The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-05-14
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XXIII

II Susan had known her aunt'i
! plans she would have been furt'
ously angry. AZ 1t was she met
hen gayly tho following afternoon
lilo came through the coach looking
rather more sulky than usual but
almost pathctically brushed and
tidy.
Hello" she said "We'ro bound
for the same place"
IL guess 80" Ben threw n shabby
black bug into tho rack overhead
and sat down. Moodlly his gaze
took her In, from tho top OF hei
new brown felt TO the tip Of hei
blunt oxfords.
you look nice" was all he could
find to say, and that rather Srudg'
ingly.
Susan thanked him, rejecting SUI
| donically that he was scarcely The
| perfect pattern of an ardent ad'
| mirer. Poor Ben! ON u piano Key.
board his fingers spoke the only
LANGUAGE that he knew. Otherwise
he was inartlculatc.
IL don't know why | said I'd
como TO this racket" Ben grum-
blcd. Sonia forced me into it
said IT would be good Tor my
work"
"Maybe It will" Susan told him,
determined to look on the bright
| side OF things this glorious fall
day. with the morning her misgiv-
ings had dissolved, leaving her con-
hdent and happy.
Ben stared at her. you know
why we're asked, don't you" he
demanded. "That kid thinks were
II bunch Of freaks. When she comes
down to Sonia's she believes she's
stunning and gets u terrible kick
out Of It. She told Sonia 1t re-
minded her of the Left Bank"
IL don't think that sounds 50
bad" Susan said. "What she means
Is you're all artists and artists have
always been taken up by rich peo-
pie. That's not new"
Ben snorted. where do you
come In, then? You don't classify
The Instant he had said the
words he regretted them. Susan
WINGED as IL she had been struck
and truly the blow had gone home
The question was one she had
asked herself many times but this
morning she had determined to put
II aside and be as happy as pos
slble. She felt surge OF hatred
for Ben who. observing the dark
cning OF her eyes and trembling
Of her lip. cursed himself for the
clumsy fool he was.
Susan turned and stared out the
window. They were slipping past
little houses now. their backyards
running down TO the railroads
right OF way. II was all very sub.
urban and sunshiny but II looked
black to the girl.
Bens hand touched hers. She
drew away as though stung. Hum
bly, he said, I'm sorry. didn'i
mean that. They may ask US be-
cause we're freaks but of course
anyone would be glad to have you
you're 80 beaufirui."
This from Ben! She looked al
him dazzled. The words had beer
wrung from him by main force but
they still lowered In the air. SUI
san could forgive him anything foi
that.
Never mind. It's all right" shf
assured him. 1.-THE trouble with you
In YOU have an lnferiori,. compile,
and go about expecting people "a
dislike you. You have chip or
your shoulder and someone's bound
10 knock II off.
She felt mature and capable. CIV,
Ing Ben advice. by taclt consent
the disagreeable subject was avoid
ed thereafter. They talked hbou
the orchestra lien WIS w0rkint
with Just then. Susan told hin
about her job. The minutes iiew
Zen kept glaneing back over hIl
shoulder now and then. mutierlnR
~ wonder where HoBia and ARNOLD
went. They said they'd be on thl