New Britain herald., 1927-03-26

You don't seem particularly ex-
cited over tn anticipation
I'm not. Neither over Walden
nor tn dance. Il was all fresh and
/ wonderful after my debut, but I
/ guess I'm becoming faded. / wish
something thrilling would happen
- something, for instance. Ike
/ Teddys cellar affair. Sometimes l
think she has it all over us. Al
( least, she has tn satisfaction OF
( having been of some benefit 10 tn
world" concluded Diana Grossly.
That seems an incongruous com.
parison to make" said Lola with a
shrug. considering that Teddy
Farrell is, after all, more or Tess OF
nobody"
Diana whirled in her chair with
the swift grace Of a cat. her gray
green eyes flashing.
See here, Lola MantelL," she
spat, you keep your claws off my
Teddy, | know, OF course. why you
hate her since Don and she had
T. Llldi ILl4di fA pei lf!4lt. hIlOH ,
too, what you don't know. Don
asked her to marry him-and she
refused. Don, himself, told me, not
her. I think It's altogether unfair
for you TO harp about her original
obscurity. She's a fine. brave girl
who earns her own living, and Dad
says that she's got tn making Of a
splendid newspaper woman"
An angry flush stained the
creamy checks and white throat Of
Lola Mantell. but her good sense
told her not to bait her young
cousin too far.
"Oh, come now. Dia," she said.
conciliatingly. calm yourself. !
didn't intend TO make it a problem
And besides" she added, rising and
kissing the other playfully on the
car. I'm grateful myself TO your
Teddy for saving Don's life. Really
am"
Diana's anger dissolved instantly.
Hers was too big and fine a nature
TO harbor rancor, especially when
anything that even savored Of
apology was offered. AT the same
time she wasn't deceived in the
least by Lola's change Of front.
She knew her cousin too we'll.
you have right to be grateful,
Lola" she said earnestly. y think
Teddy is perfectly wonderful and
I'm going to see that she gets to
the country club dance. for ! know
she's Just crazy to go. Exclusive
or not exclusive, Ttddy's going TO
that dance II I've got enough in
fluence to get her there"
well. g'night, l gotta go now"
came from over Lola's shoulder
with an airy cheerfulness, and the
next moment Diana Was alone Fith
her own reflections.
And they were odd, passing odd,
those reflections that came push
ing their way into the wakoful
mind Of Diana Brooks that night.
It was many hours after Lola left
before Diana finally fen asleep.
She had always been more or
less puzzled in her estimate Of
hor cousin. Until Lola had come
there to live following her father S
sudden death which had left the
girl utterly pcnniless, she and
Diana had never mot. In very truth
Lola's and Teddy Farrcll's expert
cnce had not been dissimilar. Both
had been left destitute upon the
death Of their parents. Had Roger
Brooks not come to the rescue OF
Lola in the hour Of her greatest
need she would have found herself
in a position Identical with Teddy's
in all save that Of age. While
Teddy had been i at the time OF
her great bereavement, Lola was
90 But Lola's ability to earn her
own living was even less than
Tediys had been. All things con-
sidcred, Illuminated Diana, Lola's
eternal Stumbling of the little re-
porter was altogether out Of place
and unethical. She hoped her
cousin would take profit from the
little incident Of that night.
She had almost dlsliked Lola
z
Teddy. Diana tried 10 analyze that
dislike Was It chagrin at
Lola's attitude toward Teddy? She
wondered. . Perhaps she was
nasty and suspicious in her
thought that Lola had put Don off
because of merccnary reasons. But,
try as She would to cast it out, the
doubt still remained in her mind.
She lay wide-eyed until dawn,
revolving over and over again the
little secret she possessed. 1t was
only recently. she knew. that Don,
the pivot around which the secret
revolVcd, had come to know its in
side part. the little joker of the
thing. What joker it was,
too. And how a girl, a girl like
Lola. could love a man--wc!l, she
had told Lola that maybe David
I keene's crazy legacy wasn't quite
as crazy as it seemed.
knowledge OF this little Joker
Diana conscientously believed,
would have influenced Lola TO look
/ upon Donald kecne from a pcrspcc-
tive altogether unlike that from
which she now took her observa-
tons.
She was recalling the incident
that had revealed this very PERM
cious little joker TO her.
1t was only week or so before