Nogales international., 1935-08-03

NdlLltJ AdDiS'
1t was nearly dawn when Ellen
arrived back in her own little room.
She threw her suitcase, unpacked,
across a seat, and undressed rapidly
and flung herself across her bed.
And, though she had quite expected
to sob herself to sleep. she didn't.
Exhaustion is like that-it drains
one of the emotions!
There was bright sunshine-yel-
low, buttery sunshine-lying across
Ellen's face when she wakened,
And, such is the buoyancy of youth,
coffee and toast restored to her a
certain amount of confidence in her
self. Her voice didn't even trenble
when she called Dick on the phone
IF you're working today" she
told him, I'm just the girl that wilt
help you. Here am I, all alone in
town over Sunday"
The taxi seemed to crawl through
the quiet Sunday streets, and yet
at last she was with Dick in his old
familiar workroom.
Ellen, with scarcely more than
word of greeting, went behind the
accustomed screen and changed
into her Indian dress And then she
was out again and posing, a little
kneeling figure once more once
again the child priestess.
When Tony came knocking at the
door, after the first half hour of
her posing, when at Dicks bidding
he pushed the door wide, she did
not change her position. Even
though his coming was-just now
more than surprise.
"1m here" Tony said by way of
greeting, hunting for my runaway
wife!" He didn't address Ellen at
all; he spoke to Dick.
"Yes" answered Dick, and went
on painting. II didn't know" he
added, that she was a runaway"
Ellen spoke. She spoke DULY, al
though she was in an agony of
anxiety and embarrassment
II didn't tell Dick anything about
the house party - except that I'd
come home" she warned Tony.
II shouldn't think" said Tony,
that you'd have to tell him any
more. Alven's got sense"
(Which he doesn't always use"
Dick threw in. All at once he had
thrown down his palette. "You two
kids" he said, chad better beat it
away from here. Pm tired. I can't
work any more today. I suppose
you had something of that sort in
! your mind when you came here.
Brander2"
Tony still wasn't speaking to
Ellen. He was speaking over i'ef
head, at Dick.
ELLEN ran out on Us last night,
he said, and his tone was cool.
well, it was dull party, don
| don't blame her! AS soon as
discovered she'd gone, l set out
after her, of course. But l got
he fumbled for words, "in so late
that I went to the club. When |
stopped at her place this morning
1 found that she'd blown, as usual:
If you-" his voice was wistful, If
you've really finished working
there was something pathetic in
proud Tony's appeal, "I'd Ike to
take Ellen out with me for a little
drive somewhere or other"
ooh, by all means" said Dick. He
was busily scraping bits of paint
together with his palette knife.
Ellen hadn't been consulted.
Almost before she knew it she
was Gathering down the uncarpeted
stairs of the building with Tony,
toward the red roadster that waited
in the street outside.
Nothing was said about the house
party. Believe it or not-nothing.
When the sun was actually set
ting, Tony left Ellen at her door.
This time he kissed the tips Of her
fingers as lightly as it is possible
for a man to kiss the tips of any
girls fingers.
I'm not suggesting" he said,
that we dine together tonight.
We're both worn out" 1t was his
one reference to the night before.
"But let's get together tomorrow,
you and l. Maybe we can drive
again, somewhere. Maybe we can
go somewhere outside of the city,
for supper"
And Ellen, with the pulse in her
throat choking her, managed to nod
quick affirmative.
1--WE poor working girls" she
said, "like our moments of vacation
with our rich relations"
"Don't!" said Tony gruffly, and
left.
The next evening they drove out
to the country, to little inn. If
their talk were a trif1e less formal,
now, it wasn't because they were
speaking to each other as married
couples speak. It was because they
were beginning to have a slight
basis of rcminiscence upon which
to build conversations.
Ellen could almost settle herself
into the red roadster as if she be-
lonpcd in it. And Tony didn't look
quite SO finely drawn as he had at
the house party, when they had had
their encounter with Jane.
| Al W1