The Washington times., 1936-07-11

of the bright spring sunshine, in
the dimmed glow of indirect light
ing.
The street sounds, too, seemed
subdued to a faint and not un'
pleasant cacaphony. One spoke
in a huShed tone, as though one
were in some cathedral Of beauty
as indeed one was.
For the loveliest gowns in the
town were displayed on the lowell
est models here. Prices were high.
It was Adolphe Quackenbush's
boast whether true or otherwise
that in no way had he been af-
fected by the depression, except
in his increased contributions TO
charity.
Into this milieu, on Monday
morning of late March, the SIX
winning contestants of the fash
ion show at the Hotel SanSouci
made entry.
They were received with chilly
disfavor, hidden by thin veneer
of affability, by the other models
of the House of QuackenbuSh.
The winner of the Golden APP
pie was not only looked askance
at by these models, but by the
newly imported five she had un-
willingly triumphed over in the
final sitting.
They had laughed at her
Golden Apple made of cardboard
and paste and gilt, and one Of
them had made pert reference to
the possible entry Of a serpent,
into her Eden.
Luana thought: They're too
late in the day with that! But if
they could only know how true it
was!" She thought of Gerald
Bruton.
Pray heaven they would never
know! No one must ever know!
She was three thousand miles
from the scene of an Eden that
had proved non-eXistent.
The catty competitor who had
jibed her about the serpent may
have repeated her witticism to
the other models in the shop. Be
cause directly before lunch. when
she was in the dressing room don
ming her hat and coat, curious
thing happened. One of the girls,
acting as spokeswoman for the
rest, presented Luana with a tiny
live monkey.
1t was very naughty monkey,
and had belonged to one of them,
and they were assured it would
greatly inconvenience her if she
accepted it, but she was not to
know that.
She knew, however. that what
ever their motive, she would be
accused of poor craftsmanship if
she refused it. She had taken the
Golden Apple. This was their trib-
ute. It's name was Chou-Chou.
1t had face as ancient as Methu-
Saleh. It's grin was fiendiSh. But
she took the jibbering little crea-
ture into her hands and thanked
them very sweetly for their kind
gift.
AS she went down to the street
by the employees elevator a sal
low-faced girl with black eyes and
SLEEPY black hair who had fol
lowed her into the car addressed
her.
ma fol, they are cats, these
ones! Because you are lofty and
have won re bes' prize, they are
announcement jalouSes!" she explod-
ed. ME. I hate them! I avoid
them! You too, be careful! Be
Warew
Holding the disturbing little
monkey in the crook of her left
arm. Luana laughed gaily at the
speaker.
"You come to lunch wiz me. We
go fefty-fefty? It is a bargain?"
Anxious to be friendly with the
one model who had spoken in an
apparently friendly way to her,
Luana consented.
The girls name was Yvonne.
She had been with the House of
QuackenbuSh for almost two years.
She modelled sports clothes on an
upper floor of the establishment.
She had a thin, excitable sort of
face that was not exactly good
looking but very much alive, and
really beautiful figure.
Over their salad and tea-with-
lemon cone mus take care of re
feegure!") Yvonne poured into
Luana's ears a medley of infor-
nation.
Ito Be Continued