The Coolidge examiner., 1932-12-30
Winter
By KAY WARREN
g by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

able To decide. He was thirty years
older than shea hale and vigorous
fifty to her fragile twenty.
Victoria was beautiful, she was
young, she was well bred In the best
sense of the term. Though her .am.
lily had no money she had been well
educated and had travelled little
and met the right kind of people so
that she was perfectly able to take
her place as head of the Traynor's
big house. That wasn't where The
trouble lay. He had kept the house
open for two or three years alone
since his mothers death-she had
been one of the social leaders of her
day. Victoria stepped into his
mothers shoes, so far as social
graces went. Everybody talked
about the reign of the new Mrs.
Traynor as "a fOregone fact.
Victoria really loved Traynor. lie
knew it. He. of course. adOred her.
Everybody knew that. And they
seemed ideally. beautifully happy.
The gracious old house glowed with
hospitality of the best sort. Vic
toria's young friends and his older
ones mingled in charming groups.
That may have been where the
trouble started. One of her friends
was Jack Orcutt. He was an artist.
Poor. Not more than twenty three.
One night William Traylor and
Victoria were alone in their big
library. He gathered her. unre-
sisting, into his arms. And as he
held her he was suddenly painfully
conscious of her youth, of his great
er age.
If-one of those ifs that change
'estinies-if Victoria had lain there
quietly for moment in her
husbands arms, life would have
smoothed out for them In a few mo-
ments. William Traynor's mood of
bitter resentment, so ready to turn
into raging jealousy. would have
passed as suddenly as 1t had come.
leaving no memory behind IL.
But Victoria. unmeaningly, did
just the wrong thing. She loved her
husband. She put soft, creamy
hand up to her husbands face.
William" she said, i've been
thinking. We have so much. I've
everything"
He drew her jealousy closer.
tive been wondering If you'd do
something-rather big-to make me
happy"
She went on: you know Jack Or.
cutt. He's-well. he's a genius. ]
know II. But he needs a year in
Paris. And he's-well. he can't man.
age IL. You know he has an inva.
lid sister to look after He's a por-
trait painter. and somehow or other
he ought to be given his chance. See
what I'm getting at, dear?"
Il think So" said Traynor In a
hard. low voice. But Victoria didn't
notice his voice. She went on with
her plea for Jack.
We'll. I've been thinking about
him And wondered If you couldn't
perhaps do something TO give him
his year abroad. We've got so much
and he has so little. I thought
maybe we could look after his sis
teri mean lind place where she
cOnld stay In exchange for tutoring
some place In the country. She's
lovely girl. and awfully bright
And then you could commission him
10 paint portrait of me-next SUN.
could tell him he must have train.
ing there before he does il, and you
could pay him in advance-mOre
than It's worth. And that could tix
things up" She stopped. flushed
and delighted with her plan. Get.
ting no reply from Traynor, she
.sked him: Wouldn't you like a
portrait of me done by Jack Or.
cutt?
Traynor rose, pushing her rough
~ away from him. He stood, his
back 10 the fireplace, his hands on
her shoulders. He laughed harshly
a picture of you-for me-dOne
by Jack Orcutt? beautiful idea
lovely thing. of course. A sort
of consolation prize given by Spring
to Winter. He'll go to Paris, on my
money, and be waiting there for you
when we go over next summer
That's pretty idea. He'll do your
portrait for me. Yoa'll keep your
old husband and his money-and
have your young"
Traynor sai7 no more. Victoria
her face whittier than her dress, stood
facing him She stiffened under his
hands and he took them away. She
said nothing. as she turned and left
the room.
In fact, she never spoke to Tray
nor again. Arrangements were
made through others. She left the
house that night, and in the course
of time a divorce was managed.
Victoria really loved Traynor. A
couple of years later she married
To oh nro,,ff nf aotrcn nnhoJu oynr