The Washington times., 1935-11-26

It was all over in q moment,
Of course. There had been some
slight noise and he haA wrenched
his eyes away from hers and it
was all over.
But not until he had discov-
cred something: that Francine
could still stir him, that she could
even make him forget Ann.
He found that he could calmly
enough accept the fact that she
could still stir him. He told him.
self that she was a damned at
tractive woman and it was only
natural that he should respond to
her at times, but that he should
respond so completely that he
could forget Ann Ann, who
was the most precious and beau
tiful thing that had ever hap
pened to him Ann. whom he
loved so much it didn't bear
thinking about that was
something that could not be dis
missed quite so calmly.
But eventually ne did dismiss
1t eventually the whole cpl
sode became vague and Cnimpor-
tant. II he thought Of it at all,
It was to feel pleasantly virtuous
that he had not kissed her {.
and to wonder q little curiouSly
why he should have wanted to.
Ann, having tea with Carlotta,
said: "But you see, she's the sort
Of person who wouldn't hesitate
to cut in on another woman's real
life she'd do it instinctively,
without even thinking about it."
Carlotta was looking very smart
In a new silver fox fur and a
small black satin hat. She sighed
gently and wished Ann would stop
looking so young and worried and
altogether defenseless. She said:
''Well. darling, it's UP to you to
see that she doesn't and for
heavens sake don't get morbid
about it until you have more rea-
son than you have now"
Ann said, no, she wouldn't, and
smiled brightly. And presently 1t
seemed a little absurd that there
had ever been any danger that
she might because in the
weeks that Immediately followed
Kipp was more tender and lover
like than ever.
And life went on.
It was April and Ann was
busy with her Spring Collection.
The narrow window Of Ann
Brooks, Incorporated was gay
with a jonquilyellow garden frock
or sleekly sophisticated with town
ensemble in smoky gray. in
the workroom Henrienne pinned
and jarked and shipped, and out
in front lovely ladies from the
Eighties" smoked languidly and
said that this and that model was
sweet" or smooth" or smart"
according to their age or mood.
Occasionally they spent money.
More often they didn't Business
was not as good as it should have
been and Ann was frankly wor-
ried. but only Henriette knew it..
Kipp might have suspected things
were not going well If Ann mad not
made a habit of never discussing
the shop with him Of always
being pleasantly noncommittal
where it was concerned.
Or if he hadn't been so busy.
But he was working hard. He was
halfway through his novel. Since
the night of her dinenr party he
had not seen Francine. He had
called her once on the telephone.
She had been friendly, affection
ate, q little remote. She was be-
ing, it seemed, terrifically busy
herself. With the current novel,
of course, and with a great many
people with whom she did great
many things.
Then one day, because he was
having a particularly difficult
time with the novel and needed to
talk to someone about it, he
dropped in at her apartment about
five in the afternoon and found
her lying white and exhausted on
the Trilby couch. Looking much
older than thirty-two. Looking
forty. There were dark Smudges
under her eyes and her lips looked
dry and drained Of color. She
had been at night club until two
in the morning and had come
home to sit up until dawn finish
ing a particularly difficult chap
ter. Then she had eaten some
thing that she'd found in tho r"'"-
try Asome sardi~e~ -
ers, she Shought, and tumbled into