The Washington times., 1935-11-19


was finished, there would be. In
the meantime Kipp was working.
He wasn't letting anything, even
Ann. get in his way. This novel
was a very real thing to him. He
had lived with it for three years,
making notes, writing occasional
key scenes, building it up slowly
but surely in his mind. Now that
he was actually free to sit down
and work on it six hours a day,
day after day, it was rapidly TAX
ing shape, emerging clearly and
1ucidly into chapters.
He had stumbled on the idea
for it quite accidentally, three
summers before, while browsing
through a lot Of old diaries and
letters in the garret of the old
Suyden farmhouse in Rensselaer,
county. Several generations be-
fore this house had belonged to
another old Dutch family which
had since had a spectacular rise
and fall of power, and the diaries
and letters belonged to them. Fas-
cinated by the picture these old
papers reconstructed of this phe-
nomenal family. Kipp decided to
write a 1ovei, tracing its history
from the day it landed in this
country to the present moment.
1t would be a powerful book. He
would trace this family from its
full-blooded and dramatic begin
ningS to its preSent-day sterile and
anemic position, proving that
its only surviving heritage to it's
descendants had been ill-gotten
wealth.
1t would be an ambitious book,
and when he had finished it
would prove, once and for all,
whether or not he could write
successful novel.
CHAPTER IL
There were days, OF course,
when he couldn't work; when
words eluded him and the whole
thing went stale and meaningless.
There were other days when
everything seemed to conSpire
against him to keep him from
working. Days when Lily in
sisted on running the vacuum
cleaner for hours at time. Days
when the radio on the floor be.
low nearly drove him crazy. Days
when the telephone rang inces-
sanity.
Ann, coming home at the end
of one of these days, found it
muffled groteSquely in a pink
bath towel She frowned at it,
her eyes softly accusing. $50
that was the reason couldn't
get you all the afternoon. -"
Kipp grinned apologetically. 'I
had to do it, Ann. The damn
thing kept ringing -"
Ann had taken off her hat and
ruffled up her hair. Now she
powdered her nose and came
over to him and curled up in his
arms. II suppose" she murmured
Speculatively, running a slim
finger along the attractive line of
his chin, that a good many
people call you up and want you
to go places and do things. ..
Cynthia, for inStance?"
Kipp captured her finger and
bit it gently. "The answer to
that one" he told her, sis yes,
Cynthia is one of those girls who,
has a positive mania for telo-
phoning people. Something ought
to be done about it."
Something" said Ann softly,
"besideS muffling telephones in
bath towels.
How often" she continued,
frankly curious, "does she tele-
phone you?"
TOO often. Six times" he ad-
mitted promptly, "in two weeks,
to be exact"
Not really, Kipp2 Not that
many?" Ann looked genuinely
distressed. Poor little kid, she
must be taking it pretty hard -
be that persistent"
CYNTHIA" Kipp assured her
swiftly, "is nothing if not per-
Sistent. Wait until you see her,
darling; she is best described" he
added grimly. "as a spoiled brat"
What" Ann wanted to know,
edo you tell her when she calls?"
"I tell her." announced Kipp
virtuously, that I'm working and
that I haven't any time for her.
Sometimes I remind her that
am married. to you, darling. "a
fact she seems to ignore. -"
Ann dimpled at the utter alb
surdity of anvone being able to
IGNORE that; then she grew sud-
denly serious. Listen, Kipp." she
beoan SLOWLY, "why don't YOU re-
lent and take her to lunch some
dav.. or to tea? After ALL she's
i''~+ . kid and you've known her
all your life. there's no reason
In the world whv you shouldn't"
No reason. Kipp said, except
that he didn't want to. which
was reason enough. when I take