargain for that, but I don't see that
it's any reason for being downcast."

"I'm not downcast."

"Oh, you're not? Well, you're certainly
giving a very good imitation of a man in
the dumps! Did your date with Rita after
the show go sour or something?"

"No-Rita was perfectly lovely to both
Ellen and me." George paused. "But-but
Ellen acted like the old Nick!"

"Oho! So that's it!" Lee smiled wisely.
"You and Ellen have had a spat, eh? Come
on-tell Uncle all about it."

George gave a full account of Ellen's
behaviour, ending with a description of the
quarrel.

Lee was silent a moment.

Then, he said slowly, "Well, if you ask
me, I think you got what was coming to
you."

George was nonplussed. "I like that! So
you take her side, do you?"

"I do. Listen, George-I've been watching
Rita working on you all the week, and
Ellen's right. That woman is trying to
get her hooks into you. As for that twisted
ankle stunt, it's hoary with age."

"You mean that you, too, think that Rita
was pretending?"

"I'd be willing to bet on it. If I know
anything about women-and I think I do
she was hoodwinking you."

"Oh, of course! You know everything!
You were understanding women in your
cradle!" George said angrily.

"You needn't get sarcastic," said Lee.

"Why shouldn't I? You and Ellen are a
fine pair of friends! You advise me to sow
some wild oats, and then when I do-if
you could call it that-you both turn against
me. Why, you were the one who offered to
introduce me to Rita in the first place!"

"I know I did-but I didn't expect you
to go mushy over her. The trouble with
you, George, is that you haven't the neces-
sary light touch for wild-oat sowing."

"Mushy!" snorted George. "I've merely
been courteous and friendly with Rita."

Lee shrugged. "Well, anyway, I can
understand how Ellen feels about it. You've
never appreciated that girl and, when you
let another woman, who's not worth ten of
Ellen, wrap you around her little finger
right before Ellen's eyes, naturally the girl's
jealousy is aroused."

"Jealousy?" said George, his eyes widen-
ing. "Why should Ellen be jealous? She
has a sisterly affection for me-but she's
made it very clear that that's all."

Lee smiled enigmatically, "That just

shows how little you know about women."
He rose. "Well, I must be toddling along.
I'm on my way to see Ellen, by the way-I
think I have a buyer for -one of her houses."

He gave George a nonchalant wave, and
departed.

As he sat there brooding, the phone rang.
He answered it.

"Good morning, George," said a dulcet
voice. "This is Rita."

"Oh, hello, Rita!" he said cordially. "How
is your ankle this morning?"

"Much, much better-thanks to your kind-
ness! In fact, it's just about all right again.
I phoned to ask how you would like to take
me for a drive this afternoon and have a
picnic supper in some nice spot. It's such
a gorgeous day!"

George remembered Mrs. Buxton's tea
party. Darn !

"I'm terribly sorry, Rita, but I'm afraid I
can't-I have an engagement."

"Oh!" Her voice fell. "How disappoint-
ing!"

Then George had a brilliant idea. Why not
take Rita with him to the tea party?

Mrs. Carter strolled up. "Such a lovely
party, my dear! So sweet out of doors!"

"Yes, isn't it?" Mrs. Buxton forced a
smile.

Mrs. Carter glanced about, then asked
casually, "Is-er-George coming?"

"Why, yes-I believe so," Mrs. Buxton
replied, just as casually.

The two women eyed each other warily
for a moment.

Then, Mrs. Buxton remarked, "I really
think everyone is being rather silly about
George and that actress creature. After
all, it probably means nothing."

"So I said from the beginning," said
Mrs. Carter, though the fiasco of her dinner-
party was still rankling.

"And besides, he did have Ellen Vaughan
with him last night," Mrs. Buxton pointed
out. "No man can be very serious about
a woman if he takes a girl like Ellen along
with him for a chaperone."

"Yes," Mrs. Carter agreed. Then, she
added, "But, my dear, that reminds me.
Have you noticed Ellen to-day? She has
simply blossomed out! Why, I scarcely
knew her!"

"Indeed I have noticed!" said Mrs. Bux-
ton. "Isn't it incredible? She looks posi-
tively pretty. Mr. Peters seems to havs
taken quite a shine to her. He's monopol-
ised her ever since she arrived." .

Mrs. Carter smirked. "Wouldn't lt be
nice if poor dear Ellen did have a romance
at last? She is such a sweet girl-but she's
rapidly approaching old maidhood."

Meanwhile, over near a goldfish pond.
Ellen and Mr. Peters were having a tete
a-tete. William Peters was a rather dis-
tinguished-looking man of forty, with
touches of grey at his temples. As hs
talked to Ellen, he was gazing at her with
frank admiration, but Ellen, though she
found him very attractive, was giving him
only half her attention. With the other
half, she was watching for George.

She had spent fully two hours dressing
and preparing herself for this party, and
she knew sile was looking her very best.
Her heart pounded as she waited impatiently
for the time to come when she would start
"dazzling" George. Why didn't he come?
What on earth was keeping him?

"Where is this young lawyer, Georgs
Martin, I've been hearing so much about*
she heard Mr. Peters say.

She turned quickly. "Oh! Have you been
hearing about him?"

"My hostess has been giving me an ear-
ful. She seems to consider him something

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

of a legal paragon-said she was particularly

anxious for me to meet him."

"All the Elkton «matrons think highly of
George but-but-I'm rather surprised Mrs
Buxton spoke to you about him. You see,
he happens to be in disgrace at the moment.
At least, I thought he was.

Mr. Peters smiled. "Yes, I heard about
that, too. Something about an actress,
isn't it? Mrs. Buxton did seem rather upset
about it, but she anxiously assured me that,
regardless of that, he was a very capable
young lawyer. I gather that she has her
eye on him for a son-in-law, and is hopeful
I can give him a boost 'of some sort."

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" Ellen
exclaimed impulsively.

Mr. Peters gave her a quick look. "You
sound as though you, too, have an interest

in him?"

Ellen blushed. "Just a friendly Interest.
You see, I've known George a long time,
and so, naturally, I'm Interested in his
career. And Mrs. Buxton ls right-he is
a smart lawyer. I-I hope his little esca-
pade with the actress wouldn't prejudice you
against him. I mean, ordinarily, he's not
the least bit the gay sort."

William Peters threw back his head and
laughed. "Good heavens! That wouldn't
prejudice me against him. It's a man's
brains that count. And, confidentially, I
don't mind telling you that my firm is look-
ing for a good man to represent them in
this part of the country."

"Then, do you have a talk with George!"
Ellen said eagerly.

"Would it please you, personally, If I
had a talk with him?"

Once more, Ellen blushed. "It would."
"Then, I shall."

Ellen glanced towards the front walk.
"I don't know why he hasn't come . . ."
Then, suddenly, she gasped.

"What's the matter?" asked Mr. Peters.

"Here-here he comes now. But-but
look who's with him!"

Ellen was gazing towards George with
stricken eyes-for, clinging to his arm, was
Rita Roselle, dressed up to kill.

"I needn't ask," said Mr. Peters, "If that's
the actress. She looks the part!"

"Yes," Ellen whispered. "That's Miss

Roselle."

Then, her lips set in a straight line.

Ellen and William Peters were not the
only ones to see Rita coming up the
walk with George, clinging to his arm. In
fact, everyone saw her-and everyone was
now transfixed with atsonishment.

Then, George was standing before her.
She heard him saying, "Mrs. Buxton, may
I present my friend Miss Roselle of the
Elkton Stock Company?"

Mrs. Buxton swallowed hard and, with
difficulty, regained her poise.

"So nice of you to come, Miss Roselle,"
' she said icily.

"You couldn't keep me from coming!"
Rita said effusively. "Dear George has
told me so much about you and your lovely
Sunday teas!"

"That was kind of Mr. Martin, I'm sure,"
Mrs. Buxton replied in a choked voice.
Then because she could thliak of nothing
else to say, she asked, "Lemon or cream?"

"Lemon!' Rita laughed-a blt too loudly.
"I have to be careful of my figure!"

Everyone had been watching and listen-
ing to this interchange with fascinated
Interest.

"'Gosh!" Katrine Buxton whispered
excitedly to Elsie Warren. "Who'd ever
have thought Geoerge had the nerve!"

Meanwhile, Ellen and William Peters,
still beside the goldfish pond, had witnessed
from a distance George's introduction of
Rita to Mrs. Buxton.

.

Ellen was so angry she couldn't speak
Any idea of apologising to George for slap-
ping him last night was now completéis
gone. Instead, she wanted to slap hirr
again-good and hard.

"Your friend, Mr. Martin, seems to have
created somethting of a sensation," she
heard Mr. Peters saying. He chuckled
"The man certainly has courage!"

"Do yqu think so?" Ellen said shortly.

The lawyer glanced at her slyly. "Don't
you? How about taking me over and in-
troducing me? I'd like to meet the lady
who has all the dowagers gasping-and
then, too, you know, I want to have
that business talk with Mr. Martin."

"I don't care now whether you talk to

him or not!"

"I see," Mr. . Peters smiled.

Ellen thought of all the time she had
spent beautifying herself for George's
benefit, thought of how she had planned
to turn on all her glamor-and nearly
burst into tears. It was hateful of him,
that's what it was, to go on flaunting
that woman in her face. He was doing
it Just to spite her after their quarrel
Or-or-could he really be so infatuated
with Rita Roselle that he hadn't given her,
Ellen, a thought-hadn't even considered
what her reaction would be to his bringing
Rita here? Her heart sank . . .

Then she suddenly lifted her chin. Why
should she take this lying down? She
wouldn't! She'd show George!

She turned and slipped her hand through

Mr. Peters' arm.

"Come on-I'll introduce you to George.
It was silly of me to speak as I did."

As they moved towards the rest of the
party, Ellen saw that Rita had become the
centre of a group of men, who were cluster-
ing around her eagerly-including Mr. Bux-
ton. Mrs. Buxton and the other wives were
casting daggers at their husbands, but with-
out effect. George had been pushed to the
outside of the group, and was looking rather
helpless,

Ellen, clinging to Mr. Peters and chatter-
ing gaily, pretended not to see George as
she strolled slowly towards him. Then, as
she reached him, she stopped short.

"Oh, hello, George!" she said brightly.
"When did you arrive?"

George was plainly unprepared for this
casual greeting.

"Hello, Helen," he muttered.

