The Washington times., 1924-01-01


It was all Of two hours after
my return before Jim came In. /
sat waiting for him, too tired to
undress and 80 to bed, too unhappy
to pretend that I could sleep.
Hello. Anne! Hope you had 4
pleasant evening I'm beat, Moth
ing makes any kind Of a hit with
me except to tumble into bed ana
Sleep"
For days thereafter our CONVEX
sation built itself around our good
nights and good-mornines. I saw
so little of Jim except when he
was rushing at night and rushing
through breakfast in the morning.
that I began to feel as II our weeks
of warm intimacy were nothing
more than a dream.
1t wasn't that Jim became cross
or rude. He was merely immersed
in his own plans. And his vague
consciousness OF me was all the
worse because he was so pleasant
and courteous when he though
about it. He sent me large bas-
ket Of fruit one day and kept the
house supplied with flowers.
As the days passed, my life
seemed to be nothing but a fensa
routine of work
After several days, was reused
from my int We campaign by
visit from Ru ~, who came walking
into my office with something
tense and purpcseful in her bear
ing.
Hello, Rosa" / cried rising to
greet her, did you ever see
anything to equal the length of
time it takes me to hiring myself
back from my work to a realiZa-
ton of, whats Going on before
ame2 guess was almost half
a minute before ! sensed thai
you were a real visitor instead
of part of what / was thinking.
Rosa smiled and undulated for
ward She didn'H flutter or
pounce as usual She seemed to
droop / had sense that she
was tired and uneasy. And then
1 wondered why l should be so
sensitiv about anticipating
Rosa's moods. Shed show me
soon enough in what frame Of
mind she'd come to me!
How are you, White Lilac7"
asked Rosa. Are you working
too hard2 You look-how you
say-all tagged out-shot to the
piecesP'
She smiled at her own use Of
the idiom. But there was some
thing of concern in her smile.
If it hadn't been too absurd, I'd
have said that Rosa Cordova was
sorry for me. And then realizad
that she'd more likely come to
gloat All that was surprising
was that it had taken so long for
her to get here. And 1 knew that
this visit was one Of the things
I'd been dreading.
ANNE" burst out Rosa. Some
times I think 1t was meant that
should be man. am for
woman too good at business.
Never do she fail II / so ahead
to make the business good. I am
what you call darn clever at the
big deal. DO you believe that2"
Eyes. I do" agreed. 81
know what a wonderful factor
you've been In Jim's success and
in your husbands success. Its
ideal to see the way your Ramon
trusts YOU"
Rosa interrupted with some
thing like q sneer.
ut IL Q shame am not Romon
RAAu IbDAAAOh HE. Ahph W.
would be so happy. But me, / am
the business brains Of our family
and that IL not so good. But
it 10 not to be helped. am sorry,
White Lilac. about what else 1t
is that I cannot any more help,
For that l am come to talk to
you. What IL done, It il done
you know that"
II don't know to what you re-
fer" ] said upeasily.
mo, and ! cannot tell you. But
sometime am sorry that I am
so much of influence down in my
South America. Now that l am
set In motion, she cannot be
stop. But there Is something
that can be stop. Do you maybe
take my advices2"
I'D be inclined to-" acknowl-
edged, in a business matter"
Rosa leaned forward. Her
eyes kindled. She pounded the
desk with one tight little fist.
I've never seen her face more
set and firm. I've never heard
her voice more sincere than when
she demanded in q whisper that
was curt and authoritative: