Evening star., 1934-01-13
ove
ONO sOux scorberry,

eyes blazing. "How-how dare
you!" she choked, sudden tears spring.
| ing in her eyes. Let me-out OF
here!"
She CROPPED for the door. and before
Batch could stop her she had flung
it open ana ran stumbling down the
hall He started after her-then
thought better of it. Why in the devil
had he done such crazy thing, any
way?
It certainly hadn't been because he
had any desire to make love to her.
1t had been just an experiment-to
she what she would do. Or. probably
habit 1t was routine business
| single, who came to his apartment.
They usually expected it. In fact,
would feel neglected If he didn't show
| them a little heavy attention.
Charity's breath was coming in quick,
furious gasps when she let herself into
| her apartment She had never been
so furious with a man in her whole
life. So-that was what he thought
of her Because she'd go to his bache-
| lor apartment for tea!
But suddenly Charity sat down on
her bed. She had been kissed! For
| the first time in her life-a man had
made love to her. Perhaps there was
something about her to attract men,
after all. Something no one but DR..
Bachelor had ever seen. Her anger
began to cool-and its place was taken
by a relieved little feeling of wonder.
She was ashamed of herself when she
! had to admit finally that she was glad.
Almost gayly she went to her balcony
door and threw it open to breathe the
warm, romantic Spring air. But the
sight that greeted her eyes sent the
hot blood rushing to her face. She
stepped back, Mortified.
There, not 10 feet away, sat Doug,
painting. And standing unabashed
against the big palm. her perfect body
a splash of ivory against the green,
was nude woman, with long red hair
blowing about her white body.
Charity's first impurse was to rush
out and demand that the brazen woman
leave her balcony at once. And to de-
mand to know If her husband had
not one whit of respect for his wife.
All her old-fashioned training de-
manded that she show where she stood
on the matter of such goings on.
But her better judgment restrained
her. Or, perhaps it was her great en-
barrassment. She simply could not
bring herself to appear on such
scene. Softly, she stepped back and
closed the balcony door. Then she
leaned against it. 1t was several min
utes before Charity could bring herself
to peer from the curtains. Doug, she
saw, was painting on, his brow wrinkled
in thought.
Conquering her first shock. Charity
looked a little more .calmly-and was
amazed at the indifferent. routine way
the model seemed to look through Doug
and to the rooftops beyond. utter un-
concern In her slanted green eyes. 1t
was a revelation to Charity.
Her interest turned to Doug and she
found herself more curious than she
would have admitted to see what he
was putting upon the canvas-wonder-
ing if he really had talent. Suppose
he were really great artist-would be
| famous some day? Shed often heard
that models we're nothing to artists but
| Just models-human forms to be put
paying no attention to the woman per-
sonally. He seemed completely alb
sorbed in the canvas.
Soon Charity found herself sitting
down on a window box and watching
the artist and his model with an en-
tirely different feeling. All antagonism
had left her In, all fairness, if art was
to be Doug's profession, 1t was none
of her business. His father had opposed
| it. But, after all, man had to choose
his own job If he were to take life
seriously and try to make good.
i. Finally Charity made up her mind
to say nothing at all to Doug about
bringing his models to pose under her
very windows. He hadn't sneakd about
it, and that was something. And If he
were deliberately trying to shock her
into leaving his rooftree In high dudg-
con. she wouldn't give him the salts
! faction of laughing behind her back.
She wondered what Doug would say
to her when they met again. Would
he apologize for Yanner's rudeness OF
the evening before-or would he ignore
itP Perhaps he thought it quite all
right for his girl friend to make his
wife the butt of her biting. jealous
| humor. That was another thing she
| decided to ignore. Shed act as though
nothing had happened. As though yam
ner vandergrif we're too far beneath
her contempt to be discussed. 1t might
have been scheme both Of them had
cooked up to get her goat! To force
her into a divorce.
Then Charity thought Of thornton
Bachelor. and her hands went to her
cheeks, which suddenly famed. Down
In her heart she knew sltk should be
furiously angry-as she had been when
he kissed her. It worried her little