"I want you to know Mr. Peters. He and
I have been having such an interesting
talk!" Ellen cooed. "He's a lawyer, too, and
he's been telling me all about his fascinating
work in New York-haven't you, William?"

Mr. Peters gave a little start at her use
of his first name, then grinned.

"Yes-but I was afraid I was boring you
-Ellen." ,

"Don't be silly!" Ellen gurgled. "I was
the one who was a bore-telling you all those
stupid stories about my childhood! But you
were such a sympathetic listener. ..."

George was looking from one to the other,
as though he didn't know quite what to make

of this.

Then Ellen suddenly squealed, "Why,
there's Miss Roselle!" She pushed through
the men surrounding Rita, and seized her
hand. "Come here-there's someone awfully
nice who wants to meet you . . . Miss
Roselle, Mr. Peters."

Mr. Peters bowed. "Charmed, Miss

Roselle."

"I do hope," Ellen said sweetly, "you've
recovered from the little accident you had
last night." *

"Oh, yes," said Rita. "It was nothing

really."

"That's what I thought at the time."
Ellen smirked.

Mr. Peters had turned to George. "I've
been hearing about you, young man. id
like to have a talk with you some time.

"Oh, but, Billy," Ellen broke in, "don't tali
business now!" Once more she slipped her
hand through his arm. "Come on, darling
-I promised, you know, to show you the
rock garden. ..."

With a smile over her shoulder for George
and Rita, she led him away, leaving George
looking utterly bewildered.

As Ellen strolled away with William
Peters, George felt somewhat like a deflated
balloon. His scheme of bringing Rita here
to scandalise the mothers and, more par-
ticularly to defy Ellen, had suddenly gone

sour.

George threw one more glance In the
direction of Ellen and Peters, and reluctantly
allowed himself to be led away.

Automatically he showed Rita about the
place, but all the while his thoughts were
on Ellen. And the more he thought of her
the more upset he became. The way she
had made eyes at that fellow! Confound
her! What was so attractive about Peters,
anyway?

He was so preoccupied that, finally, Rita
stopped and eyed him with a puzzled ex-
pression.

"Georgie . . . what's the matter?" she
asked poutingly.

"Matter? Why-er-nothing. What do
you mean?"

Her hand slipped up and turned his face
down towards hers. He found himself gazing
into her eyes. Her lips were very close. . . .

His heart began to pound crazily, ar.
insane impulse swept through him, and sud-
denly he had both arms around her and was
kissing her fiercely. . . .

"Oh!"

George heard the startled gasp, and hastily
broke away from Rita. He turned to find
Ellen a few feet away, staring at him with
wide eyes. Beside her were William Peters
and Mrs. Buxton. He flushed brick-red and
gaped foolishly.

Then Mrs. Buxton spoke.

"Well!"

It was just one little word, but lt was
weighted with withering scorn. She turned
abruptly and stalked away.

Ellen stared at George a moment longer,
then suddenly laughed-a bit shrilly.

"We beg your pardon for intruding!"

She, too, turned to leave, but, as she did
so, she stumbled, clutched at Peters, and fell
against him.

"Oh! My ankle!" she cried.

Peters' arm went around her. "Did yon
twist it badly?" he asked anxiously. "Here
-don't try to walk on it!"

"It-it's all right I guess." said Ellen, with
a little grimace. "It hurts-but I can
manage."

As she limped away, leaning heavily on
the lawyer. George gazed after her dazedly.

Rita's Up curled. "Humph! Rather
obvious, I'd say!"

George Jerked his head around. "What's
obvious?"

"Your friend Miss Vaughan-and her
twisted ankle. Can't you see what a play
she's making for that Mr. Peters?"

"What of it?" George snapped.

He suddenly hated Rita-and hated him-
self for kissing her.

He rose. "I have to go," he said shortly.

Rita looked startled. "Oh, dear! Do you
really have to?"

"Yes."

Somehow George got through the agony

i

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

of saying good-bye to Mrs. Buxton, who was
like an icicle. He noticed that Mr. Buxton
was more cordial, but that was small com-
fort.

Then he was hurrying Rita down the walk
and she was waving back at the party.

"Good-bye, everybody!" she called. "It's
been so nice meeting you all!"

Why couldn't she keep still, George
thought viciously. As he helped her into
his car he saw Ellen driving away with
Peters. Utterly miserable, he climbed in
beside Rita. . . .

George slept very little that night.
Worried and unhappy over the state of
affairs between himself and Ellen, he
tossed and turned. In the morning, he
arose feeling like a limp rag.

He was In his office early, and wel-
comed the prospect of work. There was
nothing like hard work to make a man
forget his troubles and, he thought, with a
grim smile, he could now work without
Interruption. There would be no phone
calls now from mothers. That was one
consolation to be drawn from the predica-
ment into which he had got himself.

However, he counted too soon on no
Interruptions. First of all, Lee came barg-
ing in, full of wise-cracks about the sen-
sation George and Rita had created at
Mrs. Buxton's tea.

"Oh, shut up!" George growled.

"And I hear you were even caught kiss-
ing the lady," Lee persisted. "My, my!"

"Get out of here!" George shouted.

He picked up a book and hurled it,
sending Lee dodging out.

Then, Elsie came bursting into the
office, and George turned resignedly to

face her.

"George! I had to make sure that you're
coming to my birthday party on Wednes-
day. I won't take no for an answer!"

"Couldn't you have phoned?" George said
Irritably. "Do you have to come rushing
to my office, with Eddie just across the
street, looking as though he'd like to stick
a dagger in my beck?"

Elsie shrugged impatiently. "Who cares
about Eddie? I'm mad at him. You
should have heard the mean things he said
yesterday just because I thought you were
so cute to bring Miss Roselle to Mrs. Bux-
ton's tea!"

George sank into a chair. Gosh, this was
giving worse and worse. Was he breaking
up romances in addition to everything else?

"And another thing," he said, "Does your
mother know you're asking me to your
party?"

Of course not! She'd simply slay me if
she knew. She's horrified about you and
Miss Roselle. But that doesn't make any
¿;:Terence. If you could defy Mrs. Buxton
the way you did yesterday, you can certainly
defy Mother by coming to my party,
whether she likes it or not!"

"Oh, no, I can't!" George said firmly. "I'm
not going to your home without your
mother's consent. Besides, I can't come,
anyway-I've got some work I want to get
done that night."

"Oh, but. George!" Elsie wailed. "The
party will be a flop without you!"

George stared at her. "A flop?"
"Certainly!"

George put a hand to his forehead in a
dazed way. Good-night! Only a few days
ago this girl had to be forced by her mother
to be even pleasant to him-and now she
?>. 5 s saying her party would be a flop with
-him! Just because he now knew an
actress!

He rose and gently propelled Elsie towards
the door.

"I'm sorry-but I can't come, Elsie. Thanks
Just the same for asking me. . '. ."

She looked crestfallen, but she refused to
admit defeat.

"I'm not going to take that as final," she
said, blowing him a kiss as she went down
the stairs. "I'm going to keep after you,
and make you change your mind. ..."

George, sighing, went back to his desk.

As he sat down, the phone rang. It was
Katrine Buxton. She wanted him for bridge
on Thursday night.

"Not at my house, of course. You know
why!" She laughed gaily. "But we're going
to play out at the club ..." ?

George tried to refuse, but she was so
persistent that, finally, as the easiest way
out. he accepted and slammed down the

receiver.

Ten minutes later Aggie Burt phoned to
Issue an invitation. Then Doris Thomas.
Then another girl. And another. So lt
went. George ran out of excuses, and his
temper was rapidly reaching the breaking
point.

He rose and paced the floor, running his
hands distractedly through his hair. Was
he never to be left in peace? He had, he
realised, merely Jumped out of the frying-
pan into the fire. He had got rid of the
mothers only to bring the daughters chas-
ing after him! And, if anything, they were
even more relentless than their parents!

He was still pacing when the door was
flung open and Rita came walking in. She

looked flushed and excited.

"What do you want?" he asked rudely.
"Look!" she said. "Just look at this!"

She fumbled in her bag, produced a tele-
gram, and flung it down on George's desk.

"What is it?" he asked, staring at it as
though afraid to pick it up.

"It's from Ted! He's threatening me
and you, too!"

George had a sinking feeling. Gingerly,
he picked up the wire and read it:

"Quit dating a certain party in that burg
-or else stop don't forget I'm still your
husband stop this is no idle warning stop
I mean business-Ted."

George limply put the telegram back
on the desk. He was so upset that, for a
moment, he couldn't speak. Just what
did the wire mean? It sounded very omin-
ous-for him as well as for Rita.

He Inwardly groaned. This capped the
climax. He certainly was in a fix now!
Why had he ever considered the crazy idea
of going a "little wild?" Far better to be
pursued by match-making mothers than
to have a jealous husband after him. The
mothers were at least harmless. But a
jealous husband!

Of course, there were no grounds for
Jealousy. After all, his "wildness" wouldn't
be considered wild anywhere except in a
small town like this. He had been out
with Rita only twice-and had been well
chaperoned both times. But a Jealous
man wouldn't stop to reason-he'd see the
most trivial things In a distorted, magnified
way. And-and-there was that kiss.
Suppose Ted Lane should find out about
that . . .

George looked up to find Rita staring at
him. waiting for him to speak.

"How-how do you suppose he heard
about-us?" he asked weakly.

"It's that Mazie!" Rita said venomously.
"I just know it! I told you she was after
Ted! I'll bet she's been writing him all

kinds of lies!"

"But what do you think his wire means
-I mean, what's he threatening to do?"

"I don't know-but anyway. I'm not
going to worry!" Rita shrugged impatiently.
"Why should I? What have I done to de

serve a threat like that? I've simply en-
gaged you as my lawyer-and I ask you, how
can I get a divorce without engaging a
lawyer!"

"The trouble is that we've gone a bit
beyond professional dealings," George
pointed out ruefully.

"Pouf!" Rita scoffed. "Can't I be Just
ordinarily friendly with you while I'm your
client? Just what have I done? I've gone
driving with you with another girl along,
and I ve been to a highly respectable tea
party presided over by a lot of stuffy dowa-
gers! Tnerte's no sense to Ted's attitude.
I tell you, it's that Mazie who's behind it
the nasty little trouble-maker!"

