The girl smiled warmly at Dot, and very lightly touched her

arm.

"I'm awfully glad you would go with mo, I don't know anyone here in the store and I feel very silly sitting alone." Her gaze was so direct and her eyes so seriously denying the light tone of her voice that Dot's heart began thudding nervously again.

"Let's go to Norris's for coffee," Dot suggested. "It's closest and I like booths better than stools."

"Oh that's fine with me, anywho re you say," the girl smiled again and Dot realized with a sudden pang inside that she was lovely, very much so. Dot pressed the elcvator button and they waited side by side, chatting very little, both too nervous to be too eager to speak.

When they were soated in Norris's with oɗfee in front of them, Dot lit a cigarette after offering one to the girl and asked, "What is your name?"

The girl flushed and laughed, "That's right, I no vor said, how silly of mo, I'm Norah Wotan. I knew your name and I guess I forgot you couldn't have known mine."

"Is Denver your home?" Dot queried.

"No, I cam up here last month from Pueblo, to stay with my sister. She 'o an airline stewardess and she didn't like staying alone so mom said I could come up here. Sis know Mr. Kason at the store and he got me the job in Will Call."

As they talked the nervousness in Dot disappeared and they soon were happily exchanging bits of information and laughing together almost as easily as old friends.

Coming ont of Norris's Dot glanced at her watch. "It's after 10:45 and we're late, we ought to hurry, it doesn't matter 30 much for me but you're new and you'd better not be too late."

Norah smiled as eagerly as a baby and said, "Ok, I'll race you back." She turned fast on her last word and started running across the street and Dot ran after her. From the corner of hor oye Dot saw the truck back out of the loading

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