The Washington times., 1930-12-23


money and let the rest slide"
A Sincere Offer
TIN not going to beg you to
come" Connie told her. IAN I
can do Is to make yOu the sin
cereSt offer I know how. It
would be O Lot easier for mother
and me TO get the money to-
gefher and write 0 check for
you, but we both really want
you"
TITS not the money 90 much,
after an" Kitty pronounced.
81 just don't want to feel that
I've been gypped out Of what
rightfully belongs to me, that's
all. ! guess you think I'm
pretty hard boiled. don't your"
'Td feel the same way my
self, probably" Connie told her.
S"0arSon Is al for me taking
the offer. We talked Il over
and he said it would be q
great break for me. He's a
great buy, Connie. # I went
with you you would expect me
to give up his friendship,
wouldn't your"
Not II you really care for
him"
"Oh. it's not a love affair.
AS far as I know, Duke doesn't
fall for the danes, though, God
knows, he could have almost
any Of them. But me- don't
love him and never win. We're
pals. that's ALL"
Then it's decided-you're
coming2"
'I suppose so. Let's get out
Of this Joint now, though.
Come on over to my room-I
want to show you some things"
Outside the Tenth Avenue
restaurant, which was their
rendezvous, Kitty and Connie
got into Comics roadster and
drove q few blocks to Kitty'S liv-
ing place. It was an old house
with q sign, Rooms for Rent"
tackled Up beside the door. As
they stepped into the down
stairs hall Connie entered into
an environment that was ut
terly apparent. A gas flame
fhckered from q lantern, and
the air, somehow, was flat and
dull, as though It had been
breathed over and over By many
people. Her feet followed Kit
tvs up the worn strip Of carpet,
and, at the rear, into q small,
square room. A narrow white
bed, brass trimmed, with two
knobs missing; a brown dresser
with q clouded mirror, q couple
az battered chairs, q saggtng
lace curtain - this, the furni-
t1re. A wave Of pity struck
Connie. A closet half open re-
vealed a pathetically Scant ar.
ray Of dresses.
"sit down. Sit on the bed"
Kitty opened the bottom
drawer Of the dresser and
pulled out an old album cOv-
cred with red plush. The eilt
hinges and clasps had long
since been tarniShed.
"I want to show you some
thing" she said to Connie.
She sat down beside Connie
and opened the album.
Her Mothers People
These people here in the
front part" she said, turning
the pages. "are my mothers
folks; you wouldn't be inter-
ested in them. Here, now"
The photograph she showed
Connie bore the imprint Of a
Coney Island photographer. A
young girl, strangely like Kitty
herself, was seated on Q strip
OF sandy beach; . girl scarcely
past her twenties, wearing a
wide chiffon hat and a dress
with puff sleeves. Sitting be-
side her was a young man
with q straw hat on the back
of his head and a cigar be-
tween his fingers.
Connie had seen the young
mans face in other photo
graphs Of the period. There
was no doubt on earth he was
her father. Even as Connie
remembered him, his features
were too similar to be mis-
taken.
That's my mother and
father" Kitty said, softly.
your father and mine," Con-
ME replied.
From the back OF the album
Kitty picked out q folded pa
per. The ink Of writing was
dim, as was the printing, but
there was no uliStake-the
authentic wedding certificate
that bore the name Of Comics
father. The girls were In the
midst Of these things. both
curiouSly low voiced now and
draT Tn myStically together,
when someone assembled the
stairs and raped on the door.
Il was Duke Carson.
(Continued Tomorrow