Evening star., 1934-01-17
INSTALLMENT XIII.

NOTlQ, KNEW tIleIe WAS SOLilctiilIiS
n wrong with the Temple mar
L. riage. She had heard rumors
that Doug's father had left a
strange will. She was certain Doug
had not married his fathers secretary
tor love-
There was something indescribably
pathetic about Charity, Billie thought.
She had always been champion of the
underdog. There was not a selfish,
mean bone in the tall, slender body
from the red head to the soles of her
dainty feet.
She couldn't have told why, but from
The time she met the addressed Charity
on the porch the afternoon before she
had determind to be her friend and try
to help her, Perhaps, she thought. it
might be because they'd both been
brought up in the sticks. A girl had
TO have a great deal of nerve and lot
OF brains to Jump from an Iowa farm
to be a successful business woman in
New York And she was entitled to
happiness.
Billie felt she had accomplished mir
acles with Charity in getting her to
consent to cut her hair and use make
up. But she had no intention of stop
ping at that. AS she sped Charity from
the scene of the rescue toward the
1lOuSt, ilGl ullllu Wdo WI hlAS AdSt. oAAS
felt certain Doug would feel duty bound
to stick close by his wife the rest of the
day That he would make great pre-
tense of being devoted to her. He
would have to save his face. For the
FIRST time Charity had the upper hand.
And so it was that Billie determined
to either give Charity the best advice
she'd ever had before Doug had a
chance to talk to her, or make her very
angry and perhaps never see her new
found friend again.
First, Billie went to her room to
change into a sport skirt and sweater.
When she got back Charity was lying
tiredly across the bed, arrayed in a
dressing gown of the unbecoming blue.
Anticipating that Doug might arrive
before she was through talking with
Charity, Billie turned the key in the
lock. Some one might accidentally
walk in" she grinned self-consciously.
'I want to talk like stepmother to
you" She laughed nervously and won-
dered how to start. In minute she
plunged.
Charity" she began hurriedly.
"would you hate me if told you some
things I think you should know?"
Charity shook her head mo, Billie
Il wouldn't I like you. I think if
you said anything you'd say it because
you thought it was for my good"
Billie grinned self-consciously:
Shoot" Charity said, resting her
chin in her hands and looking deeply
interested. II can take it."
Billie sat up very straight.
It don't know how you happened to
marry all the Temple millions, But
do know you got break almost any
girl in New York would sell her soul
Id !, Of D,oo -
chiselers come out here and scare you
to death. And you've got more brains
than all the rest of that bunch put to-
gether-and more personality"
Charity watched her silent and did
not speak. Billie plunged on with great
difficulty.
II cut your hair and put some rouge
on you, and when you went down to
the beach there wasn't girl there who
looked any better. You're a type. And
that's about all any of them are. Take
the glad rags of their back and keep
them away from the beauty parlor a
few weeks and they'd look just like you
did"
realized what she had said. Charity
motioned for her to 60 on, smiling un-
derstandingly.
you can't buy with all your money.
What want to know is-are you going
to get a little horse sense and snap
out of 1t and thumb your nose at all
these people who'd give half their lives
to- be in your shoes? Or are you going
to let them get you down."
She paused. Charity said thought
give me courage"
Billie leaned toward her earnestly
"You've got everything you need tc
make you happy-right in your own
hands-if you just learn how to use 1t.
Suddenly Charity broke in. oh
but there's a lot about my life you
don't know. II think I want to tel
you"
"I don't want you to-" Billie stopped
secrets
Butt trust you" Charity reached
out and took Billie's hand. I'D like
to get it off my chest
Then she told her. in halting words
the whole story of her queer marriage
OF the letter Doug's father had written
ten her begging her to marry his son
and help make man of him. OF the
cruel way Doug had talked to her that
day in Simmons Office. Of his engage
ment to Yanner Vandergriff Billie
edI opcllDOuIlu iii OuSll Slldl lCy otOl
When she had finished and lay back
exhausted from the ordeal of telling
things so near her heart, Billie sat a
moment, tears in her eyes.
You poor darling she said, see
ting the pain in Charity's gray eyes.
They were silent awhile. Billie spoke
first, clinching her fists.
"1t's rotten of Doug think I hate