The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-03
W'llenaGirl
MarTies
Rosa Finds Herself
No Match for the
Ingenious Ralph
Lacy.
BY Ann Lisle
Whose Present Serial Has Scored
3 Big Popular Success.

z
I'm one moment Virginia VS.
translated from the m00d 0f
gal raillery with which Ga1e
and Ralph Lacy had been IT
ranging to pounce upon Parks
suggestion Of q visit to the Par
kinson place. As she sat ct the
foot OF her table, she ceased be-
ing the mischievous and yet de
lighted future clnatelaine OF
Parks house party and became
the anxious hostess who seen her
own tea party going sadly
amiss.
For d moments space Virginia
sat stiffened into attention and
uncertainty. Then she rose abb
ruptly, fairly irnpelling the men
to their feet as she got to hers.
And she took q quick step
mrs. Cordovat, Virginia cried
In q tone of actual pity. 4 didn't
dream you had come home, and
she darted forward with her
hands out. And she caught Rosa
ing her in q big Chair, pressing
glass Of water to her lips,
while Pat ran into the living
room for cushions to place ct
Rosa's back and feet.
Rosa COrdova was an amazing
figure. She wore dropping
weight of chiffons over what re-
vealed itself clearly enough an
her nightrobe. The entire effect
was misty and white Her hair
streamed down in almost sinister
bIackness, framing her face 50
that it looked tiny and very pale.
She was a ghOstly and CHASTITY
little figure. And on one temple
there was b red smear. Alto
gether she was enough to &C
count for Vipginia's moment OF
frozen iInmobility.
Rosa slipped the water Virginia
was holding to her lips. But after
q moment she pushed It away
with . WEAKNESS I thought de
Iberaa e. If ~
4 have BEEN home ions
like hours-it seems alone"
she murmured as IL she were il
a daze.
POOR child. I'll be carrying her
to her own room. Jeanie, and
calling in the doctor from the
crossroads, said Pat, reaching
down to lift Rosa In his. arms.
''I'1l go fetch a doctor. Ny
cars in your driveway, offered
Park, who had withdrawn to the
background with Ralph Lacy and
me, aid who emerged suddenly
at what he felt was need.
Then Rosa screamed!
Her scream was a pitiful thing.
1t held. horror. 1t suggested that
she had been holding herself in,
but that now something had hap
pened which was more than she
could bear.
Don't let him touch me-" ahe
cried. He is-friend Of that
men,
There, tf1ere!' said Pat sooth-
ingly. ST won't touch you. child.
You just be all quiet and one of
these nice boys will carry you
upstairs. I won't touch you. See,
I'm going
A Sudden Collapse.
mot you. Pat" whimpered
Rosa. with you and the beauti-
full Virginia I am happy and
quiet. With you I can forget
what happens. / can forget how
I have to jump from the car-and
from him-and how / fall on the
stones and bruise my forehead 30
that it bleed and bleed and is
only now beginning to be quiet
again"
She shuddered and collapsed
as If the strain of talking had
been too much for her.
was positive that the stain
had not been struggling across
her temples when she opened the
side door. of Dreamwood with me.
Looking UP with a wan little
smile, Rosa caught my eyes. It
seemed to nae that her lips tight
ened.
II don't need a DOCTOR" said
she wistfully and as II apologiE-
ing for the disturbance she'd
caused. ''T am so-sorry"-
Better let me get the doctor"
said Park, in a voice Of deep
concern.
''You! You! How dare you speak
about me? It was you who In
troduced me to this 30 bad man
who frightened nae 30 that I
Jumped from his car, It IL your
friend who-who"-