The Washington times., 1935-11-21

gave him a pleasantly expectart
look.
He kissed Francine dutifully and
without any apparent emotional
reaction and said: you're looking
tired. London didn't agree with
you. told you to take Carrib-
bean cruise instead but you
wouldn't listen to me-" He said,
then, indicating the roses: Have
you something can park these
in for the time beipg?"
She told him he would find q
vase in the pantry. and glasses.
She said: you're right London
was a mistake. It was nice, but
extravagant, of you to bring me
roses"
Jeff said: That's all right, your
last book is making us money,
and went into the pantry. He
came back presently with the
roses crowded into a too-Small
vase and set them on the piano.
He said: "They don't look quite
right but the Scotch is good"
For a while they drank Scotch
and talked about Francine's sales.
She didn't write very good books:
she knew it. But she wrote them
without much effort and they
made her quite lot of money.
If they had been more trouble to
write or if they had made her less
money, she would never have
bothered with them at all. No
one knew this except Francine
and Jeff and one or two other
people with whom she could af-
ford to be absolutely truthful.
With everyone else she took her
work seriously.
She said today: "I'm glad The
Silver Fawn is selling we'll because
my London trip was expensive if
not successful" Then they talked
for while about possible motion
pictures sales and the new novel.
Francine said: TITS gone stale
on me. Jeff, flattened out. I've
Used all the words know so many
times. there's positively no new
way under the sun in which to
describe a sunrise or a woman'S
mouth or a kiss. -"
Jeff sighed gently. He knew
Francine in this mood. He had
survived a good many of them
with her. She inevitably reached
it with chapter eleven or there
aboutS. It usually meant that she
had just about finished with an
old love affair and had not yet
replaced it with a new one. He
thought: "She needed fresh emo
tional stimulus for the new book
and she went to London in search
of it and didn't find it. she'll be
restless as hell until she gets un.
der way with some new adven-
ture." He said as much. What
you need is a new love affair.""
"Or," smiled Francine slowly,
possibly a resumption Of an old
one"
Il thought" murmured Jeff,
lighting a cigarette and wonder
ing what the devil she was up to
now, you always made a point
of letting dead loves lie"
But, first, it is sometimes nee.
essary to be sure they are dead.
That's why came back to New
York"
Jeff said: "You mean Kipp, I
Suppose?"
Francine shrugged, lifted her
arms and Graded them behind her
head. "Pm pretty fond Of Kipp,
Jeff; he's lovable person. I don't
quite see myself relinquiShing him
just because in an inadvertent
moment he happened to get mar
ried." Suddenly her voice changed.
Slurred from a languid huskiness
to a sharp command. "Tell me
about her"
Jeff flicked his cigarette ash
carefully into bronze ash-tray.
Small. Dark. About twenty-five
or six. Has some kind of a shop.
Quite lovely looking"
Francine said, Naturally" and
smiled lazily. Her eyes said,
But not important"
"It's only fair to tell you," con-
tinued Jeff a little uncomfortably.
that Kipp is completely in love
with her. Damn it all, Francine,
in case you're thinking of reviving
anything there, I wouldn't, if I
were you. :. I'd call it day."
Francine said silkily: Darling,
you're the best literary agent in
New York. and genius at draw.
ing up a contract. I'd hate to
have to get along without you
Jeff said: $50 you intend to,
anyWay?"
Ito Be COntinued)
Copyright. 1898, by Allens CorlisA