The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-12-26

The first thing Kipp noticed
about Francine'S apartment was
that she had had it entirely and
extensively red e corated. TIL e
first thing he noticed about Fran
cine herself was that she was
looking unusually well and sur
prisingly lovely. He told her so.
He said: you've got a swell
tan, Francine. u. its becoming to
you"
1.-TWO months in the south Of
France is becoming to almost any
one. and I've finished the novel.
That accounts for the faint glow
you notice about me-" She
laughed softly. that slow, liquid
laugh that was as intimate and
delightful as a careSS.
It was five o'clock in the after
noon but the tall parchment.
shaded lamp had not been lighted
against the deep blue dusk. On
the hearth q small, eager fire
blazed brightly. Francine, in cop
per velvet pajamas, her well.
brushed, honey-colored hair satin
smooth about her head, led him
toward it.
CHAPTER SO
Kipp had been back in New
York five weeks. Five weeks dur
ing which he had gone through
all the motions of a normal young
business man. He had gone to the
office each morning at nine and
stayed there until five in the
afternoon. After that he dropped
in at his club. Some time between
then and midnight he ate some
thing. Some time between then
and morning he returned to the
flat on Twelfth Street.
He didn't know why he stayed
on in the flat. he couldn't have
told you exactly. He could very
easily have stayed at the cNlb or
taken another place. But he
didn't; and each night he went
back to inflict upon himself the
torture of being in those three
rooms where he and Ann had
shared so many precious and
beautiful and exciting moments. e.
Even after three months, and
with everything that had ever be-
longed to her gone, the place was
still alive with her. she was
everywhere. Sitting at her dress
ing table in the bedroom, satin
ribbon straps pale against the
smooth ivory Of her shoulders.
I'm going to stop plucking my
eyebrows, darling, and let them
go their own sweet way. It's no
longer smart to look startled !"
Stepping out of the shower in the
green tiled bathroom, drapped in
an enormous coral bath towel.
"Oh, Kipp, please hand he my
mules. no, the black ones,
stupid!' Dashing about tn e
kitchenette, a foolish little blue
apron tied over her street frock,
her bangs pushed careleSsly out
of her eyes. :. Look out for the
toast, darling! Turn those eggs
won't you? Oh, damn, I've for
gotten the cream again!"
But there was one Anne that
haunted Kipp more persistently
than any of these others, there
was one that was always waiting
for him no matter how late he
returned to the flat.
That was a small girl in q gray
wool dress with a red patent
leather belt sitting on Judy Sleep
er's blue sofa, freight tenderIy
upon her sitting there, Smil-
ing at him, as she never would
be again 80.
He knew now that none of the
time had he really believed this
would happen to them that
not once, in the six weeks he had
been in England, had he believed
that there was anything perma-
nent in their separation. Certain
facts he had faced and admitted.
Ann had been hurt badly because
he had lied to her about the
money he had lost in the market.
She had been even more badly
hurt because she was certain he
had broken a promise to her and
gone to Francine to replace it.
And when she had discovered
FTancine had sailed on the same
boat she had been in just the hys-
terical and overwrought mood to
believe that he had arranged it
that way.
But never once had he believed
that he couldn't straighten out all
these stupid and senseless mis-
takes once he was home
"Once I get back once we
see each other. E"
Then he had come and gone to
Carlotta'S apartment and found
her in that defiant silver gown,
Lewis orchids Haunting him from
her shoulder and he had lost his