Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-05-27
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WLOuIS JOSEPH VANcKNr ~
BY lDuAI ssAWMS
FroA Our Last Issue)
c1l2 BY Loun J0ssSh HaAS

ttOntinucd FrON Uur LAST isSuel
lie seemed startled and unmistak.
ably affected by the artlCssncss Of
this confession, and held her close.
But, my dearest girl you're trcm-
bling. what is It? Tell me -
RS 80 wonderful TO h1ve you
back, Lynn, Don't ever leave me for
so long again"
You tempt me to-" he laughed in
diligently. 81 think you've learned to
love me better while I've ben away
than you did in all the white that l
was here"
She answered with an odd little
laugh of love and d"precatlon: Il
really think have e"
They dined at Marcello's. not The
happicst selection for heir first Few
hours together for the place was
thronged with picture folk
Motoring to Santa Monica. Lucin-
da snuggled into the hollow of Sum
merlads a~m, and rested long time
In Cpntented silence
ut Is too perfect" ahe murmured
at length, too sweet 20 last
why not? SO lorg as we love.
what's to prevent all beauty last
inet"
t"tife. I meant took all her
courage to speak of what she Tad
TIL then purposely kept back-"Pel-
lamy"
The car was swinging into the
streets Of Santa Mouica. Lucinda
gave him her lips.
Lets forget 1t for tonight. Kiss
me again while there's time
The restaurant 20 which no Lon
taines had baden them was the one
In those times most favor, by the
froth of the picture colony for its
weekly night of earniva.
Round the four walls and cnclos-
ing the CONSTRUCTED ho1r for dancing,
tables were 10 CLOSELY ranked that
passage between them wac largely
impracticahle without guide.
Everybody of any COnscruer CO in the
ststiios was there. ard everybody
knew everybody else ard called him
by his first namc-pre!era5ly at the
top of his lungs.
Lontaine's party. large one,
comprising the most influential mem.
bers OF the COLONY with whom he
and Summerlad were on agreeable
terms, had been long enough in scs-
sion already to have become indi.
vidually exhiIaratcd and collectively
hilarious. Summerlad t took to it's
bosom with shouts of acClaim, and
he seemed to find II Easy TO catch
the spirit of the gath ring. A seuse
of Illustration oppressed LuCilda.
She had been happy half an hour
since. Here In this hcaGy atmosphere
OF perCumed flesh, tobacco 'eck and
pungcnt alcohol, the idyl OF her I've.
ming grew faint and fed. while The
man she loved had no regrets.
In a moment of dieConc arting Ia.
Cidity she saw him as strange man.
fltithed with drink AMI blown with
license. looking on other WOrrcn with
sntyr's appraisi7E eyes. bandy'Eg
ribald wheCZes with the lips she rad
so lately kissed. And shs WINGED
and drew away, recalling he aban.
don Of affection with which she had
given herself to his embrace at the
hotel. feeling of sudden sailed and
shopworn rs from common handing.
A strange man, a nan she had
known tslt few brief weeks!
Covcrtly watching him. he saw
Sunmerad in the middle g. a pas
sare of persinage start and fall
silent, his lips in an Instsrt W ccd
bare Of speech. And following the
line of his stare, she asned at some
distance at a table near tho edge OF
the, dance-hoor. Bollamy sitting with
w,eaan.
He saw her but made no sign more
.han to intensity his meaning smle.
and Immediately returned courteous
attention to his CorIplbion
At this Lucinda stared In doubt
for several seconds, she was so
changed. But fnory ttat shriched
OF money spent without stint or
taste could hardly Disguise the Wild
and ragged loneliness CT NJ Iy Mar.
quis.