Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1929-11-16
Fourth Instalment
Synopsis
What Happened Before


Synopsis
What Happened Before
At party in Palm Beach given BY Nj, Cooper
Clary, Lesson, an attorney, meets Lucy Harkness,
known as Devil-May-Care because Of her adven-
turous, eventful life. In game in which partners
for the evening are chosen, Lucy is wop by Ian
Stevens, who has great reputation as sueesssiu'
bear,-breaker. Lesson is Bit Jealous, I'm
Stevens tells Lucy they going aboard his boat
,he MinsrSa. and she aeeedes IN order NOT 70 o.
"a gutter" Asked if she is sorry that he wen
her company, Lucy says she is not and that
evidently Fate has arranged il. Tim thereupcr
tells her 10 stop looking regrstfully af,ss leesor
Aboard Stevens boat, the Minerva. Ste
VEINS tells Lucy Of his love. When she re
plies with contempt for him, he grows yio
lently angry and she becomes AFRAID OF mn
He says he will never let her go from the
Minerva until she accepts HIM. 10 escape
window, swimming short distance anGe'
water. -
Lucy reaches land and meets DR.. Fergus
Faunce on an island. He takes care OF hei
and takes her home. Everyone IS WORRIED
about her, and when she meets Stevens h'
is frantic, regreetul and stin aruenl IL Pio
Now 90 On With the Story
1--WE start from here, then; | took
YOU away with me; | frightened you
! drove you to almost certain death
But we start from there. Is that
IT." =,
From where else could we start?
she countered.
aud you you can't forgive me
Lucy Harkness?'
"Can you make me? That seems {
be the question" she answered.
He rose from his chair, faagr:
dropping from him like bath-gowr
from a bather on the beach. That
amazing virility which was himself
but which this morning had beeu ah-
sent. returned to him in rush.
81 don't like equal CHARGES" he
cried. Il want the odds against me
Two to one, ten TO one, a hundred &c
one"
"And and what shall we tell
People are curious"
81 came home" she said calmly, IN
my bathing-suit. If your crew and
Modane-" ,
They'll say nothing" he promised
"And, naturally, we won't" she
laughed.
"And you'll ser me, spea', to me
as though nothing had ha;rcned ,"
"I'll do what Fate G:.ects, she
promised.
He shook his head.
you're no saint, Lucy Hardness.
! If YOU were, I'd not love you. You're
flesh and blood and wavy hair and
long lashes and pink and tan skin,
and human! You can't '.1l me-
You're going to do something
Which ought 10 make HE interest
;nq TIM" she chuckled. Trying to
ou'ruess a woman is hard enough
u.ier ordinary circumstances, but uN.
der these But perhaps your blood
has cooled. In emotion we w5'i
things. promise things, do things that
contemplation causes us to regret. An
Iaur ago death was an adventure
which YOU welcomed. Now a Irritation
seems dangerous. Well, go your own
va, Tim Stevens" -
"TIl go yours" he cried, The way
q Fate"
She laughed.
"Well see"
"You hate me. You'll get even
sorre way :" He paused, toe
puzzled to continue.
"Of course l hate you," she returned
evenly. 81 think you're low, bestlai
Bu what has that to do with Fate :
you're daring me-" he asserted.
"And YOU are afraid to take a dare,
she accused. But I've given you al
the time can this morning. I'm due
at TIE Beach Club" =,
He held out tentative hand. Sh'
shock her head.
mot vet a while, Tim. Perhap!
never. You know, after all, you didn,
trump my ace, or move as putted
| You did-tried to do--a thing tina
YOU must have known would have
caused me to kill myself. But enough
of that. We start again"
After he left she leaned back IN he
chair and closed her eyes.
1--WE start again." she murmured
"But where shall lead him% Thu
curved lips Strengthened harshly, ant
the hands that rested upon the arm
of the wicker chair suddenly grippet
them. Then she relaxed. She wa
| able to summon perfectly natura
smile to her lips as, in response to tn
noise of the iron knocker upon tn,
gate, a Jap admitted Lesson to tn
patio.
/ A nice-looking boy, she told hersel
as he advanced eagerly. Clean, wei
built and enthusiastic. She liked thi
latter quality in him. She liked fresi
eagerness in the viewpoint OF life. To'
much of it had gone from her; per
haps because the people she knew
PLAYED around with were too sophisti
Gated, too ennuied with the bushes
of living. Perhaps she could regain
some of it from Lesson.
! "You didn't come back to Mrs
Clary's last night" he accused, as h
bent over her hand.
Did you expect me tor? she In
CURED.
= "Of course. ! hoped So"
"But you lost" she said.
"On a foul" he reminded her.
She shrugged
1--WE threshed that out last night
l like winners, as I told you"
did Stevens keep you awayP b
asked. \
! She Strengthened in her chair,
-.