New Britain herald., 1926-07-14
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sees him. To be in love is noth- ling new to Merry, however. Shes been in love scores Of times with scores of men, ever since she was sixteen.
 She confesses this to Tony one day when he wants her to run
 away and be married at once. Then. almost at once, she regrets her
 frankness because Tony insists that they wait six months before they
 decide 10 marry. He explains that he wants her to be sure of herself.
 But Merry doesn't want to wait.
 She has failed in her course at lbusiness college, and she wants to
 be married at once, so that she
 won't have to tell MONS, her
 strong-minded mother about her
 failure.
 Her father has a stroke and dies suddenly. leaving the whole family dependent for support on CASSIE,
 the second sister who is secretary ito MORLEY KAUFMAN. and se- Icrctly yearns 10 marry him.
 HELEN. the oldest of the sis Ilcrs marries BILL HEPWORTH, d Iclcrk in his fathers wholesale Eroc- cry. Jimmy the oungest sister, stays at home to help Mons with the homework.
 Merry finds work in Madame Dale's beauty shop. and begins to use makeup on her face, although Irony dislikes to see it.
 One night when his mother re- turns from an out-of-town visit with his Cousin Louise, he doesn't come Ito see Merry as usual Cassie warns her that he is treating her Casually as Morley Kaufman treats herself-keopinE her in the back ground and not introducing her 10 his family.
 Hes just having good time with you." says Cassie. "he's never even given you an engagement ring"
 1 Merry thinks things over, and for the first time doubt of Tony croeps into her mind. That night she lets DERRICK JONES, who lives next door, kiss her as he has many times before. The following night. when Tony comes to see her. ! she grects him with yelled ill., humor and resentment. Tony asks i her to wash the makeup from her . face. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY |
 CHAPTER NV
 They went into the house where | the twilight was gathering in the ! corners like dusky curtains. i
 Through the half darkness. i Mcrry's face gleamcd like porCc- i lain mask under it's coating of rouge i and powder. The soft mouth was ! bedaubed with scarlet. The eyes . gleamed like bits of blue-green ice ! between their blackened lashcs.
 All the fresh, sunny charm that ! was her greatest beauty was quite . gone.
 "I'm sorry you don't like my face" she said as she went around | the shabby comfortable room, light ing the lamps. Her voice might have belonged 10 Cassie, as she spoke. It twinIlled like ice in pitcher-cold and hard.
 "Rut I do like your face. I'm l particularly crazy about your face, Tony answered, standing before her his hands in his pockets. "What don't like is this stuff you'vc smoared all over it. Please go up- stairs and wash it off
 Merry gazcd at him In prctende6 surprise. Why should l wash it off. I'd like 10 know" she said t
 For me, dear" Tony explained. "Pleasc take it off, Merry
 She only shook her sun-bright head in answer, and opened a mag azine that lay on the table beside her. She turned the leaves lazily, ! and smothered a yawn.
 "Its part of my new job to make up my face" she said, after min beauty shop"
 "A beauty shop" Tony repeated. Suddenly he laughed as he might have laughed at a child. "Why, f what are you doing in a beauty shop? You trained to be a stenog- rapher, didn't you?"
 Merry didn't bother 10 answer him. She went on looking through her magazine, quite as if she were l. alone in the room.
 It came to him. all at once, that she was angry about something. The change in her was more than skin-deep.
 His face sobered and he sal down on the arm of her chair and took the book out of her hands.
 Merry, what's the mattcr?" he l. asked. "you'ro pecVcd, aren't you? Is it because of anything that I've donc?"
 "You haven't done anything! It's what you haven't done!" she an- swered cuttingly. She raised her face and gave him a narrow, resent full look from her eyes.
 "Wcn, what haven't l done, ; thcn?" he asked patiently. Don't t get sore like this over nothing. Just Y tell me what's wrong?" It
 "Tn tell you one thing!" she blazcd at him. suddenly. "Ill never tWiddle my thumbs alone al home ( for you again. the way l did last | night I've never had 10 sit around ( like a blooming wall-flower before t in my life. and ] don't propose to start it now!"
 He stared at her blankly. {
 "But, Merry. l was with my mother" he said helpless as q man ( always is in the face of a woman's anger "You surely l aren't jealous of my mother, are { you?" [
 "No--nor Of your wonderful ! cousin Louise, eithcr!" she flung f at him bitterly. $