Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

ries that Dillaby creature writes are
literature. She never had an idea
In her life, and if she had one she
couldn't express it. wouldn't have be-
lieved it of you, John Severine!"
Louise burst into frenZied tears and
John went out and banged the door. It
was. as you see. a perfectly common
place first quarrel.
THE ensuing GOODNESS lasted for sew
eral days, but was ended by the
necessity of giving the party they had
planned. 1t is next to impossible to be
distant and cool when giving party
in small apartment. The imperative
necessities of waxing the floor, moving
furniture. preparing edibleS, lighting
candles and greeting guests conduce to
| forgetfulnes of the most burning
wrongs.
Even when Louise, with defiant ges-
| ture, hung several of her most Trochilic
sketches and flung batik over the sofa,
when she replaced the lamp shades In
soft, mellow tones for harsh and scream
| ing fantasies, John made no protest, be-
cause he was too busy rushing out to
| the delicatessen for rolls, hot dogs,
| pickles and the like, which they had
chosen as refreshments.
| BY the time the party was In full
swing they did not remember most OF
the harsh things they had said to each
other, though Louise kept a watchful
| eye on Kitty Dillaby, and John was curt
and cool to Rivt Ryndal.
But 1t was Toby Tent who made that
| party into memorable occasion. Toby
| had been in a high state of excitement
all evening, and he fingered after the
others had gone, though the hour was
near to dawn.
IT didn't want to leave without word
| Il don't know when I'll see you again,
and you two babes in the wood have
been on my conscience"
what d'you mean. you don't know
when you'll see us again?" asked John.
We'll, it's like this. I've got a por-
trait bust commission, an honest-to-
goodness commission from a big art
dealer. and if I make good-and be-
lieve me. I'm going to make good-t
means that I've got my start. And so
I'm getting out of this bunch and going
to work-right."
loyalty, his hypocrisy. Toby went on:
You ought to get out. too. You've
swallowed this outfit. hook, line and
sinker, and I must confess I've been
ashamed that egged you into lot Of
| it. Don't you see you can't do work
that's any good when you're doing
nothing but sit about and talk? Don't
you see that all this crowd is lazy and
and-never gets down to brass tacks?
real work. you'll never do it here"
The Severines clutched at their
reeling world. But. Toby-but,
Toby" stammered Louise. don't
| you believe in any of them? Don't you
even believe in Rivt Ryndal?"
| Toby looked a bit embarrassed We'll.
about Rivt-somet.mes those queer
things do catch on. you know. and get
| place for themselves. BY fluke. But
more of a real artist than-than the
| pelican in the zoo. Why-he can't even
| draw!"
And you let me go over there and
waste my time and waste my
| money"
II know, Louise, I know it was a
mean trick. and I could step on myself
| for it. But he was down and out and
| you were so gullible-I thought. when
you saw his stuff. you'd surely wake up
and begin to laugh. but, when you ate
it up. just said to myself that you
were so absolutely dumb it didn't make
any difference what happened to you.
But it's of my chest now, and you can
do as you like"
Rage and humiliation held Louise
silent, but John was able to ask one
more question: do you think they're
| all fakes, Toby?"
They're fakes this way-they won't
face the truth about themselves, They
all go on, year after year, kidding them
selves that they're misunderstood and
unfairly treated. and that they're lots
bigger and better than the ones who do
get on. I'm not saying that they
mightn't all be useful. decent citizens,
| If they wouldn't try to do something
| that they can't do and, never will be
able to do. But you two kids aren't that
| Sort and wish you'd get out before
| you reach the point where you can't"
\ X
LIE picked up his hat and went to the
= door. IT suppose you'll never for
give me-" he said. but I had to tell
you. like you two-a lot. Well-so
He was gone. Behind him the devas-
tated pair sat among the ruins of their
do you think he can be right,
John?"
I'm sure he's right about Ryndal. I
always felt sure that bird was phony."
I'm dead sure 1t could all be true OF
Kitty Dillaby-I said as much 10 you.
oh" said John. speaking from utter
WEAKNESS. wait until tomorrow. Don't
let's begin our row all over again to-
night"
They tumbled into bed and slept ex-
hauStedly. In the morning John went
, out to business without waking Louise,
but in the evening he found the apart
ment as it had been in the days of their
| honeymoon. The Trochilic sketches
were gone The dinner table, set for
two with broiled chicken batter bread,
stuffed tomatoes, lemon meringue tarts,
real coffee.
They ate in pensive silence, avoiding
each others eyes. But when that de-
licious meal had vanished. they settled
down on the sofa.
John cleared his throat zone Of the
fellows down at the ONCE was telling me
about a house for sale out where he
lives. honey" he said. Its bungalow.
It's got quite a yard and some nice old :
trees. There's river where they canoe,
and club with tennis and golf, and he
says the people are mostly young like US
and full of pep, and they have lot Of
fun. We could have a car and a dog.
Maybe an Airedale"
At last Louise spoke. "Oh. don't let's
have an Airedale." she said. Lets have
a Chow"