The Washington times., 1936-08-12


didn't look at her. Saturday
morning I sail for Paris"
An incredulous: "What?"
"A three months course, Lu'
ana"
Might I ask why you've kept
this back? Why you didn't tell me
before?"
IT did-the day I first met you.
Luana. You remember? I said"
That you hoped to go?" she
finished for him. Bitterly she
added: But never a word to me
that it had been decided"
1T hadn't, not till-till-" He
stopped
She raped out: Till when?
What are you afraid off"
Till met Wallace BriScoe the
other evening"
An incredulouS: you asked him
for the tranSfer?"
mo" A miserable mo"
HE offered it to you?"
you met him the night you
dined with Mrs. Vandaveer at her
apartment. Was it-through her?"
Wretchedly he nodded.
"I'll not go, Luana. I'll not leave
you. I'll call it all off"
She ignored that. She persisted:
Mrs. Vandaveer asked him? Was
that it?"
He put his two hands over her
own. His left hand was upper
most. A beam of light from q
nearby lamp cleaned on the an
tique ring upon his little finger.
"she gave you that, tool"
Luana Shrilled, beside herself with
a sudden, swift suspicion that was
like the turn of a knife. IT was in
her home this very afternoon,
waiting for her in the Italian
salon, and in case I saw several
rings as like that as-as two
peas"
1T was given as good luck
talisman, Luana," he protested.
Good luck? BAIL" With a
quick movement that tore her
hand on its jagged edge, she
wrenched the antique ring from
his finger and flung it n the lake.
But before he could say one
word to her, angry or otherwise,
she was off like a deer up the
path that led to the highway.
A taxi with it's flag UP hap
pened to be passing. She hailed
it, gave an address at random, and
jumped inside.
She would call up Handsome"
at the Yale Club and ask him to
meet her somewhere, and let
Jimmy hear about it.
Handsome" however. was not
at his club.
She sat at the counter and
had a soda, for it was a warm
night and she was thirsty.
Say. miss, what have you been
doing to your hand?" asked the
drug-clerk.
Nothing. A little scratch,
that's all"
Bill, looka here a second"
A white-coated young man
came from the prescription de-
partment.
Take a peek at the lady's
hand" said the one at the soda
fountain, jerking his head in the
direction of Luana.
Presently, and rather to her
annoyance, she was behind the
scenes, having disinfectant
dabbed upon the scratch, and
strip of gauze wound around
her hand.
Wednesday night went by, and
no word from Jimmy.
He did not telephone the shop on
Thursday, and on Thursday night
when she was again alone in the
apartment, her heart was like lead.
Luana rose from the divan and
out over the roofs in a kind of
somnambulism. Stumbling, her
right arm helpless by her side, her
left hand holding her dressing
gown tightly about her.
Through the window now she
saw him. Studio in disorder.
Clothes strewn everywhere. He was
packing. She put her left hand
on the sill and tried to lower her
self to the five steps leading to the
models throne...
JIMMY"
Darling, you'll come to the
boat tomorrow morning? You'll
be there to bid me goodbye"
II can't bear it. Jimmy. I
can't bear your going" she had
wept against his cheek, his arm
about her, and he had co:nforted
ner.
"Luana, even if you can't come
we'll marry anyway. The license
bureau in City Hall is open at 9
or $50. Well go there together
tomorrow morning. Promise me,
darling?"
1T opens at $50, and even
so there wouldn't be time to
make your boat" she had told
him.
ITO be Continued
II Copyright 1885. by King Features
Il Syndicate, Inc
~RENHSe U