Evening star., 1925-12-06

soyiNld 10 SHARE nef. HuTt. -SHO tniS
year. the fourth. was only less dis
illusioning because Of the first three.
and save in the admission of defeat
there was no retreat.
Career She said 1t with an ef
fort at scorn. Dress models. Fash
ion drawing, and not even successful
at that. Starving at II. That's my
career" Yet she had survived! and
belonged to a painters club and went
TO exhibitions. Almost fierceiy she
clasped the little sketch in green's
NIT failure at "a. even IL you know 1t.
/ ATER on Susan reappeared from
her cupboard Of a bedroom in her
one luxury, an orchid-tinted petgnoir.
She had bought 1t at the price of five
good drawings for her souls sake. AS
she said. and her hair seemed darker.
her eyes Erayer, her brow whittier and
her. roundness more alive in her or
chid-tinted peignoir. Across the court
a light shone in a window. So he was
home.
In measure she blamed herself for
even noticing that Mr.. Hobbs Dularcy
was home. His distinguished appear
ance and the strange an1naly of his
residence in their apartment house in
preference to hotel or club. Bo-
hemian inclination. perhaps. We're not
enough to reassure Susan. She was
afraid, just a little wary. a little in
terested. piauantly charmed because
she was afraid. Their passing each
other entering or leaving the build
ing were moments of both quickened
color and pace for her. and none of
the several young artists. advertising
men or bond statesmen who in the
four years had been interested IN
her eyes had given her that sensa-
ton at all She enjoyed them, but
they were. like herself, only New
Workers from the vast somewhere
else. Hobbs Dulaney wasn't. He was
the metropolitan. His was the CLAM.
our, the figure OF n cavalry captain
in multi, about thirty.two or three,
prematurely gray above his close,
we'll shaped ears-who but Susa n
would notice ears?-and he had the
manner OF viscount.
But that was all there was to 1t
until one evening when a sudden
shower had washed the city's face.
Susan was too much afraid-until
then. But perhaps disbursement
had ridden down fear. She had
crossed Fifty-fourth street and arrived
at the apartment house door. and she
wasn't quite sure whose step was be-
hind her. Then, just AS she was quite
sure, she accidentally slipped--as
though one could slip any way but
accidentally. Or as though one
couldn't. That small matter is be-
tween Susan and the Maker of
Susans.
At any rate, she came down with
such a rhastly thunp that had she
known what thump 1t would be she
might not have thought it worth
while. It shook her and hurt SO for
one instant that she did not care
whether Pickett, who was lounging
in the doorway. reached her before
any one else or not.
b But Pickett didn't. He was not the
man to lose his head in an emergency.
It was Mr.. Hobbs Dulaney. happening
by the merest chance to be right be-
hind her when she fell, who bent
down and lifted her up AZ tenderiy as
any one could have expected. MY
dear girl. What tumble" he
said.
Was it?'' said Susan. She was too
shaken to think. What she really
wanted was a chance to Groan and
cry q little, and the gray velvet eyes
which were her chance-being 30 close
to him at the very instant she wanted
to cry wreaked an effect upon him
studied II out psycholog1cally for
weeks But she remembered in time
Whist water does to gray velvet and
decided, instead OF crying. to smile
wanIy, bravely. 30 like a child, like
such q marvellous little sport.
Hobbs Dulaney was so weak with
1t that he almost dropped her. What
a shame," he murmured. IT'S all
right now. isn't IT,
- al ipkr q
exactly right. Susan made a faint
struggle until her foot touched the
pavement Then she ierked It back
with cry. You would not believe
there was 50 much in simple e1-
clamation. as Susan got into hers, SO
much courage and yet appeal.
Muttering inarticulate sympathy
Mr. Hobbs DuIaney lifted her up
once more, lifted her even higher and
held her tighter lest she should hurt
herself again. "Sprained your ankle.
that Wen fix it up all right. IN
carry you up. Third floor. isn't ft?"
One Of his waistcoat buttons was
sticking into her. but she said moth
ing about it. There was a tinglinX IN
her f1ngers-fn fact, everywhere. So
he knew her apartment was on the
third floor. Susan didn't miss that
trea sure She recognized what was
important in life and what wasn't.
Late that night, when she ought to
be asleep. she would hug his know
ing her apartment was on the third
floor.
A deluge of worry drowned the
nice thought. Her apartment was a
wreck She had wrecked 1t that
morning In despair and in rage be