Evening star., 1935-07-12

d1GCI SIlC oOs oSoA 30 1AAA
u L broglio. 'I had a chance
last night to buy an automobile dirt
cheap. Special coupe-and one sweet
wagon. Fellows old man bought it
for him about year ago, but it's
never been hurt. Now he's going to
California and told me to take it and
pay him when could. Only wants
$700 and it's worth that of anybody's S
money"
His eyes rested speculatively on his
wife, delightfully."- trim in a gayly
howered apron, opposite him in the
breakfast nook, her rounded arms
resting on the table, chin pillowed
on her interlaced fingers. She re-
garded him thoughtfully, ruminative
light in her ocean-blue eyes.
Their weeks had been full. Usually
rising late, they jointly prepared a
combination breakfast and luncheon,
their only meal together, except on
such rare occasions as when Ina's day
of happened to fall upon rehearsal
less afternoon for the head of the
household. At first she had insisted
that the burden of domestic duties
fall upon her and had ensconced
Paul in the living room with slippers
and morning paper, but he had been
unable to keep his distance, resulting
In the establishment of housekeeping
on a cooperative scale. They did
everything together, from the intricate
preparation of some gastronomic
masterpiece to the emptying of ash
trays. Often operations were COM
pletely suspended while they sat to-
gether in divan or chair and wonder
ed how they could have possibly
existed before they met. Sometimes,
with Bud and Sue Train, a striking
brunette, co-worker of Ina, who lived
on the fourth floor with her parents,
and with whom Bud had struck up
what he described as "a beautiful
friendship" they went on post
midnight spins about town ito cool
of" or spent hot afternoons at some
bathing resort. Carol, gratifying a
long-cherished ambition, had de-
parted for a Summer in California
with an aunt, and there had been a
fearful parting at the train as Ina's
former roommate left.
The only flaws were-Jessie and
Puny. Paul had made several at
tempts to re-establish the old, familiar
footing with the latter, but had been
rebuffed, thoroughly and profanely.
When Paul, his gore eventually ris-
ing, retorted suitably, the rift was
complete.
Jessie he had seen but once, although
she had telephoned him several times
at the park. Her conversation had
been general-no hint of a proposed
engagement: still, he was never free
from an apprehensive sense of i'm
pending obligation. One night he had
caught glimpse of her in the crowd
At the Trocadero and, being excused
on plea of headache, had retreated
precipitously through a rear door.
During weightier moments he con-
sidered his position from all angles,
but every possible solution ended
against the same unscalable wall dis
cloSure-the possible loss of Ina, irrep-
arabic. The confession that might
have meant deliverance trembled on
his lips several times, but he waited,
cultivating the conviction that hung
IN the back of his mind that Jessie
would stop short Of her threats. This
strengthened as the days passed.
Her husbands enthusiasm for rakish
motor corc orno ropf1u did MT cy,rao 4
to the girl across the table. Darling"
she reminded him, gently reproachful,
I'VE can't afford an automobile. You
know that. Where would we get
seven hundred dollars?"
Paul, obsessed with a desire to own
the powerful mechanism of mirrored
duco and cleaning chromium. behind
whose wheel he had sat the night
before, the means with which to con-
summate said ownership character
istically disregarded, presented further
argument.
But, Ina he pointed out, Eve
wouldn't have to pay for it right
away. And this fellow wouldn't rush
us. He doesn't need the dough. We
could have all the time we wanted
What's seven hundred dollars? Why,
it's crime to pass up chance like
this I'm telling you-there's hack!
Canary paint job. chromium plated
wheels; all the extras in the cata-
logue-and she'll do IS like silk. Wait
till you see it! I'll bring her around
this afternoon"
Ina shook her head again. A little
smile, half-whimsical, half-indulgent,
hovered around her lips.
she said. "But, you remember when
we figured up our expenses we didn't
have much of a surplus left. How
could We buy a carr"
Paul rose and seated himself be-
side her. He put an arm around her
and patted her shoulder. His tone
became optimistic.
Don't worry about expenses, sweet
heart" he counseled. "One of these
days tn old man is goin' to dash
of q song hit thatll cash in big.
And then our address will be
Eeventy-umph North Easy street.
Does Irving Berlin hesitate over buy
ing a new ddle-jumper? Well, why
should II"
'T know you can do it, Pauline" !"
acquiesced Ina, nesting against him.
"But hadn't we better wait until the
royalties start coming in before we
spend them?"
Paul laughed. "Have a little faith
In me-" he quoted lightly. "And we
can be riding in ritZy crate while
the tune that's to panic Broadway is
still in the making. We don't have
to deny ourselves"
Ina, her head on his shoulder, gazed
out Of the window moment before
replying. Then she said abstractedly:
II have all the faith in the world in
you, darling. But, just now, I don't
think we ought to go so far in debt"
Paul was q little disappointed. He
thought of the flashing response Of
the coupe's purring motor when he
had stepped on the accelerator.
"It isn't so far to 60 in debt" he