"Nevertheless," George said stiffly, again
remembering that kiss, "in view of your
husband's attitude and in view of the proba-
bility that this-er-Mazle is a snooper, I
think it might be best hereafter for us to
limit our association strictly to business
dealings."

"Why, Georgie!" Rita looked at him re-
proachfully. "Don't you want to be friends
with me?"

"Well-er-yes, but-"

"Then we will be friends! I'm surprised
at you. getting so stiff and formal just be-
cause Ted sends me an insane wire. The
only thing to do is to ignore it-and that's
what I intend to do!"

With that, Rita snatched up the wire
and flounced out.

George, however, couldn't view the situa-
tion in quite the same light. He felt
panicky. No telling what an excitable
man like this Ted Lane might do. He also
felt trapped. Rita had him in her net,
and he couldn't get loose. She had a tight
clutch on him and evidently didn't mean
to let go.

As he sat there brooding, he longed to
talk to Ellen as he had always done when
bothered by anything. He needed her
help and advice. But dared he call on

her now that relations between them were
so strained? How would she act towards
him? He would have to admit, of course,
that he had been in the wrong, but he was
ready to do that . . .

Slowly, the impulse to get in touch with
her grew, until he could no longer resist it.
He picked up the phone and called her.

"Hello . . . Ellen?" he said hesitantly.

"Oh, it's you, George. Good-morning,'*
she answered coldly.

Not so good, thought George, but he
gulped and carried on.

"Ellen . . . Are-are you still mad at

me?"

"Mad at you? Why should I be mad at
you?"

"Well-uh-I just wanted to tell you that
I'm sorry about the things I said on Satur-
day night."

"Oh, don't bother, George!" Ellen
laughed lightly. "I've forgotten all about
it."

"And about yesterday-I don't know what
you must have thought when you found
Rita and me-well, you know . . ."

"George! Don't tell me you're going to
try to explain why you kissed a girl? Really!
I assure you no explanation is needed! And
why should it make any difference to me,
anyway? If you want to kiss Rita, go ahead
and kiss her!"

George felt as though he were making no
headway whatsoever He began to feel
rather desperate.

"Well, listen, Ellen-what I phoned you
about was to ask you if you wouldn't have
dinner with me to-night. There's some-
thing I've got to tell you-"

"I'm sorry, George-but it's impossible,
I have another engagement."

"But Ellen!" he pleaded. "This ls im-
portant!"

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

"I've told you, George, that I have an-
other engagement. I'm having dinner at
the club with Bill Peters."

"What?" George's heart suddenly turned
cold. "Did-did you say Peters?"

"Yes."

"But-but I thought he was here only

for the week-end?"

"He changed his plans. He was to have
left at noon to-day-but he's staying over.
And now. George, if you don't mind, I really
am awfully busy. I'll have to ring off. See
you some other time . . . Good-bye . . ."
She hung up.

George slowly put down his phone, and
sat perfectly still.

So! She wouldn't listen to him! And she
was going out to dinner with that Peters
-who was probably "staying over" on her

account.

Anger boiled up within him. She wouldn't
listen to him! And lt was her fault to start
with-the flx he was In! If she hadn't
told him to "sow wild oats," there never
would have been any threatening wire from
Ted Lane. But now, she was leaving him
in the lurch! She wouldn't listen to him!
No! Because she was too busy, thinking
about that fellow Peters!

George suddenly leaped up, grabbed his
hat, and rushed out of the office, a wild
look in his eyes.

Out in the hall, he crashed into Lee,
nearly knocking him down.

"Hey!" gasped Lee. "Where are you
going?"

"To the devil!" shouted George, and
plunged down the stairs . . .

TULLEN was looking lovely as she dined

with William Peters that night at the
country club, and the way in which he was
gazing at her showed that he fully appre-

ciated her loveliness.

She was perfectly aware of the admira-
tion in his eyes. She had been aware of
his admiration ever since they had met
yesterday and, at a time when George's
behaviour had so deeply wounded her, it
had been balm to her soul. She had been
pleased when he had asked her to dine
with him, and had determinedly told her-
self she would forget all about her quarrel
with George and devote herself to having
a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

But lt wasn't working out that way. De-
spite William Peters' attentions to her, she
was troubled and unhappy. It wasn't so
easy to forget about George.

Though preoccupied with these unhappy
thoughts, she still managed to keep smiling
at William Peters and to carry on light
conversation. When he asked her to dance,
she rose and went into his arms as though
she hadn't a care in the world.

As they glided about the room to the
strains of a waltz, her worries were momen-
tarily lulled. She gave herself up to the
soothing influence of music and rhythm.

Peters' arm tightened about her. "Ellen
. . ." he murmured in her ear. "Do you
believe ... In love at first sight?"

Ellen's heart Jumped. Was he actually
going to propose to her?

"Why, no . . ." she said, a bit nervously.

"I'm afraid I don't . . ."

He sighed. "What a shame! You see, I

do."

"You've been reading too many story
books," Ellen said lightly.

"No ... I believe in lt now, for the first
time . . . because lt's happened to me."

Ellen felt a little thrill shoot through her.
It was the first time any man had come so
close to telling her he loved her. But
surely, he was Just flattering her.

She laughed. "You have a good line,

Mr. Peters."

"So you think it's Just a line?" he sal
ruefully.

"Well, you know what we country glr
are taught about men from the big city!
Ellen said archly.

"You wouldn't even let me show you tir.
big city? I'd love to show you New York
the bright lights, the Great White Wa

The music stopped Just then, and Ellei
slipping out of his arms, flashed him

bright smile.

"You mustn't tempt me."

Back at their table, he reached for he

hand.

"So you won't take me seriously?" h
said. "Tell me, is lt because some othe
mari'-has already won your heart?"

"Oh, no!" said Ellen quickly.
"Not . . . George Martin!"

"No-of course not. What makes yo
say that?"

He shrugged. "Oh, it was Just an ide
I had. But I'm glad to hear I'm wronf
He seems to be a rather flighty young mar
with quite an eye for the ladies, and Vi
hate to think of a sweet girl like you marry
lng such an unstable fellow."

Ellen, failing to note the twinkle In hi
eye, leaped to George's defence.

"Oh, you're quite mistaken about George
You mustn't Judge him by yesterday. Then
was a reason for that-circumstances

won't go into. But George isn't like tha
at all.. He's very serious and ambitious
and he's put himself where he is througl
sheer pluck and hard work. In fact, hi
has worked much too hard all his life-hi
hasn't left himself any time for fun. Bu
he's going to be repaid one of these days
Everyone in Elkton thinks he's awfullj
smart, and that he has a very bright futun

ahead of him!"

Ellen had spoken so vehemently that sh<
was quite flushed when she finished.

William Peters smiled. "I'd give a lot,'
he murmured, "to have a lovely girl cham-
pion me like that!"

Then, she went rigid. There was George
-and he was' terribly drunk! George
who had never before been even slightly

intoxicated!

At that instant, he made a terrific lunge
broke away from the waiters and, to Ellen's
horror, came plunging drunkenly toward.'
her table, a purposeful gleam in his eyes.

As the room swam round her she heard
Peters murmur, "Steady? Not so steady

at the moment . . ."

When George had rushed from his
office that noon, shouting to Lee that he
was going "to the devil," he hadn't had
any very definite idea as to just how he
was going to get there, except that he
meant to start by having a drink-two
or three of them! He was not a drinking
man but he knew that many men, when
driven to the limit of their endurance,
resorted to drink to drown their sorrows,
and now he meant to give it a try.

What happened to the afternoon, he
never knew. After many hours he had
suddenly become aware that it was night-
time and, with this realisation, came a
blurred memory that Ellen had said she
was dining with Peters at the country
club. Seized with what he considered a
brilliant inspiration, he had somehow
located his car and had driven to the club
at breakneck speed. He'd show that guy

Peters !

Thus, having fought off half a dozen
waiters, he was now plunging across the
club dining-room towards the table where
Ellen was seated with Peters. He reached
them, and stood swaying on his feet.

"George!" cried Ellen.

He scarcely looked at her. He fixed his

eyes on Peter».

"So!" he shouted. "Steal my girl, wi]
you? Stan' up, so I can knock yoi

down!"

Ellen had Jumped up, and now had holi

of his arm.

"Please, George! Please" she begged, bu

he thrust her aside.

Peters, too, had risen. He stepped be
tween Ellen and George.

"I'll take care of him, Ellen," he salt
quietly.

"Oh, you will, will you!" George roared
With that, before Peters could move
George's fist shot out blindly and, by ¡
stroke of luck, landed squarely on Peters
chin. The older man staggered, bumped
into a chair, and fell crashing to the

floor.

He stood there dazedly, passing a hand
across his face. He liked that! Just be-
cause he tried to rescue his girl from a
bounder, the girl called him a brute, and
he got thrown out! He felt very injured
and put upon.

He heard a sound behind him and, turn-
ing uncertainly, saw a girl sitting there on
the moonlit terrace. She seemed all
blurred and wavery but, after a minute, he
made out that it was Lucy May Carter.
She was staring at him with a startled
expression-though he didn't realise that

lt was startled.

He lurched towards her. "Lucy Mayl
Jus' the girl I want! You unnerstan' a
fellow!" He seized her hand, and tried to
pull her from her chair. "C'mon . . ,
you come with me . . . wanna talk to

you."

"George! You're drunk" she gasped

"Drunk? Sure I'm drunk. What dif
f'rence that make?"

Again, he pulled her and, this time,
dragged her out of the chair.

"George, let go of me!"

"No, now--don' make a scene. You
jus' come 'long with me . . ."

He clutched at her, got an arm around
her and, despite her struggles, began haul-
ing her towards the steps leading down

to the driveway.

"Lee! Lee!" she screamed. "Lee! Help!"
Whatcha want with Lee?"

George had reached the edge of the
steps, when Mrs. Carter came racing out

of the clubhouse.

"George Martin! Let go of my daughter

this minute!"

Mrs. Carter made ineffectual efforts to
free Lucy May, but George held onto her
tightly.

"Whassa matter?" he asked, grinning
foolishly. "Wha's all the fuss about?
Thought you wanted me to be nice to your
daughter? Said you did. Always lnvitin'
me to dinner. Aw right-I like her! And
I'm jus' goin' take her for a li'l ride . . ."

With that, he staggered down the steps,
dragging the protesting Lucy May with

him.

"Help! Help!" screeched Mrs. Carter.

