The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-07-23
SYNOPSIS


10 DARIEN, finishing her flrst
year In college, learns her father
Is out of work. 10 hunts job
and secures part time work in a
marine supply store. There she
meets wealthy, handsome DOUG
LAS MARSH who offers her the
job OF hostess at his inn at Crest
Lake. 10 accepts and this causes
quarrel with BRET PAUL o
whom she is engaged. 10 breaks
the engagement.
She goes to Crest Lake. Marsh
warns her that many people con.
slider his mother eccentric. 10 is
sure that MRS. MARSH dislikes
her.
BABS MONTGOMERY, who is
jealous of JOS popularity, arrives
at the inn. PETER FRAGONET,
film actor, and his wife, also ar
rive.
A dance is given at the inn. 10
goes with TODD BARSTON, avi.
ator.
CHAPTER XIV
While dancing, Fragonet was not
the gay and talkative young man
he had been that afternoon in
Douglas Marsh's car. He guided
10 in silence, easily and perfectly,
and his steps, graceful rather than
intricate, nevertheless seemed to
respond to the everchanging moods
of the rhythm that was as modern
as tomorrow. 10 liked to dance in
silence, and she was thoroughly
enjoying this dance with Fragonet
when. suddenly and inexplicably,
her balance was shattered by the
sight of Babs and Douglas Marsh
coming into the room together.
1t was then, while her emotions
were sharpened by a tune from
Tin Pan Alley, and while she was
In the arms of a man for whom.
literally, millions of women longed,
that 10 Darien faced squarely a
question she had been avoiding for
days. Was she in love with Doug
las Marsh?
If she were not, then why had
her heart whirred inside her breast
when she saw Babs Montgomery
hanging Familiarity against Marsh's
arm? If she were not, then why
had she forgotten Bret Paul so
quickly-forgotten except for few
fleet flashes of memory that passed
as soon as they came? If she were
not, why couldn't she be thrilled,
as any young girl might, at being
attended first by Todd Barston and
now, at this very moment, by Peter
F'ragonet?
She lost step with Fragonet;
they hesitated for the fraction of
a moment, and she heard him say,
at was my fault 10 said, red
dening.
As the music stopped she saw
Marsh excuse himself from Babs,
leaving her on one of. the divans
near the wall. Even when Frago-
net had returned to his wife, and
10 was with Barston again, she was
of Babs' steady and
gaze. Even though she
did not look at Babs directly she
haa the feeling that Babs was
claiming victory and wanted 10
to know.
ooh, Miss Darien :" Babs'
voice drifted low and clear across
the floor, and 10 turned question
inBly.
"Miss Darien, there aren't any
about. Would you mind ?"
10 stared at the Montgomery girl
on the divan, and for a moment
the imperious question meant
nothing. Then she realized that
Babs was, quite simply, asking for
q light for her cigaret, and that
she was requesting it from 10 as
an employe of the Inn. She was
conscious of Barston fishing for
his lighter, and when at last he
had produced it 10 took it from his
hand and walked to the divan.
"There you are. Babs," she said.
striking the light and holding it
Mt the end of Babs' cigaret. And
why not just call me 10? You
called me by my first name at
school and it's more appropriate,
anyway, for servants" With that
10 let the lighter snap out, re-
turned to Todd Barston and handed
II to him.
81 don't know what you said"
Barston told her, as they began
dancing, "but I wish you could see
her face"
Pm afraid I was very rude"
said 10.
Good" said Barston succinctly.
She was relieved when at last