Nogales international., 1932-01-27
First Tnstalment

music, her own mother, Marcella,
was alarmed. 1t was like the voice
of a stranger in the house.
She rose from the prie-dieu in an
a1cove OF the long Spanish-looking
room, difficult to recognize as the
liv:ng-room of New York apart
ment. and came forward past inter
vening massive furniture to look at
the PLAYER.
There she sat. the daughter Mar
celia had put into a foreign convent
twelve years before, smooth sleek
golden girl. eighteen years old. full
bosomed. narrow-waisted and round
hipped. She used, when her eyes met
her mothers, slow smile. She did
nothing. quickly. But when she played
this music of her own there was
a change. Mercel1a was quick to rec
ognize it. Jocelvn had thrust down
her chin and there was in her eyes,
when the slow smile left them, the
difference between June sky and
thunder sky.
Then Marcella thought of the con-
tents of that little crypt above her
prie-dieu and of Julian and of
all the things that this daughter
must never know.
"I want her to be safe" she mur-
INJURED to nun when Twelve years
before she had LETT the little girl
trembling in the dim waxy-smelllng
parior of the convent. And greeting
her only two DAYS ago on the wharf
of her native city with. all the wharf
tall towers stretching Up behind
them Marcella had. said again to
the same nun, twelve years older,
more waxen and more frail, "Oh,
dear Sister Delice. how shall | keep
her-safe?"
Jocelyn Har1owe's first ball-gown
it was for a costume ball-was
white, as all first ball-gowns prob
ably should be. Standing sheathed
in all this purity of color Jocelyn
herself had look of sleek brilliance
which did not express her age, her
simplicity or her profound lack OF
all worldly experience.
1t was not the convent child S
fault that she looked so unconven-
tual. She was really ignorant. a
yeritable novice in living. but there
was in her blood and in her brain
a swift rebe1lious maturity to which
her body had subtly shaped itself.
"A husband in her mind. 1t must
be managed quickly before Jocelyn
was fully awakened to reality. She
must be made to long for it ignor-
antly as release If marriage. if
this man. could be presented to her
as an escape. as the opening rather
than the closing of life's doors
Before Jocelyn's return from
France Marcella had been busy
warming chilled social contacts.
melting the edges from metallic con-
nections of one sort or another. She
had once a great position in the city
and it was not too difficult. in spite
of what had once shattered her life.
to make herself remembered. So
when she brought Jocelyn into the
ballroom she was able to obtain for
her. aided by her own exotic charm.
a sufhciency of fantastic partners
to Joce1yn they all seemed Romeos
and the ballroom an iridescent bulb
bic of delight-and at last even to
attract for her the supper-partner
Marcella had desired. This was
Felix Kent. dressed as the Jack of
Diamonds. and with his regular
Saxon face and large eyes curiously
resembling that conventionalized
gentleman of fortune:
''But you don't look it," he said.
seating himself beside flushed Juliet
at the small palmv rosy table they
had taken for themselves. "You
don't look it and YOU don't act it
and you don't-yes. you do speak
it. You have delicious little French
accent. And. well. something about
the way YOU move your lips ard
use your eyes is different. conven-
tual. Perhaps I'm not going to be
after ALL"
This was the address altogether
different from any Joceiyn had vet
received An Older man. evidently.
He condescended to her. Well. that
was of course~to be expected.
Mr.. Kent" she said, ''you have
really no right to any disappoint-
ment. hare you? Because YOU can't
have had an interest in me (there
was shadowy delicate drum-roll on
the ~ ever before tonight"
You're wrong. I've had an inter-
est i'll you for-!et me see-tweive
years"
But YOU are just seel-y.' sooffed
Jocelyn at her sweetest. And |
have not any French accent at all.
"Twelve years ago | saw YOU in
bank in Paris. And | said to your
mother. Give RE first option when
she comes out, won't you. Mar
ccla?'
But. Mr.. Kcrt. YOU are not so
old as that"
Il am nineteen wears Older than
YOU are. Miss Jocelyn."
And my mother d. give YOU a
first = option?" questioned Jocelyn
with her ewes down.
Kent stared and laughed delight
cdiv ard drew in about her as
though he had become for her
warm curtain, sheltcring. darice:l-
tag.