The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-05
CHAPTER xxx
ITELEN was admitted into the
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! HELEN was admitted INTO the
L 4 foyer of Brent'S apartment by
a japanese servant. She stepped
quickly over the threshold and
glanced beyond to the living room
that could be glimpsed through an
open doorway.
Miss Nellin," she said as though
it did not matter, and moved on,
paying no attention to the mans
words. He was saying that Mr..
Brent was out.
Some one had drawn the heavy
draperieS against the brilliant SUM-
shine of the early autumn day IT
the living room and turned on a
soft light near a divan.
HelenS eyes went to the light
instinctively, but instead of seeing,
as she expected, Leonard sitting
under it, she found herself staring
into the bemuSed countenance OF
"one of his women"
The phrase flashed through her
mind unsummoned. perhaps as an
echo of thoughts she had enter
tanned on the train.
She recognized Carmel at once
as the woman she had seen with
Brent when she and Shallimar had
gone to the Ritz.
She did not know who she was
or what she was, but she felt an
antagonism rise within her even
| before the woman spoke. Another
time she'd have mistaken it for
| jealousy: now she believed it to be
annoyance over a third persons
presence when she desired prl-
vate talk with Leonard.
Il took the liberty of asking you
to come up because even Toto, or
POGO or Soto or whatever his mans
name is, doesn't seem to know what
has become of Leonard" Carmel
said. indicating by moving over
slightly that she expected Helen to
sit beside her on the divan.
Helen stood, thinking swiftly.
Have you an engagement with
himP" she asked pointblank, decid-
ing that if such were the case she
would go and come back later.
My dear, one never has engage
ments with Leonard" Carmel an
Swered patronizingly. "One catches
him on the wing. But, of course,
possibly in your case Her
voice rose on a hooking inter-
rogatory note.
Helen returned her glance with
the steadiness of steel. but inwardly
she was quaking lest the irritation
she felt should show in her face.
CHE turned and took seat in an
- armchair near a reading table,
and quite nonchalantly turned on
a second lamp. She would not go
now and appear to this insolent
woman to be running away from her
jibes.
Smoker" Carmel asked. taking
out a platinum case and extending
it to Helen.
The latter shook her head. With
considerable ostentation Carmel put
the case aside. rose and walked over
to a desk and dug a long amber
. cigaret holder out of a drawer.
Helen perceived that Carmel
wished her to know that she was
familiar with the apartment, but
she appeared not to notice.
They sat in silence for several
minutes. Carmel lazily pulling at
her chocolate papered cigaret and
Helen Tipping the pages of maya
zine.
Secretly Carmel was studying her,
weighing her youth and beauty with
savage resentment of it. For though
she knew that her own exotic charm
had held Leonard Brent partly I'M
der a spell for many years, she
knew also that he wanted her out
of his life now. And she did not
know why. Was this girl the an
Swer?
She knew about Helen Page. but
she never had been permitted 10
meet her. She did not know that
Helen's name was now Nellin. And
when Helen had been announced
Carmel had been seized with desire
to pry into Brent's affairs.
For that reason she had instructed
the Japanese servant when she