George paid no attention. He forced
Lucy May along tile driveway until he
found his roadster. He shoved her in,
climbed in himself and, keeping a grasp on
her wrist, started the car with a jerk.

As he careened away, he could faintly
hear Mrs. Carter, back on the terrace,
calling, "Lee! Lee Morgan! Come quick''

QEORGE whirled the roadster out of the

club driveway on two wheels, straight-
ened it, and sent it roaring down the high-

way.

All the while, Lucy May was screaming
for help. Then, realising that screams
were getting her nowhere and seemed only
to spur George on, she abruptly hushed.
She decided she must use more subtle tao

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

tics. If he kept on st this breakneck
speed in his drunken condition, they'd both

be killed!

"George." she pleaded, "let me drive. Ill
go with you-wherever you want to go-but
won't you let me drive?"

He didn't seem to hear her.

"Listen. George- won't you please slow
down? I don't like to drive so fast."

To her immense relief, he did slow down,
then-but not because she asked him to.
He slowed because something was puzzling
him, and he wanted to ask her about lt.
The memory of Mrs. Carter calling for Lee
Morgan had stuck in his foggy thoughts.
There was. he told himself, something
queer about that.

"Listen, Lucy May . . . Your mother . . .
she was yellin' for Lee. Thought she
didn't like him . . ."

"Idiot!" said Lucy May, "Don't you realise
you've changed all that?"

"Me?"

"Certainly!" Lucy May laughed. "After
the way you've been cutting up-particu-
larly after you brought Rita Roselle to
Mrs. Buxton's tea yesterday-mother ls so
relieved that I escaped marrying you, that
she's being nice as pie to Lee! Why, I
came to the club with him this evening
with her blessing!"

George turned this Information over tn
his mind, and he didn't know whether he
liked it. So! Lee had supplanted him in
Mrs. Carter's esteem! Lee was now the
model young man! Despite the fact that
he had wanted Just such a thing to come
to pass he was too drunk now to realise
rt. He suddenly felt terribly hurt that
Lucy May's mother had turned against him.

"I suppose." Lucy May wa3 saying, "that
I really ought to thank you. George, but
right now, I'm not going to thank you for
anything unless you turn straight around
and drive me back to the club!"

"No!" he said stubbornly. "Not goin'
to take you back! You're comin' with me!
Don't care whether your mother likes me or

not!"

With that, he stepped on the gas and sent
the car leaping ahead.

It was unfortunate that, at that moment,
* waggon piled with hay loomed up in
front of them.

Lucy May screamed and covered her eyes.
George a few seconds later unwrapped
himself from the steering wheel and peered
down at Lucy May.

"You-you all right?" he gasped.

She pulled herself up from the floor and
gingerly felt herself.

"No bones seem to be broken," she said
weakly. "But no thanks to you!"

George dazedly surveyed the wreckage of

the corncrib.

"Went right through it," he muttered.

"No! Really, George, that's brilliant of
you! I thought we missed lt!"

Lucy May laboriously climbed out of the
car, and limpingly picked her way over corn
cobs and splintered pieces of wood.

"At least, I seem able to walk," she
remarked.

George, too, climbed out, but he found he
couldn't stand. He slumped down on the
running board and took his head in his
hands. It seemed to be going round
and round. No matter how tightly he held
lt, it kept on whirling.

He became aware of angry voices
approaching. He raised his head and saw
two men in overalls striding toward him,
shouting and gesticulating. They were fol-
lowed by some half-dozen other persons.

"You crazy fool! Why don't you look
where you're going! It's lucky . . I'm not
dead, with motorists like you on the road!"

Thia apparently was the driver of the hay

waggon.

"My corncrib! Look what you've done to
it!" roared the other man. "You"ll pay for

this!"

They stood over him, hurling epithets
at him, while their followers pressed round
excitedly. George merely groaned, and
once more took his head In his hands,
covering hi» ears to shut out the din.

Then, the corncrib owner leaned close to
him. and sniffed.

"Hah! Just as I thought! Drunk! Driving
while intoxicated!"

"Call the police!" someone suggested.
"They'll take care of him!"

The corncrib owner turned, as though
to go and carry out the suggestion.

"Oh, walt a minute!" cried Lucy May,
catching hold of his arm. "Please don't
call the police! I promise you he'll make
good the damage he's done."

The two farmers took note of her for the
first time-started at her belligerently.

"She's probably drunk, too," said the
driver of the hay waggon.

"I'm not!" Lucy May said Indignantly.

"Well, anyway, lady, you ought to have
better sense than to go riding with a
drunk," said the corncrib owner. "I got
to do my duty. A guy like him is a menace
-he belongs behind bars!"

Ignoring Lucy May's further protests, he
set off to call the police.

Lucy May was trailing after the farmer,
tugging at his sleeve, begging him to re-
consider his intention of having George
arrested, when she saw a car stop on the
highway.

A yellow roadster! Lee! Oh, thank
heaven

"Wait a minute," she said to the farmer.
"Here comes a friend of mine. Let him
talk to you."

Lee glanced towards George's car and
the surrounding wreckage.

"Gosh, he sure did raise havoc!" Then
anxiously, "Sure you're not hurt, Lucy
May?"

"Just a little shaky. But what a ride!"
Lucy May described what had happened.

"How about George-ls he all right?"
asked Lee.

"I don't think he's hurt, but he seems
to be kind of stunned. Just sits on the
running board and holds his head."

"It would serve him right if he had been
killed!" Mrs. Carter said bitterly.

"Now, Mrs. Carter-don't be too hard
on him," Lee said soothingly. "I happen
to know that he has been under something
of a strain."

"Strain! And what do you think I've
been under for the past halfhour? Besides,

that's no excuse for his outrageous be- '
haviour. Getting dead drunk, and then
endangering my daughter's life!"

At this point, the farmer, who had been
standing quietly by, cleared his throat and
stepped forward.

"Oh!" said Lucy May, remembering.
"Lee, this ls the man who owns the corn-
crib. He - he wants to have George

arrested."

"I do-and I will," the man said grimly.
"Well, now, look here," Lee placatetd
"I promise you that all damages will be
paid. In fact. Ill pay you something right
now rf you like;-"

"It ain't only that." the farmer said
stubbornly. "That fellow ought to be in
gaol-driving in his condition! He needs
to be taught a lesson!"

"That's true." Lee agreed diplomatically.
"But how about being easy on him? You
may not believe me, but it's the first time
he's ever been in this condition-and I

expect his lesson will be learned when h«
wakes up to-morrow morning!"

The farmer looked sceptical, but said:
"Well ..."

Lee reached in his pocket and produced
a bill. "Here-take this as a token pay-
ment on damages. And well leave Mr.
Martin's car here as security."

The farmer grudgingly gave in.

They proceeded, then, to the scene of th«
accident. They found George still seated
on the running board, with the hay-waggon
driver standing guard over him. while th«
other country folk looked on curiously.

Lee got him to his feet and. support-
ing him. started him across the field
towards the highway. Mrs. Carter gave
him a look of cold and haughty disdain,
but it was wasted on George. He glanced
at her vaguely, but seemed not to recog-
nise her.

When they reached Lee's car Lee helped
him into the rumble seat, where ha
promptly lay down and curled up. Then,
with Lucy May and Mrs. Carter rn th«
front seat with Lee, they turned home-
ward . . .

As Lee bade the two ladies good night
at their door, Mrs. Carter gushed over
him a3 though she had never in her life
said an unkind word about hin-.. Lee,
pleased though he was over thia, was more
interested in Lucy May's soft-spoken
thanks. He gazed into her shining eyes,
hesitated, then glanced uncertainly at Mrs.

Carter.

It was with a song in his heart that he
drove George home. He helped him up-
stairs and deposited him on his bed but,
when he started to undress him. Georg«
suddenly came to life.

"Don' want any help! No child!"

Lee started to argue but, when Georgs
became belligerent, he shrugged and de-
parted.

George, left alone, sat for a long time
Just staring into space. After a while, his
eyes focused on something on his bureau.
He rose, moved unsteadily across the room,
picked up the object of his curiosity, and
found it was a letter.

With much difficulty, he tore the en-
velope open and removed the single sheet
of paper. He stared at it. but the writing
on it blurred-he couldn't read it. Finally,
by peering closely, he made out the sig-
nature-"Ted Lane."

"The heck with him!" He crumpled th«
letter into a ball, flung it to the floor, and
ground it under his heel. "More threats!
Who cares? I'll sue him!"

Then, it occurred to him that, if he were
going to sue Ted Lane, he might need the
letter for evidence. He bent, nearly lost
his balance, but managed to pick up the
crumpled ball of paper, and stuffed it
into his pocket.

After that, he laboriously undressed, got
his pyjamas on backwards, and fell into
bed . . .

/ ' EORGE awoke at noon with only a vague

recollection of the events of the previous
evening but with plenty of evidence tnae
things were very, very wrong.

His head felt as though a dozen black-
smiths were shoeing as many horses in the
vicinity of his temples His tongue felt as
though it were made of flannel. And his
eyes seemed to be trying to go througn th«
back of his head.

Lacking a car, George had to call a taxi
to take him into town. As he entered his
office building and climbed the stairs, hs
could hear Lee singing at the top of his
voice. Humph! He was glad someone
could be cheerful!

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

He dismally poked his head Into Lees
office. "What are you singing about?"

"Well, well!" Lee grinned. "The prodigal
son returns! How do you feel?"

"Rotten!" George moved into the office,
and sank Into a chair. "Lee . . . why
didn't you tell me it was like this?"

"What was like what?"

"Hangovers. Why didn't you warn me?"
Lee threw back his head and shouted
with laughter. "His first hangover-and he
doesn't like it! Well, George, If you sew
wild oats, you know, you've got to pay the
price!"

"Stop laughing," George said Irritably.
"Listen, Lee-just what happened last
night?"

"What happened? What didn't happen!"
Lee proceeded to give him a vivid account
of the havoc he had raised.

"Qood night!" George moaned. "So I

knocked Peters down, did i?"

"You sure did!"

"I suppose," George said forlornly, "that
Ellen will never speak to me again."

"Probably not," Lee agreed cheerfully.
"Look here, George-just why did you do it?
I mean, what started you off In the first
place?"

"It was Ellen," George told him. He re-
lated the circumstances that had driven
him to desperation. "And now," he ended
bitterly, "I've Just made things worse than

ever."

"I'm afraid you- have."

