New Britain herald., 1927-02-02

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 and hunting scene pictures around no doubt Ugly. comfortable stuff. T like it," she said. slowly look | ing all around her.
 i She was thinking that woman l must have planned this room. Sure ly some luxury-loving creature had l picked out the puffy silk cushions on the couch, the soft blue rusr, i the ivory curtains, the little -ea- table of brass and lockwood. Per- haps MacCloud had been married. Perhaps he had lived here with a wife, once upon time. 4 pang of jealousy stabbed her at the thought.
 Sine was asking him about it, al l most before she realized it. Have you ever been married, MT. Mac Cloud?" It seemed silly 10 call him Mister sitting here alone with him at midnight and she could have bitten off her tongue the minute she had said it.
 MacCloud shook his head, stand ing before her while he struck a match to a cigaret. Then he dropped down on the couch close eside her, and laid his arm along the back of it so that his fingers touched her shoulder.
 Hes going to kiss me- thought Robbie. And away in the back Of her mind was another thought. He can help me to get ahead in the movies if he wants to-
 For at that time she still cared more about getting ahead in the movies than she cared for any man, even Angus MacCloud.
 He put his hand under her chin and turned her face toward him. In the dim glow from the yellow lamp it was like rose-petals. Satiny and fresh, with carol color that the night wind had whipped into her cheeks.
 "No, I've never been married" he said deliberately. What makes you ask"
 This room. It looks as if a woman had furnished it." Her voice was low and husky. Mac Clouds hand, under her chin, was like a touch of fire. Her heart had begun to beat like little hammer, in her breast and temples, and in her throat. She had no desire to move away from the man beside her-and when he pulled her close to him she felt as if she were melt ing against him.
 "A woman did do it for me-" he said, My sister. Listen, I'm going to kiss you" Ard then he did. It was not an Andy Jerrold sort of kiss, full of tenderness and re- spect.
 It was a quick, hard one that hurt Boobies mouth. A kiss that was full of the very human kind of passion that a man feels for 8 woman he loves, and it woke in Robbie an answering flame. She was like fire ard snow in his arms.
 This" she thought dreamily and dimly, ''is what i' feels like to love q man. Love-the thing she never had felt for Andy Jerrold. The thing that held q man and a woman together through years of trouble and struggle, poverty, sickness, and even disgrace.
 It may have been an hour after ward that the sound of a motor car came up to them through the clear still air. It came nearer and nearer. It seemed to be climbing the hill.
 Good grief" Robbie cried. DO you suppose someone's coming up here?"
 Her hands flew to her ruffled hair, smoothing it down.
 MacCloud laughed easily. 'No, darling. It's just the schultzes get ting home from the show he said
 As he spoke a pair of motor lamps flashed past the great win dow. and disappeared. The car came 10 a stop before the pink stucco house next door.
 "The Schultzes.' Boobies eyes were big brown pools in the glow of the yellow lamp. Do they live over there?"
 "Why, sure. They're my neigh bors," MacCloud answered, pulling her close to him again. "Now, don't be nervous. They'll never know you're here. We'll just -ay here for an hour or so, and when everythings quiet we'll sneak away"
 Robbie didn't answer Hidden in the curve Of his arm, her face wore a sick little frown. She hated that word sneak" She hated the thought of sneaking away. It seemed so low-so common.
 T should have known better than 10 come here in the first place." she scolded herself. T might have known 1t would wind up in some horrid way like this."
 A half hour or 70 afterward th! house next door was wrapped In darkness. But everything out of doors was white with moonlight. It was almost like daylight.
 If the Schultzes looked out of the window they'd see me sure as fate" Robbie whispered, in an agony of nervous fear.
 What would Lottie Schultz think of her, If she saw her? She l shivered.
 Don't be silly. The wouldn't | know who you were. even If they | did see you," MacCloud told her impatiently. "But if you're really | worried about if, you could walk down the hill on the other side of the house, and I could rick you up at the bottom.'
 So she did that. She slipped | down between the shadows and 1 waited at the bottom of the tree under some bamboos that grew there, until the cream colored road