Nogales international., 1931-09-02
FIFTH INSTALMENT
cCpYpi6HT io5,
BY THE AUTHOR

Rackruf Motors hire Rowena to accom-
pany Peter on nationwide tour in thei
roadster as an advertising stunt. At tht
last minute Little Bobby is engaged to &C
as chaperon.
A few miles out Bobby becomes tcarfu
at beng parted from her sweetheart art
Rowena insists on taking her place in tho
rumble 50 that she can ride with Peter anC
have him to talk to about Carter. Rowena
gets Peter to consent to divide the expense
money each week as soon as it arrives
and astonishes Peter by eating too econ
omically.
The three tourists reach Denver, after
passing through Buffalo, Chicago and St
Louis. Peter and Rowena have many titfs
on the way while Carter keeps wiring Bobby
to return to New York. The morning after
they reach Denver, Peter and Rowena dis
cover Bobby has deserted them and returned
to New York by train. THY are faced with
the impossible condition Of continuing their
trip without chaperon.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"Welf, you're not chained there,
are you? There's nothing to keep
you from getting out, is there? I'm
in bed. too, but I'm not going to let
mere being in bed interfere with
my professional future, am 1? I'll
meet you downstairs in ten minutes"
And she hung up the receiver.
Now on the whole, no one could
have been more practical about things
connected solely with business than
Rowena. Her clothes were smart,
for all their increasing shabbiness,
but they were extremely tailored and
trim. Her very manners were crisp
and businesslike But something
she didn't know just what-prompted
her to discard her chic sports cos
tune that night. She dived to the
bottom Of her bag and pulled out
soft and shimmery little dinner
gown of enticing line and beguil:ng
color. She put on her highest-hee1ed
silken slippers. She got OFT tinkling
little blue bracelets and earrings and
chains. And she accentuated her
shimmery sweetness with the fatter-
ing lines of a chiffon velvet scarf,
deep and wide and -rufled.
When Peter, waiting rather su1l<ily
in the lobby of the hotel, first saw
her floating toward him he could
scarcely believe it was Rowena of the
rumble seat Her rouge-red lips
smiled at his frank amazerent and
she took his hand in hers, powdery
soft to the touch and family per-
fumed.
'Peter, darling" she said. II have
q gorgeous idea"
Peters su1kiness took instant flight.
"Gosh, Rowena, you-you're eXqulS-
lite You're just ravishing You
must let me paint you like that.
You're simply unbelievable - you're
not real!"
"Oh, but this is the real Rowena,"
she said with seductive sweetness.
"You never saw me before. You
know only poor little working girl
trying to earn her daily bread"
live just got to paint you like
thatp
"You shall" she promised, smiling.
"I suppose it's too late to do i'll
now" he began.
"I'm afraid So" Rowena drew a
deep, deep breath. Something about
it-something about her-made Peter
think vaguely of swimmer stand
ing cold and bold and bare, body
poised motionless, for a distance
plunge into icy water-"Peter-you
you are very sure you are not in
love?"
II will be-" he assured her gal
1antly, "if you look like this very
often"
"Pm serious, Peter"
"No, I'm not in love-"
absolutely"
absolutely"
"Then Peter, how about this ?"
Another deep breath-another pre-
monitory quiver of cold flesh antici-
pating an icy plunge. "You know,
marriage isn't the sweetly sacred
thing it used to be. It's only a sort
of adventure these days, matter OF
expediency, or convenience, or emo
tionaI experiment. And besides,
business is far more important. Don't
you think sol"
Il hadn't really thought of it IN
Just that way" said Peter vaguely
well, you think of it and you'll
see I'm right And as long as we're
not III love Will dHyDOuy CASC ~
anything, and nobody cares one way
or the other-well, why don't We
why can't we-don't you see what
mean? Why not just go ahead with
the trip the way we are, and do the
work, and get the money and every
thing-and just get married? That's
all" 49,,
Peter hadn't remotely suspected
what she had in mind until she
brought the word out, struck him
full in the face with it, as it were.
And it pulled him up short, shocked
and resentful, like a struck man.
"Why, Rowena, that's-that's very
nice of you-I suppose But | really
had never thought e,l 5!t, about-being mar
-"WeH," she interrupted tartly, IF
it comes tc that / can't think of
anything in the world I'd like. less
than being married to you, either"
But she realized at once she was off
on the wrong tack and quickly
changed her methods "Of course,
darling.r, she added kindly ct know
we don't get along very we'll together,
end. that we're anything tutein love.