"I should think you'd be sore at me, too,
after what I did to Lucy May." George
looked at Lee curiously. "Why aren't you?"

"You're right-I should be hopping mad.
But I'm not." Lee beamed. "You see, I
owe you something. Thanks to you, old
man, I'm now sitting pretty! I'm a hero!"

He told of his complete conquest of Mrs.
Carter as a result of George's fall from

grace.

"Well, that's something, anyway," George
said gloomily. "Congratulations."

"Thanks!"

George brooded a minute. "You are prob-
ably the only friend I've got left. Prom the
town's model young man, I suppose I've
turned into the town pariah."

"Oh, that reminds me." said Lee. "I have
some messages for you. Katrine Buxton
phoned to say that her bridge party for
Thursday night ls called off. Aggie Burt
and Doris Thomas also called, and there
were a couple of other girls. I've forgotten
what they all said, but it all had to do with
cancelling invitations. The messages are
in there on your desk."

George stared at him. "I guess they view
me now as a dangerous character." He
shrugged. "Well, I don't care about that
I didn't want to go to their parties, any-
way."

"That's the ticket," said Lee. "Look at
the silver lining. Why be so doleful? You'll
be completely free now from social engage-
ments-which is exactly what you wanted."

"Yes-and free, too, from business en-
gagements, In all likelihood. I see myself
losing all my clients."

"Don't cross bridges before you reach
them. You haven't lost any business yet."

George buried his head In his hands. "But
what bothers me most is Ellen. She'll never
forgive me. I've lost her friendship .. ."

"Oh. come, come!" said Lee. "Cheer up,
old fellow. Things are never as black as
they seam-"

"They are black!" George raised his head
and glared at his friend. "They couldn't be
blacker-and you know it!" He ran his
hands through his hair. "Lerd, how I wish
I had never seen Rita Roselle I If it weren't

for her-"

He stopped suddenly at the sound of
footsteps out in the hall. He heard some-
one open the door of his office.

"Lee ... see who lt ls."

Lee cautiously opened his own door a
crack, peeped out, then closed the door
again.

"It's her!" he reported, in a stage whisper.
George leaped up. "Get rid of her!" he
said frantically. "Blast her, anyway! Get
rid of her, Lee-I won't see her-"

But, at that instant, Lee's door burst open
-and Rita walked In.

Rita stood on the threshold of Lee's office,
and stared at George In astonishment. She
had quite obviously heard the tirade against
her which her entrance had cut short.

"Why, Georgie!" she said, in an aggrieved
tone. "What's the matter?"

"Everything!" he snarled.

He rudely turned his back on her and sat
down.

"George, you sound so ferocious ! Are-are
you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick-but I don't want to
see you!"

"Well, of all things!" Rita said indig-
nantly. "I must see you George-I've got
some business I want to discuss with you."

"I don't want to hear anything about
it."

"You don't! Well, you're going to hear
about it whether you want to or not!" Rita
was furious. "The idea of your talking
to me like that! I'm your client, and you
have no right to-"

"You're not my client-not any more!"
George cut in. "I'm dropping your case!"

Rita was taken aback. She changed her
tone-became plaintive.

"But George . . ."

"I don't want to handle it, I tell you.
I'm through!"

"Georgie . . ." Rita stepped close to him,
and spoke soothingly. "What's happened,
darling? You just can't back out on me
now-what with Ted sending me threats
and--"

('A11 the more reason for me to back
out!" George told her. "His threats are
meant for me, too. You'd better get your-
self a lawyer with a-with a

"With a long grey beard," Lee suggested,
smiling.

"Exactly!" said George. "Get yourself a
lawyer with a long grey beard, and then
maybe your husband won't be fool enough
to be jealous of him!"

"So that's what's bothering you!" Rita
gave a silvery little laugh, and placed her
hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Georgie dar-
ling, how silly of you . . ."

At that instant, there was a sound in
the doorway, and George turned to see
Ellen standing there, her gaze riveted on
Rita's hand on his shoulder.

"Ellen!" he cried, jumping up.

She cut him cold, and turned to Lee.
"Sorry to have intruded, Lee. I wanted
to see you about that house you're going
to sell, but I'll come back when your office
is less-crowded!"

With that, she turned and, with her chin
in the air, walked out and started down
the stairs.

"Ellen! Walt a minute!"

George roughly pushed Rita out of his
way, and dashed from the office.

"Ellen!"

He went tearing down the stairs after her,
caught up with her as she reached the
street, and seized her arm.

"V want to talk to you!" he gasped.

"Please wait!"

Ellen, however, shook her arm out of his
grasp, and quickened her place. George
hurried along beside her, pleading with
btv.

"Won't you listen to me, Ellen? Let mt
explain . . ."

"Go away, George!" she said angrily.
"Haven't you done enough without making
me conspicuous on the street?"

"If you'd only stop, Instead of running
away from me, you would not be so con-
spicuous," he pointed out.

She did stop, then, and glared at him.

"I've never been so ashamed and humili-
ated in all my life as I was last night! How
you can expect me to talk to you after
what you did, I don't know!"

George hung his head. "I'm terribly
sorry, Ellen-I can't tell you how sorry I am.
I was drunk, of course, and didn't know
what I was doing, but I want to apologise
to you and-and-to Mr. Peters, too."

"It's too late, I'm afraid, for apologies.
I've never been so disappointed in anyone!
Listen to this, George-I was sitting there
boosting you to Bill Peters, and he was say-
ing what favorable things he had heard
about you, and that he wanted to have a
talk with you that might have meant a
great deal to your future. And then what
happens? You come in like a wild man
and knock him fiat on his back!"

"Gee," was all George could say as thii
new aspect of his offence was revealed to

him.

"Now, you've not only lost the oppor-
tunity that Mr. Peters might have given
you," Ellen rushed on, "but probably even
the business you already had!"

"I thought you said wild oats wouldn't
affect my business," George couldn't help
reminding her.

"I did say that-and a little harmless
gaiety wouldn't have mattered. But I
never expected you to get maudlin drunk
and make an utter fool of yourself! Why,
the whole town's talking about the scene
you made at the club, and about the way
you dragged poor Lucy May off and nearly
killed her! Everyone ls thoroughly dis-
gusted with you!"

"I suppose they are," George said miser-
ably. "But Ellen, I do want you to under-
stand how lt all happened. Maybe my
explanation will seem feeble to you, but
there is an explanation . . ."

"Go on," said Ellen, "but I know what
you're going to say. You're going to tell
me that you got mad because I had an
engagement with Bill Peters when you
phoned me yesterday morning. I don't see
that that's any reason for-"

"Wait a minute," George cut in. "Let
me finish. You don't understand. You
see I was feeling pretty bad about the
quarrel we'd had, and I saw that you were
right about Rita, and then she came in
with this wire from her husband-a very
threatening wire. Someone had evidently
written him a lot of lies about Rita and me.
That upset me quite a lot and I wanted to
talk to you about it, and so, when I phoned
and you wouldn't even listen to me-and
and said you were going out with that
fellow Peters-well, I Just went haywire,

that's all."

"I call that a very childish excuse,
George I "

Ellen turned and walked away, leaving
George staring hopelessly after her.

VOR some moments after Ellen had left

George, he just stood in the middle of
the sidewalk, gazing in the direction she
had gone. Just as he had thought, she
wouldn't forgive him. Life looked very dark.

Then he moved slowly down the street
towards the Corner Drug Store. At least he
could do something about this splitting head-
ache. It was driving him crazy.

As he entered the drug store he was aware
that aeveral persons turned to eye him

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

uriously. They had heard about last night,
ie supposed, and wanted to see what this
Singed George Martin looked like. Well,
ie didn't care. Let them look. All that
ottered was Ellen.

He sat dowo at the counter and ordered
, Dromo-selt;>«». Eddie Jones silently pre-
med it for höh.

Be downed it, and was sitting there,
noding, when he saw Mr. Buxton enter
he store. George looked away, thinking
¡ut the other man wouldn't want to speak

0 him.

Then, suddenly, he received a terrific clap
m the back that made his aching head
eel as though it were going to split wide
po.

«Well! Well!" Mr. Buxton boomed. "I
(ver expected to see George Martin in need
ii bromo!" This was followed by a roar

.er.

[George, feeling his head to make sure lt
Us still on, turr.3d gingerly and stared. He
Us too astonished to speak.

[ "Hear you had quite a high old time last

Mit!' Mr. Buxton chortled.

[George continued to stare. "You-you

bon you think it's funny?"

Tunny! My boy, it's a riot." Another
»ar of laughter. "I didn't think you had it
tyou!"

George was flabbergasted. Could lt be
me that Mr. Buxton didn't hold his
jcapade against him? Why, Ellen had said
jut everyone was disgusted with him.

"And say," the older man went on, "did
Iget a kick out of the shock you gave my
rife by bringing that actress to the garden
¡arty on Sunday!"

vou're not sore about that?"

Mar.. I was tickled pink! It was rich
imply rich. I never had so much fun in
H life. First one of my wife's tea parties
ever enjoyed!"

Just then a dapper young man entered
he store and strolled up to the counter,
[either George nor Mr. Buxton had ever
len him before, and as this was unusual in
1 small town where everyone knew every
ue else, they both turned to look at him.
Ie was sleekly dressed, and had a neat little
Jack moustache, and was good-looking In
irather flashy way.

Eddie Jones was also curious about him.
liter serving him the soft drink he ordered
Bdie leaned on the counter and tried to
tar a conversation with him.

'Stranger in town?"

"Yes," the man answered curtly. "Here to
ie my wife. She's with a stock company."
George, listening, gave a start. His wife?

e stock company?

'ls that so?" he heard Eddie ask eagerly.

V?.r> is she?"

"Rita Roselle-the leading lady."

The young man, who had quickly gulped
i drink, slapped a coin onto the counter,
td strode out.

George had suddenly gone pale. He saw
idle looking at him with a gleam in his
», and drew Mr. Buxton away from the

"Did you hear that?" he muttered. "That
is Rita Roselle's husband."

"Sure-what of it? Why are you looking

! "cared?"

'He-he's been wiring her threats-on
Munt of me."

Kr. Buxton's eyebrows went up. "Really?

¡air

Bien a flash of memory came to George,
kt letter on his bureau last night! He
Bin such a state at the time that he had

totten all about it. But now he remem
ted it, and remembered that he hadn't

read it. What had he done with it? His
pocket . . . that's where he put it. . . .

