The Washington times., 1931-01-10
NOU Continue
CHAPTER 80

C1Ak xEh %
Comics realization that she
had fallen under Duke Gar
sons spell came upon her so
suddenly that, for a moment,
she was almost dizzy. 1t was
as though a virus had entered
her blood and produced a queer
feverish viewpoint that robbed
her Of her coCl intelligence.
Her eyes fell upon Jim Tracy
and it occurred to her, poign-
antly, that he had never made
her feel like this.
MY God, what's wrong with
you, Connie?" said Kitty, look
ing quickly at her sisters
strained, startled face. "You
look like you've seen a ghost, or
something"
Kitty's voice, her manner, her
grammar, all in an instantly
struck harshly upon Connie
spattering reek of Tenth Ave
nue. like-like mud. The girl,
at that moment, seemed in
family amiable, incapable Of un-
derstanding even Jim
Tracy, standing there with a
half-smile, was an inSensate
figure, no more important than
q clothing store dummy. Moth
ing they said or did, now, could
reach Connie; it was as though
she possessed a bewildering
secret of a significance too i'm
palpable to be shared withany-
one. To herself, even it was
: no more than a vague, alarm
ing swirl-yet it was potent
enough to reduce all else to
tnsignificance.
''Lordy, 1ordy! I think she's
actually fallen in love!" Jim ex-
claimed. THAT the trouble,
Connie?"
Their concern - their swift
recognition of her disturbance
was unbearable. They meant to
be friendly, but each word they
uttered carried a sting.
Quite Silly
"Oh, you're both silly" she
said, sharply impatient. my
head swan for a moment. that's
all. Excuse me a minute"
She went into the house,
seeking Carson. In the hallway
she met him coming from the
dining room. When she looked
at him her vision was logged
and she saw him buried like an
image reflected in water.
II had a talk with Higgins
and think I made a believer
out Of him." Carson told her,
crisply. HE won't touch a
thing in the house, rest as
sured. His fear is stronger than
his dishonesty. and he'll behave
absolutely"
There was no change in Gar
sons manner and Connie was
conscious of a great relief.
Despite all of his insight, he
did not, apparently, sense the
change that had come over her.
About him, still, was that pc
culiar physical aloofneSs that
implied, on his part, almost
personal indifference. Yet,
Just to stand near him here in
the hallway, apart from the
others, was for her to absorb
tiny shoots of magnetism that
charged her nerves with cleo
tricity. Unsettled, she made a
desperate effort to steady her
self and throw off his discon-
certing influence.
Jim and Kitty are back;
come out and meet them"
She saw Kitty, without a
trace of self-consciousness, rush
UP and kiss GaG'son; but it
was a kiss that meant nothing
beyond buoyant friendship. The
introduction to Jim. Tracy
ended with a hearty handshake
between the men. In Connie'S
eyes Carson was the center Of
the group, MS every movement
reacted upon her subtly. with
diminutive tremorS.
did Connie tell you the
news?" Kitty demanded, gayly.
Crazy About Each Other
''What news?" he asked, smil-
ing at her.
''Jim and I have Just found
out today that we are both crazy
about each other!" Kitty de-
clared, enthusiastically. BE
lieve me, it's one grand and
glorious feeling. Of course, I
was a lot crazie. about him a
day or two ago, but I didn't
know / felt that way about him
and he didn't know I felt that
way about him"
Jim Tracy glanced quickly at