The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-09-01
SYNOPSIS

DecpIy hurt. Boots accepts the attentions of RUSS LUND, swfm- ming instructor.
 She realizes she is in love with Russ when he tells her he is going away. He wants her to elope with him but Boots asks for time to think 1t over. She dreads the time when her mo- tllcr will hear about her with drawnl from the club.
 Unhappy and restless, Boots goes for a morning walk and meets DENIS FENWAY, young 8uthor. They have long talk and Denis is moved by the girls unhappines.
 Boots goes to New York on a shopping trip and on the train meets Russ. Again he asks her to marry him and Boots con- ciudes 1t is the best way out of her troubles. Denis secs her in a hotel lobby with Russ.
 CHAPTER XIX
 The girl facing Russ was blond. honey blond, and her brows were sketched in lightly with q black pencil. They formed half moons, inverted, over light-blue eyes trimmed with mascara. She
 
 clean, two or three buttons miss ing. Her white shoes were well worn and the laces knotted care lessly where they had been broken. The room in which she sat was the Kitchen of a flat in group of flats, an unbroken stretch of same- ness in a dreary block. Stove, sink, refrigerator were present in all their modern compactness. but in spite of the shallow molding of imitation tile, in spite of the ging- ham curtains at the windows, the room had a sleaZy, down at the heels air.
 What's she like" the girl asked.
 She's cute" Russ said cau- tiously. He fumbled in his pocket for Q cigaret and, finding one, lit 1t. "She's class" he further added. "They have-the old man has a big house up in Larchneck."
 "Rich. huh?" the blond girl asked interestedly. tracing a pat tern with her forefinger in the crumbs scattered on the enamel table top.
 He shrugged. Maybe. Anyhow, they've got something"
 Well, I'll give you a piece of my mind" the blond girl said dis passionately, rising and languidly turning on the hot water faucet. T think you're plain nuts. Marry ing her!"
 "Aw, can that!" The scowl gathered, darkened, on his face. "Wait till somebody asks you for advice"
 "It's none. O my business. of course" pursued the girl, quite as I, funeral I'll wash those after a while, Lou" she said in an aside to on thin, big-eyed young man who now sauntered in. She stack ed thedishes. three or four greasy plates. several cups and aucerS clipped and cracked in various places. Further than that, by way of tidying up, she opened the oven dooc. thrust q stewpan with gravy and remnants of something that loo.ed like stew clinging to its aluminium interior within. She ran gray dishcloth casually over the surface of the corrugated drain board and. reaching up. switched out the light.
 '"rhosell keep" she said imper- sonally to the two men. They fol- lowed her into the adjoining room
  resumed.
 "Can you come with us to-mor- row? That's what I want oknow' Russ demanded, stretching his length out in deep overstuffed chair with sagging springs.
 His brothers wife shrugged shapcly shoulders. "Oh. I guess maybe" she told him vaguely. T was going to take d run over to Brooklyn to see the folks, but that can wait. But what are you going to do with her-where are you go- ing to go afterward? Back to the { old folks?"
 Russ grinned. Might not be a bad idea, at that"
 Lou, taking no part in the dis cussion, switched on the light in a curious looking lamp which had obviously been picked up in one of those gaudy booths which offer prizes for shooting down a certain number of wooden moving ducks on a trolley. The base of it was fashioned of imitation copper and represented geisha girl, curious'y attired in a pair of scanties and a beaded brassiere. The shade was deeply, violently pink. Under this extraordinary lamp Lou unfolded the evening paper and began ab- Aorbedly to read.
 The room, high-lighted by the geisha girls bulb and by various side fixtures on the distempered walls. was revealed as a living apartment some nine or ten rect square. Two mean rectangles of windows looked out on the street. guiltless of trees. The only articles Of furniture in the room were a day bed, covered with a scalloped and tasseled cover of dark green corduroy, the two chairs the men occupied, and a gateleg table with two imitation candlesticks upon 1t. There were no books. There were several pictures in cheap gilt frames of toothy film stars in va rious incendiary attitudes. Louss wife, who had been christened Sophie and who now answered to the name of Floria, was always promising herself ito put up some drapes'' but somehow she Just K nexer got around to it." small wonder that the room presented therefore, an uncompromisingly bare appearance.
 Russ found no fault With 1t, now ever. Tilted back in his chair. his large boots very much in evidence he looked around him complecent. " and reflected that this hat ol i,Ou's was a nice little dump and q bargain at $35. Of course. it was ail right for Lou to settle dowr this way. He drove a truck for hakery company, delivering iron door to door. and made. Russ ad' mitted naively. good money Gloria wasn't a bad sort, although she had nagging tongue and was always wanting to know what he did with his salary. He. Russ, had different plans for his own life 4 He'd travel some more, see tht world first. then settle down 1T Larchneck with real gentlemans job. The kid would see to 1t ht knew the right people. After fha everything would be easy.
 He emitted yawn that was at in if