He groped in his pocket and found it-a
crumpled ball of paper. He spread lt open,
hurriedly read through it-and went cold.

"Look," he said, his hand trembling as he
showed the letter to Mr. Buxton. "I got
this letter from him last night. Look at the
last sentence."

Mr. Buxton read the sentence Indicated.
"... and I'll shoot you down like a dog
li I catch you with my wife!"

To George's surprise Mr. Buxton laughed.
"The man's crazy! His wife has hired you
to get her a divorce, hadn't she-so why
shouldn't you be with her?"

"I know, but he evidently doesn't want the
divorce-and he's heard some sort of tales
about us. He has come here because he
thinks I'm trying to steal her while acting
as her lawyer."

"You're not trying to steal her, are you?"
"Of course not! But suspicious husbands
aren't easy to convince."

"Well, then, just avoid seeing her while
he's in town. That should be simple
enough."

"Oh, no it Isn't!" said George. "She
hounds me!"

Mr. Buxton chuckled. "Forget it-you've
nothing to worry about." He took George's
arm. "Come on over to the hotel and have
a drink with me. ..."

George, feeling that a drink was just
what he needed at the moment, obediently
accompanied him-but he felt far from re-

assured.

Ted Lane, on leaving the drug store,
wended his way towards the Elkton
theatre. He had arrived in town a half
hour before and, having failed to locate
Rita at the hotel, had decided to look for
her at the theatre, where she might be
rehearsing.

There was a look of grim determina-
tion on his face as he strode along the
street. He meant to have a showdown
with Rita. Maybe all that stuff that
Mazie had written him was just a lot of
tripe-but then, maybe it wasn't. He was
here to find out. But if it was true!
His lips set in a thin line.

At the stage entrance to the Elkton
Theatre, he was stopped by the doorman.

"Hey! You can't go'in there. They're
rehearsing."

"So what?" said Ted. "I want to see
my wife."

"Which one's your wife?"
"Rita Roselle."

"She ain't in there.''
"Where is she?"

"I don't know." ,

"Then, let me talk to Mazie Dawn.
Maybe she'll know."

The doorman hesitated. "Okay-go on
in. But don't make any noise."

Ted walked on Into the wings. On the
stage a group of players were going through
their lines. He looked about for Mazie,
and saw her sitting off to one side, watch-
ing the rehearsal.

He stepped over to her. "Hello, Mazie."
She glanced at him, then leaped up.

"Ted!" she cried, a bit too eagerly.
"You old darling!"

"Where's Rita?" he asked curtly.

"Shhh!" said someone on the stage.

Mazie drew him into the dressing-room
corridor.

"We can talk here ..."

"Where's Rita?" he asked again.

"How should I know?" Maizie fenced.

"You seemed to know a jot about her
when you wrote me."

"I was only trying to help you, Ted. I

thought it was terrible for you to be taking
all the blame when she

"Okay!" he cut in. "You said all that
In your letter. Haven't you any idea where

I can And her now?"

"Well . . . she left here about an hour
ago, and I don't know, but I think she went
to that lawyer's office. Anyway, she goes
there every day-"

"Where's his office?"

"Just down the street a way. If you
wait a minute until I get my hat, 111
show you. I'm through here ..."

As Mazie disappeared into her dressing
room, Ted grimaced. Mazie annoyed him.
She was Just a little snooper, and she
made lt only too plain that she was
smitten with him and enjoyed stirring up
trouble bétween him and Rita. But Just
the same . . .

A few minutes later, they were emerging
onto the street together.

"Look here," he said. "Are you sure you
didn't make up a lot of that stuff you

wrote me?"

"Why, Ted! Why should I do a thing
like that?" she pouted.

"Well, you've seemed from the begin-
ning to take a little too much pleasure In
butting into the disagreement between Rita

and me."

"Ted Lane! I think you're terrible to
say things like that!"

"Sorry."

"Besides, if you think I'm lying you
ought to hear what everyone else is say-
ing about the way Rita has been carrying
on with that George Martin!"

"You mean the whole town's talking?"
"It is."

Ted lapsed into silence, a scowl on his

face.

Mazie tucked her hand through his arm.
"It's a shame. Ted. You deserve a wife
who'd appreciate you. You-"

"Can the sympathy," he said rudely.
"Where's that lawyer's office?"

"We're Just coming to lt-"

Mazie halted suddenly, and so did Ted
-for, at that Instant, Rita came out of
George's office building, scarcely ten feet
ahead of them.

Ted ducked quickly into a doorway,
drawing Mazie with him.

"Let's see where she goes," he whispered.
She went straight to a dilapidated taxi
standing at the curb. Ted and Mazie heard
her say, "Drive me out to Mr. George Mar-
tin's residence." .Then, she climbed in.

Mazie looked at Ted. "Now maybe you'll
believe me!"

Ted didn't reply. No sooner had Rita
been driven away than he dashed across
the street to another dilapidated car that
seemed to be a taxi.

"Follow that other carl" he told the
driver.

He hopped in. Mazie, hot on his heels,
hopped in after him. They shot off down
the street in pursuit of Rita . . .

Ten minutes later, when Ted saw Rita's
taxi turn into the driveway of George's
home, he ordered his own driver to stop.

"We'll get out here."

Having dismissed the cab, he and Mazie
started walking up the driveway.

"What are you going to do, Ted?" Mazie
asked breathlessly.

"I'm going in there and tear that fellow
to pieces!"

Mazie clutched his arm. "Wait a minute
-maybe he isn't home yet. It's kind of
early for him to be home."

"Then, why did she come out here?"
Ted demanded.

"Don't you see?" said Mazie. "The way

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

I figure lt ls that she went to his office
and he wasn't there-so she has come out
here to wait for him. Anyway, I think
it would be a good idea to wait a while
before rushing in there. Then, when he
comes, you can catch them together-and
-and give lt to them!"

Ted hesitated. "Maybe you're right."

They saw Rita's taxi coming back down
the drive, and ducked behind some shrub-
bery. They saw that the taxi was empty.

Then, they moved closer to the house,
stationed themselves behind a hedge where
they had a view of the front door, and
settled down to walt . . .

{JEORGE'S agitation over the arrival in

town of Ted Lane had not lessened when
he parted from Mr. Buxton after partaking
of a drink with that gentleman at the hotel

bar. .

Mr. Buxton had discussed a legal matter
he wanted George to handle, and, at any
other time, George would have been elated
over getting this new business-but now
he was too worried to be able to think of
anything but the ominous threat contained
In that letter nestling in his pocket.

As he proceeded toward his office he won-
dered whether Rita would be there waiting
for him, to finish the argument that he
had abruptly halted by leaving her flat to go
chasing after Ellen. Gosh, he hoped she
was gone. Suppose she weren't, and Ted
Lane should come walking in on them
before he could get rid of her !

Reaching his building, he climbed tl«
stairs cautiously. He opened Lee's door,
peeped in to make sure the coast was clear,
then slipped inside.- He held his finger to
his lips as Lee started to speak.

"Where's Rita?" he whispered. "She
she's not in my office, ls she?"

"No-you're safe," Lee grinned

George thrust Ted Lane's letter into hts
friend's hand. Lee read it and whistled.

"Ye gods! The fellow seems rather

violent!"

"I'll say he's violent!" George began to
pace the floor. "A fine kettle of fish I'm
In-all because I was fool enough to let you
and Ellen persuade me to sow some wild

oats!"

"Now, look here!" Lee said Indignantly.
"Ellen and I didn't advise you to take on a
divorce case, kiss your client, and play the
part of Romeo as well as lawyer!"

"Oh. all right-it's my own fault!" George
conceded "But Lee, what am I going to

do?"

"Right now, I suggest that you go home.
That's the best place to hide out from Rita
for the time being. Then, if she comes
back here before her husband catches up
with her I'll tell her what's happened. That
ought to make her see for herself that she's
got to keep away from you."

George grabbed the letter, and made for
the door. "Thanks. Lee-but don't tell her
I've gone home. She might be just crazy
enough to come out there!"

He dashed out. and in a few minutes was
speeding homeward tn a taxi.

As he drove up before his house, and
climbed out, he little knew that two pairs
of eyes were peering at him from behind
a hedge. He mounted the porch steps,
entered the house, and drew a deep breath.
He'd hide out here for a week if necessary.

Then, suddenly, he froze. Standing in
the living-room doorway was Rita.

"George . . ." She moved toward him.
"Why are you looking so funny? When you
didn't come back to the office, I Just had to

come out here to see you. I could not let
you rush off like that without-"

"Listen!" he cut In, seizing her wrist.
"Do you know what's happened? Your hus-
band is in town!"

Rita was startled. "What? Ted's here?
But-but why?"

"Here's why!" George reached In his
pocket, and once more produced Ted's letter.

"Read that!"

"Oh, my goodness!" gasped Rita, as she
took in the menacing words. "Why, Ted's
gone crazy!"

"Maybe he has-but that doesn't alter
the fact that you've got to get out of here
as fast as you can. If he should And you

here-"

George was pushing her toward the

door.

"Oh, nj go, George-I'll go!" She
was now as agitated as he.

She never reached the door, however.
She was stopped by the sound of the door-
bell-a loud, Imperative ring.

She and George stared at each other
speechlessly for a moment. Then George
started shoving her away from the door.

"It's him! It must be! Hide! Quick!"
"But where?" she wailed.
"Anywhere! But hide!"

George waited until she had fled, then
fearfully approached the door. He paused
to pull himself together, then slowly opened

it.

On the porch was the young man he had
seen In the drug store.

"Are you George Martin?"

"Yes." George smiled feebly.

"Well, I'm Ted Lane. Does that name
mean anything to you?"

"Oh, why, how do you do, Mr. Lane?"
George smiled again. "What-what can
I do for you?"

"You can produce my wife!"

"Y-your wife? W-why should you look

for her here?"

"Because here's where she is!"

George forced a laugh. "I'm sorry-but

she isn't."

"Oh, yes she is!" Ted grated. "Don't try
to He out of it! I followed her here, and
saw her come In!"

"You-you must be mistaken. She-"
"Stop stalling!" Ted cut in. "Are you
going to let me come in there, or do I have
to use force? Maybe this will persuade
you!"

With that he drew a gun

^T sight of the gun, George gulped. "You

don't need to get tough," he brazened,
with a bravado he didn't feel. "Come
on in if you like, and look for your wife
but I assure you she isn't here!"

