New Britain herald., 1927-02-15
straight-laced as an. fashioned

trouble"
 What Aunt Gertrude had meant in plain United States was simply Don't let the men pet you, Bob- bie."
 And Robbie knew, as well as she knew her own name, that if she weakened and went to Laguna, Gus MacCloud was going to make love to her plenty" as Monica would have put it.
 Trips to location have the repu- tation in the movie colony of Holly wood. Girls and men go out on them good friends, and return en- gagged to be married. or even mar ried. Sometimes another kind of ,ove-affair develops between some certain man-sometimes a married one-and some girl in particular. Many a home has been broken up by trip to location. Many a heart has been broken, and many mar. rage vow smashed, on just such q trip as this one to Iaguna Beach.
 Robbie knew 1t She knew. too, lldL d ilieiil Nllo p'SNSiiuo AiOS tN have ] divorce when he really has it, isn't the safest com mpanion in the world for a girl--especially when that girl is madly infatuated with him. And. beyond all shadow of doubt, she was madly infatuated with Gus MacCloud.
 The sunlight on his face brought out all tho little tired downward lines of dissipation on his face, and they made him seem more de. sirable than ever-more a man of the world.
 She had sudden and desperate wish to take his face between her hands and kiss all of those tired little lines around his eyes and lips with her own soft lips.
 But instead, she looked straight : at him. and her eyes for once were as hard as a gate.
 She forced herself to say the thing that was on her mind:
 NO, I guess I don't trust you, Gus" she said, and her voice sounded hard and brittle even in her own ears. Maybe 1 would. if you'd told me about getting your i divorce, yesterday. But as it is" She never finished the sentence. With a jerk his car started, tore | down the drive between the flower ! ing hedges, and vanished around the corner. The rumble of it died away on the warm still air. He was gone-without her.
 She went back to Lottie. It seemed that hours must have | passed since she had left the little ! garden but Lottie was still sitting on the stone bench. looking at ] Monicas picture in the morning raper.
 "Well, did you get it over to him 1 that you didn't want to go with him ?" she asked, picking up the coffee tray.
 For answer, Robbie sat right down in the middle of the gravel rath. and began to cry with her head down in hcr hands. Her shoulders shook and she sobbed loudly.
 Lottie sat very still and waited until she had her cry out. Then she knelt down beside her on the , rath and put her arms around Robbie, and pressed her head down on her shoulder.
 Don't boo-hoo over 1t. It isn't worth it, Robbie" she said quietly. Its only one little trip. and it's better for you to make Gus under stand that he can't treat you the way he treats most women, than it would be for you to go this time"
 Robbie looked up with red and swollen eyes. How does he treat most women?" she asked with a snuffle.
 Lottie shrugged her shoulders. You know, without asking me-" she said. You've seen enough of him to know that he treats women trary book. he finishes with them, and then forgets them. I hope I'm rot gossiping too much but I'm go- ing to tell you something about Gus. Please don't ever speak of it to anyone, vii! you?" Robbie shook Ter head. and crossed her heart like a solemn school girl hearing a secret.
 Well, this is the kind Of person Gus js." Lottie began slowly. About a month ago. he telephoned Roy one night while we were at dinner. Roy ran upstairs to the extension phone to answer the call. I thought that was awfully funny, so went to the hall telephone and listened in. And do you know. he was trying to get Roy to go up to Monica Mont's flat for supper!'
 That sick unhappy look of bit terly jealous woman came into Bob- hie's fearful eyes.
 There was another girl there | esides Monica, and they wanted Roy to make up foursome!" Lot tie wound up her story. "and after q minute Roy came downstairs and told me he had to go down to the
  away"
 Robbie clapped her hand to her mouth in astonishment. He was going to Monica's!' she cried.
 Lottie nodded.
 "Yes, he was but you must never speak of it to anyone" she said quietly. And now I'm going to tell you something else. He went. I let him go. He doesn't know to this day that I know the truth about him."
 Robbie stared at her. So that was why Lottie took Roy down to the studio each day and brought linn home! That was why she clung to him. and openly adored him. That was why she kept say ing over and over that she wouldn't