The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-03-21
CHAPTER XIII


explain her mortal hurt, the hurt
she had failed to conceal from him.
Face down on the piano between
them was the photograph of Eliza
beth Bowes. Ellen's eyes rose from
the photograph to the man. How
could he be so stupid? How could
he fail to realize that she loved him
and longed to know where she
stood, how she fitted into his
scheme of things? Or did he I'M
derstand and was he assembling?
"Out with 1t. Ellen!" he conf
manded with nervous laugh.
Don't tell me that nothing is
wrong because l know something
is"
Maybe It's a headache, she ven
tured at length.
\ 1.-THE old feminine alibl won't
work this time"
WELL" she said bravely, what
II ! said that seeing this picture
made me feel a little queer?"
She touched the photograph on the
| piano.
Queer? he echoed and she
thought she would die under his
look. Now don't understand at
ALL"
She could not stop now.
what if l said were JEALOUSY"
II you said that, Ellen I'd know
you were fibbing" His smile now
was easy and teasing.
The girl felt rush Of painful
color in her cheeks. What had
come over her? She had flung her
| self at his head, and, whether con-
sciously or unconsciously, he had
rebuffed her. The green walls Of
lsA tn hA
forced a truly CHASTITY smile.
II was only joking, she. said and
hated him. She continued in q stiff
dry voice, 1T wasn't the picture at
all that upset me. il was the heat
and the posing. didn't want to say
anything but ] was afraid | would
faint before you laid down your
brushes and IL guess | was sort
i OF mad at you for not noticing it.
You poor kid" Larry said with
affsctionate concern. You should
have given me u good sound kick
in the pants"
i wanted to-"
''I'll bet you did. You look tagged
10 death at this very minute" Then
he saked cajolingly, "Still mad at
mo for being such a slave-driver?"
No." she saiG.
ltOW dUout u 6WliIl ~ bIle Sucl-
ton pool tomorrow after you get
through at the, store to prove IT."
Before she could refuse he added
quickly, sorry, but we'll have TO
make II another day. Mothers COM
ing In from Europe at noon and I'D
forgotten 1t takes "A good IL hours
getting through customs - getting
mother through anyway"
That's all right" Ellen said for
lornly moving toward the dressing
room and hoping desperately that
she would not cry. II couldn't have
gone. have another engagement"
She had nearly dinner engage
ment with steven.
Hal" he exclaimed significantly.
you've had lots of other engage
ments lately" Then he asked
abruptly--and In voc!e that at an
other time Ellen might have sought
TO analyZe:
"Ellcn. are you In love with some
one and holding out on me? Should
| ! be jeaious-maybe?"
Ellen could even laugh now. An
uncertain little laugh 1t was-but u
laugh.
"What makes you think Id tell
you even II It We're true?" she de-
manded, striving to make her voice
seem gay and careless.
Her eyes fascinated and fearful.
did not leave his face but there
was not the slightest change In his
expression.
"Well, be mysterious" he re-
marked, laughing again.
He moved away and began to set
up q wobbly card table and to- fish
paper doilies from the box where
they were kept. He was removing
the oiled paper from delicatessen
sandwiches when Ellen slipped into
the dressing room and changed the
full-skirted taffeta evening gown
for her dark blue dimity street
frock. She was tying the cherry rib
bons at the elbow when she heard
the door-bell ring.
She thought 1T was Myra and
Bert, returned early until she heard
tho voices. A mans voice and
woman's voice, different and
strange to her ear voices which
slurred sylables oddly and were
stamped with the stamp Of fashion,
able schools.
Larry had had no guests during
the evenings she had posed there.
The possibility OF meeting people
from that other world of his to
night of all nights-struck her with
disnay. The walls OF the dressing
room were thin and she could tell
from the conversation that Larry
too was annoyed.