"We'll see about that!" Ted pushed past
him. "I'll find her if I have to search
the place from cellar to attic! And," he
added, in a loud voice, evidently for Rita's
benefit, "she needn't try to sneak out,
because I've got a friend outside who'll see

her!"

He began making a systematic search,
first through the hall, then through the
living-room, and on through the other
rooms on the lower floor-opening closets,
peering under furniture, poking behind
draperies.

George, following him, was In a state
of panic. Not knowing just where Rita had
gone, he expected her to be uncovered at
almost any moment. And then, what?
Would Ted Lane carry out his threat
shoot him down in a flt of jealous rage?
He looked mad enough to do it.

However, they reached the kitchen with
Rita still undiscovered. There they came

upon Mrs. Simmons, engaged In peerá
potatoes. The old lady's eyes fixed on Tefl

gun and widened.

Ted stepped up to her. "Have you «g

my wife?"

"K-knife? What kind of k-knlfe?" m

Simmons stammered.

"She's hard of hearing," George expiais
"I said wife, not knife!" Ted shouted,

her.

She smiled nervously, and shook her heai
"No, slr-I've not had the pleasure i

meeting her."

Ted turned away in disgust, searchi
through all the possible hiding plací

the kitchen, then motioned to George.

"Upstairs!" he ordered. TD find her
She can't get away-not with Mazie on ti

look-out outside!"

So, thought George, that snooper Mad
was in on this! He'd like to meet Maa.
He'd gladly wring her neck!

As he and Ted left the kitchen, Mn
Simmons weakly collapsed Into a char
That dreadful woman she had admitted a
the house a while ago! She must be th
man's wife. And now, Mr. George was li
a peck of trouble.

If only she hadn't let the woman in! B-j
what could a person do with a woman lifo
that? The hussy had fairly pushed he
way in-had insisted on waiting for Mi
George. She had marched herself into try
living-room as though she owned thi
place.

"I didn't like her from the moment !
saw her on the davenport that night.'' Mn
Simmons moaned to herself. "Her and ha
twisted ankle! I knew she warnt nt
good!"

And now, the woman was hiding sony
place in the house-and Mr. George »ai
in danger. If her madman of a husband
carrying that dreadful gun, should Cul
her, he'd-he'd

Mrs. Simmons wrung her hands. What
should she do? What should she do?

Meanwhile, upstairs, Ted was ran -1 s :
the bedrooms, growing angrier and anglia
as his search continued to prove futile.

George, with each passing moment, fouci

his hopes mounting. Maybe Rita had
escaped-had slipped outdoors and
Mazie's eagle eye . . .

Then his hopes plummeted. A shrill
feminine voice from downstairs pierced th!

air.

"Ted! Ted! I've found her!"

As Ted rushed to the top of the stan
George followed-looked down to see a
unpleasant-looking female gesturing el
citedly. So that was Mazie.

"Come on! Hurry up!" she was shr.
"I've got her locked up!"

Ted turned and sneered at George. "So
she wasn't here, eh?" He flourished to
gun. "Get on down the stairs! Fir, r,"
letting you out of my sight! You«
going to get yours!"

The garage backed up against the Inland
end of the ledge from which he had shown
Rita the view the other night-and the
little door opened into the tunnel that led
down to the beach. He had told Rita that
the tunnel came out behind the garage,
and now he was sure she had escaped into

it.

But would she go on through it to tba
beach? It was pitch black in there. Shi
might be too frightenaxl . . .

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

"Where does that lead to?" he heard Ted
uk again. "Never mind-ni soon find

OOt!"

Ted strode to the little door, and flung
lt open. He hesitated only a moment,
then went groping into the dark passage-
way beyond, and disappeared.

A lew minutes later, a muffled cry Issued
from the depths of the tunnel. George's
heart sank.

Then Ted reappeared dragging Rita with
him. His face was livid with rage. He
h»uled Rita out into the garage, reached
for his gun, and aimed it at George.

"Til kill you for this!"

Rita and Mazie screamed.

Ellen, soon after her encounter with
George, had run into William Peters as
the was coming out of a shop.

"Oh, hello," he greeted her. "What luck!
I was Just going to phone you to ask you
to have tea with me. Tm leaving to-night,
you know. How about having an early tea
right now?"

"Td love to," Ellen agreed. She looked
at him anxiously. "How-how do you feel
after last night?"

He rubbed his chin ruefully. "Oh, all
right. But your friend Mr. Martin certainly
packs a terrific wallop!"

"I-I Just met him," said Ellen. "And
and he's terribly sorry about it-wanted to
apologise to you. He-he wasn't himself
last night"

"That was evident!" Peters said, with a
grim little laugh.

Ellen said no more for the moment. How-
ever, despite the fact that she had raked
George over the coals, she was not as angry
with him as she had led him to believe, and
ihe did want to try to make William Peters
understand all the circumstances that had
led up to last night's unfortunate Incident,
As a matter of fact, she partly blamed her-
self, particularly after talking to George
even though she had told him his excuse
was "childish."

Hence, a little later, as she and Peters
faced each other across a tea table, she
reverted to the subject of George.

"I do hope you aren't terribly angry at

him."

Peters shrugged. "Forget it. I'm not one
to hold a grudge."

"He's really awfully ashamed of himself,"
Ellen persisted. "You see, he was very much
upset over something-something that I had
done to him-and so-and so-"

"And so he tried to forget by getting
tight."

"Exactly!" Ellen eagerly explained In
greater detail. "You do understand, don't
you?" she finished.

"Oh, sure! After all, I've been on a binge
or two myself-though I've never gone to the
extent of socking anyone."

"Then you won't hold lt against George?"
"Why should I? Besides, I'll probably
never lay eyes on the man again."

"Oh!" said Ellen, a blt crestfallen.

She had hoped that her argument for
George would persuade Peters not to
abandon the idea of considering him for
that business opportunity he had spoken
of, but she supposed that was too much
to expect. After all, you didn't give
boosts to young men who knocked you

down!

Her disappointment, however, was so
plainly written on her face that, presently,
Peters reached acrosc the table and took her
hand.

"You plead his cause very earnestly." He
imiled, and looked at her intently. "You are

m love with him, aren't you-though you
denied lt last night?"

Ellen blushed like a schoolgirl, and lowered
her eyes.

"Yes," she whispered. "I-I guess 111
have to admit lt."

Peters sighed. "Well, George Martin ls
a mighty lucky man." He was silent a
moment, then said softly, "Ellen . . . you
may not believe lt, but I meant what I
said last night about . . . love at first sight.
However, li another man's ahead of me, I
guess there's no hope."

Ellen blushed still more. "I-I think
you're a wonderful person and-and
what you've said makes me very happy but
-but . . ." Her voice trailed off. Then,
she added, "And please don't misunder-
stand what I Just said. You see . . .
that's a secret . . . that even George doesn't
know. I didn't even admit lt to myself
until-until-well, until I saw signs that
he might possibly feel the same way."
Ellen gave a little laugh. "You may not
like it but>-but-I believe you have opened
his eyes."

"I see. It took a rival, eh, to wake him
up?" Peters sighed again. Then, his
eyes twinkled. "Well, in that case, I sup-
pose that sock I took last night was in a
good cause!"

"You're sweet to take lt that way." Ellen
smiled.

"You're the one that's sweet," said Peters,
squeezing her hand. "And because you're
such a sweet person I'm going to tell
you a secret. I expect to be in
Elkton again and, the next time I come, I
may still have that business talk with
George Martin-under more favorable cir-
cumstances."

"Oh!" cried Ellen, her eyes shining. "I
think you're perfectly splendid!"

"Mind you-I don't promise," Peters

warned. "Ill have to discuss the matter
with otheT members of my firm, but Mr.
Buxton has spoken very highly of Martin,
and so-"

Ellen impulsively leaned across the little
table, and gave him a quick kiss on the
cheek.

"You're the most generous person I've
ever known!"

"Well!" he said, with a happy grin. "I'd
gladly forgive half a dozen socks for
that!"

When they parted a little later it was
with the understanding that they would
meet again.

Ellen, feeling very happy, set out for Lee's
office, to see him about the business that
she had postponed when she had found
George and Rita tn his office on her earlier
visit.

"Lee!" she said, bursting in on him. "I've
good news!"

She told him of her tea with William
Peters and of its propitious outcome.

"So he's willing to forgive and forget, eh?
Fine!" said Lee. "But how come you're so
radiant about it? I thought you were mad
at George."

"Naturally, I had to tell him that!" Ellen
laughed.

"Well, I'm afraid I have bad news for you,"
said Lee. "At least, it's bad for George."

"What?" asked Ellen, Immediately anxious.
Lee told her of the letter from Ted Lane,
and of Ted's arrival In town on top of it.

"Oh, dear!" gasped Ellen. "Why, that's
dreadful! You say he actually threatened to
shoot George?"

"Now, don't let it worry you too much,"
Lee soothed. "Undoubtedly he was simply

making a crazy threat that he had no Inten-
tion of carrying out. Of course, he's apt to
make things a blt unpleasant for George,
but-"

His words were cut off by the telephone.
He answered it and, as he listened to th«
person at the other end of the wire, an ex-
pression of horrified incredulity swept over
his face.

"My gosh!" he exclaimed, slamming the
phone down and leaping up. "Come on.
Ellen-we've got to get out to George's place
quick! Ted Lane evidently did mean that
threat!"

He seized Ellen by the wrist, and pulled
her with him out of the office.

"\yHAT is it?" gasped Ellen, as she and

Lee went racing down the stairs to
the street. "Oh, Lee, tell me quick!
Who was that on the phone, and what did
they say? What's happened to George?"

"Let's hope nothing has happened to him
yet! But that was Mrs. Simmons on he
wire, and she said a wild man with a gun
had forced his way Into the house! It's
obviously Ted Lane!"

"What else did she say?" Ellen pleaded.
Ts-is George there?"

"Yes, he's there! I, like a fool, sent him
home. Mrs. Simmons wasn't very coherent,
but I gathered that Rita was also there,
hiding some place, and that her husband
was searching for her-waving his gun at
George in the meantime!"

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" wailed Ellen.
Then, as an afterthought, "But what ls Rita
doing there?"

"I don't know! She probably forced her
way in, too-George went home to get away
from her. But the main thing now is to
get there before the shooting starts!"

