New Britain herald., 1922-05-22
oO11 tg Louia Josr.h y1ncs
(Conttnued From Our I4ast Issue)


 'The man I've got in mind to dlrec you In your picture, Mrs, Lee; that is If you can get hold of Barry. Yol couldn't do better, but his salary enormous. I'll give him a ring and fint out for him"
 There's no hurry MT, Summer lad. Remember. Mir. Lontaine hasn'' taken the first step toward forming a company yet"
 Well, but I'd hate to have vol lose a chance. Barry's wonder Even GrifIlth takes back seat wher Barry Nolan picks up the mega, phone" Lontaine interposed a question ol technical nature, and as Summer. lad answered him at length, Lu. cinda's attention wandered, she be. gan to think more about the speak CT. less about what he was saying undeniably most satisfying crea. ture. at least to look at. Bending over the table, his face glowing as he Illustrated his meaning with nr animated play Of hands: though his words were all for Lontaine, Sum- merlad's consciousness was constant to Lucinda, his quick eyes were for ever seeking hers Hard hit and making no secret of 1t.
 Not that 1t mattered, more than for the good it did ones self-esteem to be respectfully if openly adored by a personable young man whom one found agreeable. Vanity had been sorely sprung by Beilamys sacrifices of his wife's love to his ap- petite for flirting with women of cheap emotions. Neither had Daube- ney's devotion meant great deal: being something too familiar through old acquaintance not to be misprized. It had needed some new conquests as this to make Lucinda think well of herself again; that at least proved her charms not yet passee.
 Lucinda inclined to approve the style in which Summerlad maintained himself. The bungalow. secluded in wide and well-kept grounds. might have served as the warm weather re- treat of grand duke.
 By merely turning her head she could look out through an open case ment to a lawn where moonlight like liquid silver slept between ,mysteri- ous, dense masses Of purple shadow. The breath of the night was bland and fragrant. In Chicago the thermometer had shivered in the neighborhood of zero; New York, according to tele- graphic news. was digging out from under a snowfall second only to that of it's legendary blizzard.
 ts'1 want to purr," Lucinda con- fessed, finding Summerlad's eyes upon her. T am enslaved by Cali fornia."
 T must make the most of these moments, then. Presently we'll both be busy, you in especial far to busy to give me many evenings like this"
 I'm not at all afraid of being doomed to ennui through sany lack Of ingenuity on your part"
 If I'm not mistaken, that's dare" '''f
 It's as you care to take it."
 He accepted with a smile the smiling gage of her eyes. They each other perfectly.
 When it was time to return to the Alexandria. Summerlad insisted on driving them home himself. ' Lucinda fell asleep that night to dream of coursing will-o'the wisp through land. whose painted illu- sion failed and faded as she fled, till in the end there was no more beauty, only the bare grin of the desert savage and implacable.
 :, She started awake with her hus- bands name trembling on her lips.
 The room the Lontaine's occupied In the Alexandria adjoined Lucinda's, and while she was lazing over break fast Fanny tapped on the communi- eating door and drifted in, en negli gee, with a cigarette and an airy non- chalance at war with a problematic shadow that lurked in her eyes.
 My amiable first husband" she "has charged me to ar range for an audience at your con venience."
 "As soon as you like" Lucinda laughed.
 This morning Harry has walked up with his poor dear head more than usually added with gorgeous schemes, and says he wants to con- sult you. What he really wants is your unconditional approval of every thing he has to propose. So do be wise as well as kind"
 'I'll try" Lucinda promised.
 Considered in the light of this | semi-serious warning, all that Lon taine had to lay before her seemed | almost disappointingly conservative.
 I've been thinking it over all night" he assured Lucinda serious y as she and Fanny settled to give nim attention. land it seems to me l ought to let you know more specif- ,ally what you're letting yourself in or, before I ask you to hold yourself pledged"
 That sounds suspiciously like preparation for letting me down ,asily."
 Please don't think that" There vasya convincing glint of alarm in 1ool