The Washington times., 1935-11-30

WVO4VeO VIII STauC1US again.
He decided that the cocktails
abe had given him must have beer
more potent than he realized anc
he hoped that Ann would be safe
in bed and asleep.
She wasn't. She was sitting in
Judy Sleeper's wing chair, wrapped
In his old blue flannel bathrobe
She had been reading. that is
she obviously wanted Kipp to be
lieve she had been reading but he
knew she hadn't been. She had
been waiting for him.
The fire had burned out and
he wondered why she had let it;
then he remembered that he had
been supposed to order wood and
had forgotten to do so.
He said Hello, there, I thought
you would be in bed. you'd better
go, hadn't you? It's cold as blue
blazes here
Ann said: "Au right" But she
didn't move from the wing chair.
She reached for a cigarette and
lit it. She said. did you have Il
Eice time?"
Kipp didn't answer her. He had
gone into the pantry and was
mixing himself a drink. He was
wondering what he was going to
tell her if she asked him where
he had taken Francine to dinner.
He thought: 81 suppose could
tell her the Park Casino or the
Roosevelt Grill or some place"
When he came back, Ann did
ask him. She said: where did
you take Francine to dinner?"
Kipp said: "As a matter of fact,
I didn't take her anywhere. She
was tired and it was raining cats
and dogs, so we stayed at her place
and had dinner sent up from down
stairs" It was no good, he
thought, you couldn't lie to Ann;
YOU had to tell her the truth, even
when it would be much easier and
perhaps more sensible not to.
For a moment Ann didn't say
anything. She simply sat quite
still, her eyes fastened quietly on
his. Then she said, "I see," and
moved her eyes away, 80 you
just stayed there? From some
where around one. 1T is after
one, isn't it?"
Kipp said, his voice a little edgy:
"Well, what is so particularly
damning about that? You sug-
gested yourself that spend the
evening with her. 1T was your
idea, wasn't it?"
Ann said, oh, yes, it was her
idea, all right. But 1t was scarcely
my idea that you spend five hours
alone with her in her apartment.
I'm afraid" she added, her eyes
very bright, that I'm not that
magnanimous."
Kipp said: Gust exactly what
do you mean by that?"
Ann said: "Just exactly what
you think mean. I suppose you
had lovely evening. I suppose
you had a good many cocktails
and took a long time over dinner
YES" said Kipp shortly. I'VE
"And I suppose" continued Ann
evenly, spacing her words care.
fully, that sometime between
eight and one you kissed her.
quite good many times?"
g! suppose" replied Kipp, that
I did"
Ann said: "T thought So"
She was lighting a cigarette.
Or trying to. The lighter would
not work. Kipp found his in his
pocket and snapped it open; held
the tiny flame to the tip Of her
cigarette.
He thought wretchedly "Why
doesn't she say something! -.
not just sit there and refuse to
look at me-" He said: Listen,
Ann. know what you're probably
thinking but it isn't so. I did
kiss her but that's all. I mean
:. nothing happened. Nothing,
do you understand"
He got up and began pacing up
and down the room, his cigarette
burning itself out between his
tense fingers. He knew suddenly
that in some way he had to make
her believe him, drive that sick,
remote look out Of her eyes. He
said: This is what happened
:" Then, after a few terse,
sharp sentences, he said: "And
that's all. She expected me to
kiss her and I did. But
nothing"
II know" interrupted Ann, and
she smiled at him. A twisted,
n1ocking sort Of smile. Nothing