During this panic-stricken conversation.
Lee had helped Ellen into his car, had
leaped in after her, and had sent the yellow
roadster roaring away down the street.

They covered the distance to George's
home in nothing flat, holding their breath
all the way.

As they whirled up the driveway they
saw Mrs. Simmons on the front porch,
gesturing frantically.

"The garage! The garage!" she shrieked.
"They're in the garage!"

Lee swerved the car around the house.
As he (Ú3 so, hair-raising screams came
from th» direction oí the garage.

Ellen was out of the car before it
stopped, dashing towards the little building.
Through the doorway, a terrifying tableau
met her eye-a man pointing a gun at
George, while Rita and another woman
cowered at one side, screaming at the top
of their lungs.

Ellen didn't stop to think-didn't con-
sider her own safety. She rushed at the
man with the gun, whose back was to-
wards her, and with a quick movement
knocked his arm upward.

The gun fell from his hand, and clat-
tered to the garage floor. Instantly,
George leaped forward, grabbed it, and
raised it to cover Ted Lane.

At that, Rita's screams increased. She
flung herself in front of Ted, throwing
her arms about him.

"Don't you dare shoot at him, George
Martin!" she shrilled.

"I don't want to shoot him," George
growled. "But I'm certainly not going to
let him have his gun back to shoot me!"

Ellen, sobbing with relief, stepped to
George's side, laid her hand on his arm

"Oh, G-George! Thank heaven Lee and
I were in time!"

George took out his handkerchief and
mopped his brow. He grinned weakly.

GEORGE'S WILD OATS

"Thank heaven, too! And say, Ellen,
th-thanks for what you did. I-I guess you
saved my life!"

"Oh, I wouldn't have shot at you!"
snapped Ted. "Even though you may de-
serve lt! I Just lost my head for a
minute."

Lee, standing in the doorway, laughed
harshly.

"Lost your head! I'll say you did! Next
time, don't lose it when you've got a gun
in your hand!"

Ted, however, Ignored him. He was
glaring down at Rita, who was still cling-
ing tightly to him as though his life
depended upon it.

"What's the big idea?" he asked bitterly.
"Pulling a shield stunt! What do you care
what happens to me?"

Rita started whimpering. "Teddy . . .
how can you talk to me like that? Of

course I care!"

"Then, why the heck are you trying to
get a divorce?"

"Oh, you don't understand!" she walled.

"It-it's all a mistake!"

"There's no mistake about my finding
you hiding on this fellow's place!" Ted
said grimly. "Explain that if you can!"

Rita Jerked away from him, and flared

up.

"You wouldn't listen If I did explain! I
was here for a perfectly innocent reason.
But would you believe it? No! You come
rushing after me with a gun! Naturally, I

hid"

"Well, what do you expect me to believe,"
Ted countered, "when I hear that you and
this George Martin-"

"When you hear!" Rita cut in. "Must
you believe everything you hear?" She
turned furiously towards Mazie, who was
still cowering in a corner. "You're the one
to blame! I know it! You wrote him
Hes-poisoned him against me! And why?
Because you want him yourself, you little
cat, you!"

Mazie bristled. "I only wrote him the
truth!" she snapped back. "If you value
him so much, why don't you keep him,
instead of-instead of-"

"Instead of hiring a divorce lawyer!"
Ted cut in. "You can't deny that, Rita!"

Rita became plaintive. "Oh, Teddy . . .
I don't want the old divorce . . ." She
suddenly put her arms around his neck,
and burled her face against his shoulder.
"The only reason I ever started it, honey,
was because I was mad at you and-and
-I got madder when you sent me that
mean, nasty wire! But I don't want the
divorce now, sweetie, honest I don't . . ."

Ted found it hard to resist these endear-
ments. His arms went around her for a
moment-but then he suddenly thrust her

away.

"Oh, heck!" he growled. "You've used
these tricks on me before! The only
reason you're crawling back to me is be-
cause you think Mazie is after me! Dog
in the manger stuff! You don't want me
yourself, but you don't anyone else to make
eyes at me!"

"Teddy!" Rita's tone was deeply In-
jured.

"Well, things look mighty queer!" Ted
argued stubbornly. "There must be some
basis for what Mazie wrote me, and now,
I myself come here and find you in George
Martin's home!"

"But I told you I could explain, Teddy

"Sure you can explain! You can always
explain! You're good at it!"

Then, Ellen suddenly spoke up. "Mr.
Lane-maybe you'll believe mel You're

crazy if you think Miss Roselle and Mr.
Martin are anything but business friends.

It's absurd!"

Ted whirled on her. "What do you
know about it?"

"I know all about it!" Ellen gave George
a quick glance, then slipped her hand
through his arm. "You see, Mr. Martin
happens to be my fiance!"

George turned and stared at her, his Jaw

dropping.

EORGE, taken aback by Ellen's state
ment that he was engaged to her, con-
tinued to stare at her-but he said nothing.

As for Ted, he was plainly Impressed by
this new angle to the situation. He turned
and looked at Mazie suspiciously.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" he de-

manded.

"I didn't know it-and I don't believe it!"
Mazie said defensively. She eyed Ellen.
"She's Just making lt up to smooth things

over!"

"Nonsense!" said Ellen. "I was with Mr.
Martin when he called on Miss Roselle at the
theatre last Saturday night, wasn't I? Do
you suppose he would have taken me along
if he had any romantic interest in her?"

Rita was unprepared for this aid from
Ellen, but she made the most of lt.

"Of course, Ted! Why should Miss
Vaughan lie to you?"

"Well . . ." said Ted, wavering. "That
does make things different--and maybe I
was too quick to-to believe a lot of gossip."
He gave Mazie a dirty look. "But-but
honey, do-do you mean what you say about
not wanting a divorce?"

Rita snuggled close to him. "Of course,
darling! It was silly of me!" Then sud-
denly, she remembered something and
stepped back. "But say-wait a minute!
How about that girl in New York you've
been stepping out with?"

Ted flushed. "Who's been writing you

tales?"

"Nellie," Rita told him. "Well, what have
you to say for yourself?"

Ted laughed, and put his arm around her.
"Look, honey . . . let's call it square.
Mazie's been gossiping to me, and Nellie's
been gossiping to you. Let's Just ignore
both of them. How about lt?" He hesi-
tated. "I did take that girl out a couple
of times. You see, she's a dancer-a darn
good one-and I thought-"

'You mean you're going to ask her to be
your partner!"

"Well, I'd thought of it. I've got to have
a partner, haven't I?"

"Do you?" Rita was thoughtful a minute,
twisting her finger in his lapel. "I sup-
pose you do. But Teddy .. ." She looked up
at him sheepishly. "I'm not just sure yet
that I'm going to like this acting business.
I've been sort of missing the music and
the old routine and-and-"

"Rita! You mean you want to come

back?"

"Well ... I might . . ."

"Good!" Ted caught her in his arms and
hugged her so tight she gasped for breath.

Half an hour later, .with Rita and Ted
and Mazie gone, comparative calm had
settled down on the old Martin homestead.

In the living-room, where George and Ellen |
and Lee were now gathered, Mrs. Simmons
hovered over George like an anxious hen.

"You're sure you're all right, Mr. George?"
she asked for the third time, looking at him
as though she still couldn't believe he wasn't

riddled with bullets.

"Absolutely, Mrs. Simmons! You stop
fussing. If you want to do something for
me, how about making us a pot of coffee
and bringing us some of that good cake
you baked the other day?"

Mrs. Simmons, beaming, bustled out.

There was an awkward silence. Le,
looked from George to Ellen.

"Well . . . guess I'd better be getting back

to town."

"Stick around and have some coffee and
cake," George urged, but not very convine
ingly.

"No, thanks-not hungry." Lee moved to
the door. There, he paused, smiling, and
winked at Ellen. "Good luck-and all that
sort of thing. So long!"

With a cheery wave, he was gone.

Another awkward silence. George looked
at Ellen, started to speak, then hesitated.
Ellen knew perfectly well what he was rçoing

to ask her. She waited, her eyes lowered,

Finally he got it out. "Ellen . . . did . ,,
did you mean what you told Ted Lane , ,
out there in the garage?"

Ellen blushed. "Well ... of course lt
wasn't true . . . and I said it only to save
the situation." She paused, and gave George
a sidelong glance. "But maybe, too . . . I've
learned a trick or two from Rita!"

George moved closer to her. "You mean,"
he asked eagerly, "that you might be willing

to make it true?"

"Maybe. ..."

"Oh, Ellen! That-that's wonderful!"

"But, of course," she pointed out, teasingly,
"it depends on how you feel about it You
remember you told me once that you'd never
met a girl you could love-that you were
waiting to look up some day and suddenly
see her standing before you."

"But I have, Ellen-I have!" George said,
earnestly. "Do you know when it happened?
Sunday-at Mrs. Buxton's tea party!"

"What!" exclaimed Ellen, in mock dismay,
"The day I caught you kissing Rita? You
don't mean to say she's the girl you looked
up and saw?"

"No! No! You, Ellen-you! I reallv saw
you that day for the first time. Ellen-you
-you were beautiful!"

Ellen smiled to herself, thinking how she
had wanted just this to happen, and that her
efforts to beautify herself had not been In
vain, after all.

George sighed. "The only thing I re ^ret
is that you didn't accept me that first cay I
proposed. Do you remember? How much
simpler it would have been to have got rid ot
the match-making mothers by becoming en
gaged to you in the first place, instead of
going wild and losing everyone's esteem! I
don't suppose I'll ever get back in their
good graces."

"What do you care about the old
mothers?" Ellen soothed. "Besides, I've a
hunch they're secretly thrilled over the
sensation you've given this sleepy old town."

"You think so?"

"I do." Ellen laughed. "And my, how
jealous they're going to be when they learn
I'm the girl who has finally nabbed you!
They view me, you know, as the town old
maid."

"They-they're crazy! There's not a girl
in town who ever could hold a candle to
you!"

George was gazing at her with a lovesick
light in his eyes.

Ellen smiled. "Well, George . . . aren't
you going to make our engagement offMal?

I "What? Oh . . . oh, yes. ..."

First awkwardly, then with the skill of an
old master, George took her in his arms
and kissed her.

Mrs. Simmons, coming In with the coffee
and cake, turned with a smile and tiptoed

out.

I THE END.

(AU characters tn this novel are flctltlouf. and

have no reference to any living person !

$