The Washington times., 1924-01-15

Jake hummed az he danced. AZ
the foot Of the stairs he stopped,
looking down upon her glowing
face: you were never here be-
fore, Miss Bryce?
Who told you so?"
Yourself. Let's wander up
stairs, because / want you to tell
me some other things. want to
know why you've gept me wait.
ing nearly a year"
He saw the quick misgiving in
her hesitation; In her short ques-
ton: What is upstairs?"
His laugh rang out: "Oh--so
Janina's been telling you l grab
girls off the great highway and
burn them at the stake. has she?
Well, there's nothing upstairs but
q corridor, q few card rooms, and
more dining rooms. Did she giva
me such a black eye as that?"
"Well-Janina believes all men
are dcvils-so of course you
couldn't be an exception. She
thinks the only thing for girl
to do is to light q hotter fire
quick. Burn men to cinders first!
That's her belief"
"Is It y0urs?"
''No-you see, I've heard as
how one man in every ten 10 ON
angol, and"
You're waiting for the tenth4
Is 1t wings you want from life,
Miss Bryce2"
''Well, I don't know, Mr.. Nun.
son, If want wings exactly-but
something shiny and beautiful
not like what other people get"
There flashed before her Lucy
and her drudgery; the plaintive
humdrum Of little Jennio's days.
Now Mary, with her 1.-THE,
buoyant figure, gone-Mary. In a
bulky brown coat with q scant
little beaver collar.
She leaned on the balcony,
looking into the brilliant room be-
low. She sighed, wistfuily: "Why
can't life be always beautiful like
this?"
Jake saw the young, eager
hunger In Chickie:s parted lips.
His eyes bent warmly, with
smile to hers. ''Is 1t beautiful
tonight?"
Eyes"
"It can be beautiful like this
for you, every night. For a giIl
like you"
''Why for me2"
''The world loves to toss flowers
under lovely feet"
IT haven't noticed II. Mr.. Nun.
SON."
You will. When you say you
want something shiny and beauti-
ful do you mean money, clothes.
automobiles"
II could use those things very
nicely, but I'm not sure / want
them first. I don't know"
She did know. She was Just
then remembering the white
flame that burned immortal in
her thought; the flame young
Arthur had first kindled on the
hilltop when his lips had touched
SO lightly on hers; the flame
Jimmy had o little touched.
How often even now in her
imagination she watched sunsets
with some magnificent other
whose arm made a sweet hollow
for her head.
Softly Jake Munson's hand
first? Love, Miss Bryce? That's
the shiny and beautiful thing.
It's the easiest Of all to give"
He spoke with murInured
tenderness and met a spark in
Chickie's eyes. She said, glanc.
ing into his rich, expectant face:
mo, it isn't. Mr.. Munson, un-
less you mean the kind of love
Janina always means"
What kind is that?"
"The kind that doesn't pay"
How do you know it doesn't
pay?"
"Oh, I've watched other girls.
They don't seem happy. They're
always worried and scheming"
And what is your kind Of love.
then, that pays 30 wen?'
I'm not sure, but when II
comes I'll know It. It will be
something strong and glorious
like a great wind blowing on
mountain top Just sweep you
clear into the clouds"
Suppose II doesn't conner
"It win. I've always believed
life had some wonderful 6i4
dazzling Joy tucked away In her
pocket for mo"
She stopped abruptly. her
finger pointing to the room be.
low. her breath rapid: who Is
that dancing with JaninA. Oh.
they see us"
A laughing face stared into
hers.
Barry Dunne," Jake answered.
Mice boy. Oh-you know him?"
Her cheeks stained red like