Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-10


himself And his pulse throbbed.
Does this man hold the key 70 my
heart? All. does he? II l could only
know Judy's cheeks grew softly
pink.
Perhaps I'll never marry"
Yes, and perhaps the sun won't
shine tomorrow"
well. il sometimes doesnt--in
Washington" said Judy.
BE serious and answer me-" Tommy
urged her.
well, I won't marry an artist.
Judy began slowly, nor a musician.
nor an author. won't even marry a
newspaper man"
There go all my hopes" Tommy
sighed.
They both laughed gayly.
"Dabs is a newspaper man." Tom.
my offered presently, with wicked
little smile.
4 shadow fitted across Judiths
smooth forehead. Poor Dabs." she
said, half TO herself.
Tommy lifted inquiring eyebrows,
why poor Dabs'? II seems to me
he's a pretty lucky man"
A burst of laughter came from the
group around the table. Judy looked
over at them, That's only because
you can't see underneath the surface"
she SAID soberly, her eyes away from
him.
Suddenly she turned toward him and
put an impulsive hand across his. Il
shouldn't tell you all this. Dahs would
hate it. My telling. l mean. But
want you to understand. You've been
sweet.to us. You've stuck to US when
you could have dropped US as easily
as not"
Dropped you? What on earth do
you mean, Judy7"
Judith's cheeks were crimson. but
she pushed on courageously. Just
that. know IL sounds horrid to say
1t like that. 1t sounds as though we
were some sort of disease that people
got away from. l don't mean that,
But" She paused. faltered.
When she turned to him again there
We're tears in her eyes.
You're almost the only real friend
I've >got!" she cried desolately. "All
the rest: are friends of Honey and
Dabs, They think I'm stiff and cold.
But you--you understand. I like to
tell you things. Talk things over with
you. III get onesome--sometimes. !
haven't any one to talk things over
with" The cry was straight from the
heart. If only he could understand!
Would he? Could he? If he did she
might be able to tell him of the little
ghost in her heart of the dreams she
had when she was shut away in her
workroom. Perhaps he could help her
to lay the small ghost TO rest, the
small, hopeless, troubling ghost!
why don't you talk TO Honey
and Dabs?" Tommys voice was thick
She had moved him by her cry. So
small, so gallant! And so gayl He
had a wild impulse to reach out and
take her in his arms, cuddle her, com.
fort her! But she would hate him II
he touched her! She would be afraid
of him, and he couldn't bear that!
"Oh, wouldn't want to bother
them" Judy said honestly. II used
to be so in the way when was little
that 1 have a horror Of bothering
them now. You see." and her tone
was reasonable, they are so easily
bored"
Il see." said Tommy. And now his
glance went over to Honey's gay, tip
tilted face, with it's crown of glowing
hair, to Dabs' clear. eager keenness.
Couldn't they understand what they
were doing to this lovely child?
We'll, what meant about dropping
us was this, Lots of people come here
when they are just new in Washing
ton. They don't know anything about
the different sets here or anything
And some of them are so lonely they
don't much care, either. Then by and
by they get invitations to a reception
as the Pan-American Union, or a char
ity ball, and they don't come here any
more. But you-youre different. You
can go TO lots of interesting places.
I've seen your name at some of the
biggest affairs. I always read the So
cial column, you know. Her smile
was wry.
We'll, what difference does that
make in my coming here?"
why should you come here when
you can go other places?"
Il like Honey and Dabs. And I
hate to tell you this for fear you'll be
vain, but 1 come here because l like
you. too"
Tin thrilled to death" Judy laugh
ed nervously. Her eyes would not meet
his and her small fingers fell to pleat-
ing the soft folds of her wisp Of gown.
Her eyes followed the nervous move
ments of her fingers.
You haven't told me yet why. YOU
said poor Dabs'." Tommy prompted
her.
Well. you see, Dabs has written a
book. He's been writing II for years
and years. And now he can't sell it,
Her tone was tragic. She lifted love
~, troubled eyes TO his.
That's too bad! Better luck with
his next one. perhaps"
But there never will be a next one
for Dabs." she cried.
why mott"
why, he's worked on this one for
years and years! He's put everything
he had into 1t. He's been writing it
since was little girl! How can he
do another"
Tommy sighed. A one.book man!
He'd seen that kind before. And prob
ably a not very good book at that.
Perhaps IL is old-fashioned. Styles
in writing change, you know" Tommy
suggested lightly.
Judith's heart burned in her. She
thought OF Dabs, sitting hour after
hour pouring his soul out upon paper
A mans soul! Why, a mans soul
couldn't be old-fashioned, And what
had style to do with it? She almost
hated Tommy for a moment.
"A masterpiece is never oldfash-
ioned"' she famed defensively.
There are so many ordinary writ
ers. Judy"
DO you think Dabs is an ordinary
writer?F Her tone held fierce chal-
lenge. All the alteration of her child
hood was rising in her.
II don't know anything about Dabs'
writing"
They won't buy Dabs' book and
they won't hang Honey's pictures in
the exhibitions! I can't understand
it, Judy's voice rang out. hotly re-
bellious.
why bother your pretty little head
about 1t? What does it natter"
Tommy asked her smilingly. -,
Some place deep in Judy little
voice spoke for her. This is not the
man with the key to my heart" She
looked Al him slowly. ehallengingly. He
didn I. understand. He couldn't under
stand. This was not the man!