New Britain herald., 1927-02-08

DumD Benny, though, Sne re
 marked. You know-the kind o a sap who sends you six million . calories of chocolates when h.
 knows you're battling to stay thil and would rather have orchids t,
 pin on your coat. anyway. But h.
 means well. He's good-heartet fool"
 WE'RE READY FOR YOU MISS MONT" bawled Gus Mac Cloud from the other side of the pool, and Monica hurried acros: where she was duly pushed into, the water by Marty Sax, the comedian.
 The morning wore away. Two ol three times Robbie found herself close to Gus, but he never looked her way, except while she was doing her swimming stunts. Bob bic couldn't figure out what ailed him. Was he ashamed of being in love with an extra girl? Didn't he ! want any of these people to know that he knew her? What was the matter with him, anyhow? She i asked herself a hundred questions about him, and did not find a sim gle answer.
 | And he's married" she said to l herself as she sat alone at noon- 1 time trying to eat the lunch that was brought to her in paSteboard | box-sandwiches cake, banana and bottle of root-beer. His wife hasn't divorced him yet-and ' still he makes love to me. Tells me he never knew what love was 1 until he saw me - but that he | wouldn't get married for anything in the world And all the time he IS married.
 Something that was fine and clean in her suddenly began to shrink from the very thought of the kisses he had given her, and the presents he had made her-a married man making love to q girl! "I may be Fashioned" she thought, but it seems wrong to me, somehow"
 She sat there, apart from the others on stone bench under some artificial shrubbery, think ing about. him. And, as if her thought brought him to her, he came strolling up to her presently, smoking one of his brown Mexican cigarettes.
 Hello, you!" he said to her. put ting his hand down over hers on the stone between them. Want to have supper with me tonight?" Once more, now that they were alone, he was possessive and eager for her.
 And she said Yes" because no matter how much she tried. she couldn't say No" She didn't want to see him-and yet she did.
 At four o'clock ail the extras were paid off and sent away.
 At a quarter to five Robbie found herself in the little Boulevard beauty shop, where she always went for her manicures. There was a new girl at the first white glass-topped table inside the doo". A girl with crop of short coppery hair, who raised pair of enor- nous green eyes as Robbie sat down opposite her-Stela Delroy.
 Yeah, here I am. Don't drop dead" said Stella. Put your hand on this cushion. My stars! What awful-looking nailsi You must have been sitting in a coal-bin all day,"
 Worse than that. I've been sit ting around in a dirty, dusty set in wet bathing suit" Robbie told her wearily. T feel as if all the dirt were just ground into my skin.'
 You look as fresh as dew" Stella said. "Jiminy. I wish I looked half as young and smooth as you do.' She showed bowl of warm soapy water towards Bob bic. Here, stick your hand into that"
 You're not much older than I am."
 Pm twenty-seven," Stella an- swered grimly. And twenty-seven's awfully old to be In pictures. Do you like your nails pointed or rounded?"
 Pointed" Boobies voice had gone dreamy and low all at once. Twenty-seven, she was thinking Why, she would be twenty-soven in less that five years. Five years in which to grasp fame and for tune, the things she wanted Only five years.
 I'll never do it If I don't keep my mind on it." she told herself sharply. "lll never do it, worry ing and fussing about Gus Mac Cloud. I've got 10 get him off my mind and knuckle down to busi- ness"
 She knew that if her mind had been on her work that very morn ing she could have done much better job, when she swan the pool during the filming of the wild party. She could have swan across, holding a cocktail glass in one hand, if she'd only thought of It then. It would have been good gag" and would have made a hit with Roy Schultz.
 But l was too busy worrying about Gus to think of doing it." she told herself angrily, sitting there at Stella's little white table. First thing I know I'll be where Stella is. Out of everything.
 We'll, she would tell Gus Mac Cloud that night that she was quite through with him. He never had helped her anyhow. He had prom ised to do this, that and the other thing. and he never had done any, thing except make love to her. All the work she had had, except that first days work, had come from Roy Schultz. She would put Gus out of her mind, She would for