The Washington times., 1936-08-10

thoroughly annoyed with her,
we're she to return the gems?
Wasn't he always saying to her:
Outside the shop as well as in
side it, Luana, you've got to look
like a million dollars"
And, literally speaking, wasn't
this the first step?
THE first step in the wrong
direction" said the still small
voice of conscience.
CHAPTER xxx
"Was it a gift, Luana? Are you
not going to show it to me?"
wheedled Yvonne, looking slightly
aggrieved.
She was saying to herself: "If
she does not tell me. I go round
to the telegraph office and bride
the boy to say who sent it," She
had something already on Luana,
and it would be Illuminating to
get more ..
1T was only the metal bracelet
Of that gown I wore to the St.
Regal opening" she said non
chalantly, Il left it in the wash
room of restaurant a day or two
ago, and this morning I 'phoned
them to send it over, only it ar
rived too late. as you see"
"Ees that SOP" said Yvonne
ponderouSly. eyeing the oXidiZed
bit of costume jewelry, Il could
have sworn I saw it on your wrist
when you went to the st. Regal
this morning"
Luana smiled carelessly. you're
seeing things, my dear. Too much
wine last night, or too much Ar
mand? Which was it?"
The Sallow face flushed omi-
nouSly. How dare she mention
Armand in that fashion!
Had her ears deceived her last
night in the apartment, when
through the open door of her bed
room she heard Armand in the
living-room whisper something to
Luana about meeting him to-
night for dinner?
where do you go this evening,
Luana?" she asked sharply.
Luana'S face became irradiated.
Dining with Jimmy Randolph,
since you're so interested"
You dine where?"
1--WE haven't decided yet"
That meant she was going to
sneak out for a rendezvous with
Armand!
Luana disarmed her by asking:
whats the address of that cute
little roof restaurant on South
Central Park"
you go there with your jim
NEE, Luana?"
I'D like to. They've grand spa
ghetti, and it's fine to sit out of
doors and look over the park, and
the Japanese Lake as you eat"
Yvonne gave her the number
of the building, and suspicion was
temporarily allayed.
You got the letter I left for
you on the mantelpiece this morn
ing? 1t come last night. Armand
and I've find it under the door
when he left"
She might have added that she
had steamed the flap of the en-
velope open and read its contents,
and then replaced the miSSive, and
gummed the flap down. That had
been after she had unlocked LII
ana'S suitcase with the key she
had found in the cupboard in the
bathroom. And the news she had
found in the letter in the suitcase
had been twenty times as inter
estlng as Jimmy'S scrubbed mes
sage. It was all Yvonne could do
now to refrain from addressing
her as Elizabeth! How would she
take that?
At the closing of the shop she
went straight to the nearest tele-
graph office and by great good
luck she encountered on the door
step the very messenger who had
delivered the little package into
her hands early that afternoon.
Il Weesh to speak with you. It
is con-fee-dential." With a nod of
her head for him to follow, she
went a few PAGES down the street,
then stopped. THE leetle parcel
you gave me-who it come from?"
She forgot her grammar. Il weesh
to know who sent it to me?" Into
his hand she thrust fifty-cent
piece.
The boy wanted to keep the
money, but he hesitated. cts
against rules, miss"
Il tell no one, but I hat to
know" said YVonne quickly, IT
am fiancee to one gentleman. 1
think maybe it is from him?"
The boy looked over his
shoulder, then decided to take the
plunge.
(TO be COntinued)
copyright. 1886. by King Features