Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-15
Decision
0--x-- ri


Ohapter 81
Colin continued to stare at me and
I continued to stare miserably into
the fire. 30 there was silence in the
room for a few moments. Finally !
II can't go on with this"
mo, that's evident" Colin re-
sponded, beginning to light another
cigarette. But / don't want you to
do anything rash. Tell ms about it.
You know sometimes when a thing
seems upbearable, if you'll only talk
about 1t to someone"
"Talking about it won't help this
time" I said. Besides, I've talked
About il a lot to you. Surely you can
see too? You've been u with me.
You've seen how Win acts when we
are together. Why, even my aun is
shocked because he neglects me quite
openly for other people,"
II have been out with you. but not
much with that set where l first met
YOU" Colin said, launching himself
up again in the chair and turning
once more toward the fire. You
know how Mrs. Van Brugh Is. all
enthusiasm one day, all forgetfulness
the next.
SHES dropped YOU"
"She's- dropped me. The winter I
met you, I was her pet. She was go
ing to discover me. to be my pa
ironess. To give her her due. Connie,
she did a lot for me. She had me
meet a great many people with a lot
OF money who wanted portraits done
at high prices. Thanks to her, I have
q rich clientele, ! am financially sue
cessful."
You did a wonderful painting of
her, the best she ever had DONE"
zone could do no less in graft
rude" Colin said simply.
ut was the sensation of the Spring
Exhibition. It helped enormously to
make her the most discussed woman
in New York. And that's what%she
wanted" I said this ~viciously.
perhaps. But she is fascinating
to paint. I could not have helped
but make q good portrait"
"I believe you still like her."
Colin turned his head to look at
ME, q little smile widening still more
this extraordinarily wide mouth. I
felt ashamed of my remark at once.
Colin always had hat effect upon
me when he turned to look at me
he made me ashamed of whatever I
was saying or doing that was wrong.
II believe I do" he answered
calmly. 1T wouldn't in your place,
but then I have no reason not to like
her-except for the shabby way she
has treated you. There's no excuse
for that.
ture," he went on, settling down into
the chair for a long talk. "You know
q good many years ago, when l was
a poor art student here in town, be-
fore I managed to get to Paris, I
used to see her a lot. I didn't know
hei. She had money, she was in
school, she was always doing things
to get her name In the papers. The
papers often had her picture in, I
cut nj out once and made a pencil
sketch of it. Some odd, devilish
CLEAN in her eye interested me-"
did she have red hair then 2" I
asked. cattishly.
mo, blonde. She dyed 1t black in
Paris-after her divorce. That's
when your father knew her. That's
when I met her. I was trying to
make a name there, living among
The art students. She made 1t q fad
Of hers to run around In the Latin
Quarters and in Montmartre, and to
know all the strugglers and poor
wretches Of students. She was nice
TO us too. She helped a lot of us
out OF tight places.
d. WAcIl 1 CdAiO OdSh ~ 4NSW
York, and began working here and
began earning a little money and
gaining a little reputation, I wrote
her of my progress. She never an
swered, but she remembered my let
tiers and when h came here, she
had my address and sent for me.
She's rather nice, il you get on her
nice SIDE"
Evidently I didn't"
mo, you didn't. You couldn't any
way. You are so different from
Gwen. Gwen goes dashing about
into one enthusiasm after another.
Nardonski came after me. She began
playing him up, and forgot me. She
liked your gold hair and your round
blue eyes and your general air of be-
ing a sweet little girl. and she would
have been very nice to you II you
had let her. The fact that you are
younger than she Is, and pretty
where she is merely attractive and
eccentric, would not have mattered
It all. Gwen must be given credit
n that. She has not the ordinary
petty jealousy Of m woman toward
another"
I HAD heard Gwendolyn so
analysed. In spite Of myself I lis
tened with interest. In spite Of my
dislike, I knew Colin was speaking
fairly Of her.
"But then there was Whit she
Is above ordinary feminine traits.
she might have let him alone. There
were plenty Of others"