The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-07-11
sYNOPsIs

BAnnErT COLVIN, hack in
 New York, after ycars abroad,
 falls fn love with 30.ycaF-OId
 ELTNOR STAFFORD. l3arreft ls
 S5, wealthy, and has made c
 name for siniscIf as an arclseoi.
 LIDA srAEoRD, IrIinor's
 beautiful mother, has kept tise
 girl in the background, wanting
 attention for herscif. IAda is carrying on filtration with
 VANCE CARTER and constantly
 sclBerHfng tO keep in the good eraces of rich MISS ELLA SEX. TON, her husbatsd's aunt. in or. der to inherit share of the Scx. ton fortune.
 Years before Barrett shielded his haIf-sisfcr, MARCIA, when .
 yOuthful romance ended disas- tFousiy. Marcia had c son whom Barrett adopted. She. tells Bar rett that if her husband learns of the affair he will never forgive her.
 E,iinor's mother goes to Miami for three weeks. When she re. turns she Oveflsears Barrett talk ing to Elinor. Realixing he Is about to ask the girl to marry him, Ldda Interrupts. Clcvcriy she leads Barrett to believe that EiinOf does not really care for him bzut has only becn flirting with him. Deeply hurt, Barrett leaves.
 CHAPTER XIII
 Barrett Co1vin strode blindly through the chill winter afternoon. A Al "modern"--the words echoed in his brain. He kept hearing Lida Staf- ford say them again and again.
 So he had only been another man" to Elinor = the girl to fear a hurried courtship might
 He despised himself because the touch of her lips still stirred him; because he could not forget their softness and warmth and the promise of generous giving that had been made by their pressure.
 II was mad about you" he said half.aloud.
 A newsboy looked after him to murmur "Nut!"
 Snow began to fall as Barrett walked. Marcia had told him that Bobby Telfair was Elinor's "almost accepted admirer." Mar cia had added, T suppose she does mt want to settle down yet. These are the years when girls of her age want to have a gay time."
 That had not alarmed Barrett nor seemed to hold any particu- lar significance when 1t was spoken. But he understood - he was certain he understood - now. And Miss Ella had said, "Older men always admire Elinor."
 "Older men!" Even Miss Ella had seen him as one, no doubt. Barrett had been wounded where he was most vulnerable. Elinor's mother had said the girl laughed over tho way older men drank in her fattcry. "Amorous tableaus!"
 Even while he told himself that he dcspised such a girl he was aching for her. And hating him. self for 1t.
 IIs had lived decently; kept to his code. It seemed to Barrett, who rarely gave hs'relf pity, that this was unfair. Wny ehould the one girl to whom he hH4 offered his honest love have proven Co be of Guch tawdry material?
 He saw street light through the whirling, fine, dry snow that was blowing across the pavement to heap in corners. The winter around him was tropic compared with the chill of his heart.
 He wondered duly how long 1t would take to get over 1t. Had the whole affair been @ mas queradc? Had Elinor felt noth- ing at all of that which he felt so fully? That love that had made him lie wakeful fin the dark warmed. shaken by. remcmbering her words. her smile. her laugh. made them think they were young. Well, she had done that to him, he knew. He had never knoWn a man could feel so young
 He'd have to get through 1t somehow, of course and he would. He told himself this over and over again but could not down the pain In his heart.
 Higgins admitted him at 10. Barrett said slowly. Sorry, for got I had a key"
 "ft's a bad night. sir" Higgins said, worried.
 Barret's coat was damp from the snow that clung to 1t. He was white and tired: his hands stiff fened by the cold and reddened by 1t.
 we supposed you dined out. sir"
 "Oh, yes--" Barrett said. He hadn't dined but he could not think of food.
 Higgins, worried eyes followed