New Britain herald., 1926-06-05

marches out of the house, announc- ing that she's through with him and Sylvia forever! Three months drag by with Sylvia doing all her own work and learning to cut down her household expenses. She and Fanny see a great deal of Fay, and Sylvia thinks that Ranny is in love with 1 her. but he s~ys there's nothing be- tween them but friendship. Then one night Sylvia sees Fay drive Ranny up to the house in Eddie Carter 8 car. While he helps Fay get il started. Sylvia waits for him to ask him whera they've been. together.
 (Now GO ON WITH THE sToRyl
 CHAPTER XVII [ Sylvia turned on the living room lights and scampered back to her i bedroom to get into her dressing gown. She paused there long enough 10 dust some rouge on ner white face and to spray the tiniest bit of per- fume on CT hair.
 She was learning that important ] HtFNl Nl oL AuANfrSClb LII W AlSllOoO- It let your husband see you unless you are looking your best, or very nearly your best And there was another reason why Sylvia wanted 10 look particularly lovely tonight. i When she went back to the living room Ranny was just coming in from the outer hall His blond hair was rumpled and his tie was twisted to one side. There was grease-a ! long streak of it on one leg of his white flannel trousers. ! "Whew" he said. "I've had some party tonight, and I don't mean maybe, either! Gosh. feel as if I'd been drawn through a knot-hole backwards"
 1 He kissed her mechanically and dropped down into chair, mopping 1 his brow with a crumpled handker- chief Sylvia knelt down on the floor besiGe him.
 "Where've you been, for goodness sake?" she askol. There was no sus- piclon in her tone, only curiosity Not playing cards, I know"
 'No. not ;-ll the time" Rannv ad- mitted, shaking his head and show ing his brilliant teeth in a broad grin. Got any gingerale. or anything else that's cold?"
 By the time Sylvia had opened q bottle of gingerale and chopped the ice for 1t, he vas ready to tell his story.
 'I played cards only until mid ter got up to go. He said that Fay was at a cat party that some pretty girl or other was giving, and that he had to call for her lnd take her home. So 1 left with him-I was los- ing, and pretty sick of the game anyway. by that time"
 Sylvia couldn't help wondering if Fanny really had been tired of play ing, or if he had gone along with Eddie because there was q chance of seeing F. if he did!
 Well. old Eddie had a bottle of Scotch in his car and he took two or three swigs on the way and by the time we picked up Fay he was gs- ing good" Ranny went on with his story. He said he wasn't going to go home until we'd killed the bot tie. so we emptied it. Then he passed out-and Fay and I walked him up and down for an hour before we could get him halfway sober. Then they brought me home, and that's ali"
 Sylvia looked at him for 8 minute or two, with those big eyes of hers that should have belonged to a CO., quette who would have known how to use them.
 4 coquette would have known how to flutter the long lashes that curled up in little points against Syivia's upper eyeltd or swept down in a black shadow against her cheek. But Sylvia met the world with no such arts, She faced 1t with an open, frank look-the kind of look with which she faced Fanny, her hus- band, now.
 Did you say both Fay and Eddie were in the car just now?' she ask ! ed.
 Ranny merely nodded
 "Wel, that's funny" she answer ed. T looked out of the window when I heard you go downstairs and didn't see q soul but Fay in the carl"
 To her enormous surprise Ranny stood up and walked into the bed- room instead of replying 10 her question. And there was something in the set of his shoulders and the swing of his head that told Sylvia that he was angry. She had learned that these things were storm signals of his--these and his silence. ! She followed him lnto the bed room and lay against her pillows watching him get ready for the night ---or what was left Of the night. It was half past four.
 "Ranny. are you cross with mo about something?" she asked at last.
 He went or winding his watch, making no sign that he had heard her. Then suddenly he threw up his head and came and sat down on the bed beside her.
 Why do you lay traps for me, Sylvia?A he asked. You're always telling me how much you think of me! If you really do, why are you always trying to trip mo up. Catch me in a lie?"
 Sylvia looked at him blankly. Catch you in a lie?" she repeated after him, puzzled. "Why, Ranny. what are you talking about? When did ever lay a trap for you--or try to catch you in a H. 2" He smiled with bitterness.
 'Just now, didn't you when you asked me If Fay and Eddie had brought me home? You knew all the time that Eddie wasn't in that car, and then yo. asked me whether he was or not"