The Washington times., 1930-12-22

living? These things were not
pleasant to think about: it was
so easy to give way to Sus-
picionS. Kitty's face, Connie
reflected, had, in repose, shown
surly rebellion; considering her
lack of home surroundings and
restraint, it was possible to i'm
agine anything. All exaspera-
ton of suspense piled up. Who
was Duke Carson, and what did
he mean in Kitty's life-if any,
thing? Was it reasonably pos
sible to hope that the girl could
be, at her age, dissociated from
her lifelong environment?
Nor did any clue to these
mysteries come early when Con.
ME sat opposite her again at
a table in Joe's Place on Tenth
Avenue. Once more she tried
to fathom Kitty by ther exter-
nal appearance. Beneath the
line Of her jet black hair the
forehead was low and wide; her
browS and laShes made the
blue-violet eyes seem larger
than they really were. It was
a face that fell a little short of
actual beauty. A trace Of imp
tshnesS was in the slight tilted
nose; the mouth, with its occa-
sional quirk at the corner,
suggested, vaguely, a defiance
Of life and its conventions. In
a crowd, Kitty would attract
attention; her dress was mex
penSive, but she achieved dis
tlnction; as for the reSt-Con-
ME could only guess.
So far, Connie felt that she
had not won Kitty's confidence.
Even when she told her how at
the last minute she had realized
that a marriage with Jim
Tracy was a mistake, Kitty
was not warmed to an exchange
Of intimacies. Connie had not
told all the truth-had kept
silent the fact that virtually,
they had quarreled about Kitty.
Obscurely, Kitty Sensed that her
sister knew she was hearing
half truths. The girls face
hadn't a vestige Of cordiality,
and Connie wondered if she
were bored or merely polite in
listening to this tale. It was
difficult to keep up a feeling Of
sympathy for Kitty against the
blank of her remoteness. Still,
the facts would have to come
out eventually.
"You probably have a pretty
fair idea of what my life is
like" Connie said, directly. IT
know almost nothing about you
and I want to. Tell, me,
what do you do for a living?"
do you have to know?"
why not?"
Kitty laughed quietly.
''I'll spare your feelings" she
said: "You wouldn't approve
Of some Of the things I've
done, I'm sure"
Never WOrries-Much!
do you approve Of them
yourself? Connie asked her
pleasantly.
"Oh, I've never worried
much. I suppose you are Won
dering If I am what people call
a good girl. I'll relieve your
mind on that score-I am. That
part Of it Is a miracle, I guess"
Your friend, Mr.. Carson,
called this the underworld"
Connie searched again. "He
spoke Of gypS, crooks. Have
you been mixed up with them,
Kitty?"
"Why, Of course!" Kitty re-
torted. "Why, I know at least
a dozen people in Sing Sing
right now-know them by their
first names. What Of it?"
Connie returned her gaze
steadily. If Kitty chose to be
Indifferent, the privilege was
mutual.
81 suppose it's your affair ex-
clusively If you like that sort
of people best" she returned.
"If there's anything you don't
care to tell me about, I'm GER
tainly not going to try to pump
you"
Kitty made a derisive motion
on the table, her nails long,
pointed. Suddenly, by impulse.
she thrust her hand across the
table and turned her palm up
ward. At the base of her fin
ger's-Where Comics palm was
soft and pink-there was a row
Of hard callouses.
Look at that hand land
don't get fresh with me about
my habitS!" Kitty said, rudely.
THAT ought to answer 6 ~ 9k
your questions. It's rough si
horny like a mans. IT'S got
that way from handling a flat
iron 10 hours q day in a hand
laundry. Now go ahead md
razz me about my friends If
you want to-
Continued TOmOFrOw.
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