The Washington times., 1936-06-29

When they were alone again, the
man picked up the thread OF con-
VerSation.
"You like traveling?"
I'm mad about it. My ideal Of
life would be to wake UP in a diff
ferent place every morning"
with the right companion?" he
ventured. i've travelled consider
ably myself, and one can get very
lonesome, you know"
"Oh, I shouldn't. should love
the freedom. And. Of course, one
could pick and chose from the
people one met" she said with
youthful arrogance.
Naturally"
Everyone should travel. It's
so broadening. I hate narrow
minded people. just can't get
on with them," she confessed. She
speared a luscious bit of fried
chicken and, as though it were
a symbol of fat smugness, bit into
it with her strong young teeth.
I'VE think alike" said the man
opposite her. AS a matter of fact,
he was thinking with much
greater rapidity than she was.
Had she looked into his mind she
would have been considerably
startled.
"You know Los Angeles well?"
he inquired casually.
She nodded. MY homes a few
miles out of Hollywood. I've been
away at college. A woman's col
lege near San Francisco. I've just
finished with it,
And sorry? Or glad?"
Her beautiful eyes widened as
she stared at him. would you
be sorry if you'd been shut up be-
hind gloomy walls, and then at
last you got your freedom?" she
demanded.
with a clatter, the fork with
which the man had been prodding
his salad fell to his plate and
bounced to the floor. When he
had recovered it and apologized,
he said: why, no! But perhaps
should feel some difficulty in
remembering how to talk to a
beautiful girl"
She laughed. Her laugh was
like a freshet of delight. Like rip
ping water with spring sunshine
on it.
''Ls that so important?"
Immensely" The flame glinted
again in his dark eyes as they met
hers meaningly. "Of course I
might be boring her." he added,
watching his effect. But such
are not my intentions"
A wave of excitement caught
Elizabeth. This was fun. She felt
daring, and u n nScionab bly,
thrilled that romance was here
before her on her very first day
of freedom. She had been rest
less and unhappy her last year at
school. Longing to spread her
wings and roam the world. Hating
restrictions. Avid for living.
Conventions were stupid. OF a
generation that was gone. If you
wanted a thing, in this gorgeous
year of 1884, you went right after
it and grabbed it, and more power
to you.
Wont you let me introduce
myself, please?" He took from
his vest pocket a morocco leather
wallet with an entwined gold
monogram on it, opened it and
handed her card.
She read:
GERALD BRUTON
Broker
Stocks Bonds Investments
Then you must be one of the
Bruton family who have offices in
Los Angeles?" she inquired eager
ly.
He nodded.
The Brutons were wealthy and
Important people, and she was i'm
pressed. But she had known from
the beginning he was somebody.
You could tell it from his appear
ance.
What exactly does broker do?
I'm terribly ignorant"
you buy and sell stocks for
other people. I'm the trader of
the firm. A trader is only a man
who is quicker than the next one,
who can outwit the other fellow.
That's really all there is to it,"
} But fair dealing, of course? I
hate trickery."
He said, with touch of arro-
gance: "Of course, one plays
square"
She sighed. How fascinating!
wish 1 could be trader, too. I
suppose you deal in millions?"
He nodded. But money doesn't
mean much," he deprecated.
Good heavens! Are you
crazy?" Her blue eyes were pools
of establishment.
"Well, most of ones satisfac-
ton lies in succeeding. That's
what meant. You know-to &C.
complish things-amount to some
thing-squaring oneself with ones
self, as it were."
Ito Be COntinued)
lGHEV'G