Evening star., 1936-06-12
INSTALLMENT XIII.

renovated and was like new. The
furniture was much superior to that
Of the old place. So Patience took 1t.
The morning after Hilary's visit
they packed and moved in. 1t had
good-sized living room, bed room,
kitchenette, dinette and bath room
with tub and shower. There was
both a radio and small grand piano
and three-way circulation Of air.
They were on the top floor with a
southwest exposure, and it seemed
like a palace after one room.
Patience saw that Jan was not
ready to talk about Hi of her own ac-
cord. And assuming she had told
him good-by, she did not question
her When Jan got ready to tell her
what happened she would do so much
more freely without being coerced,
Patience decided.
They were unpacking and putting
things in drawers and closets when
a messenger boy arrived with flowers
for Jan. Patience received them,
and her mouth set in a hard line as
she signed the receipt. But she
handed them to Jan silently, and
went on about her work. There was
. possibility they weren't from Hi.
But they we're. And they were
orchids. Janell had never touched
an orchid before. But she knew only
the prosperous could afford a dozen
of them. She lifted them from the
box tenderly and held them to her
cheek
They're lovely" Patience said,
feeling that she had to make some
comment. What does the card say?"
1t read in the old familiar boyish
scraWl:
Il love you. Hi"
But Jan said casually, They're
from Hilary"
Patience turned back to her pack
ing. Send them back. You know
where he lives. He's got nerve!
Trying to bait you with orchids
Now you know couldn't do that"
Jan feasted her young eyes in their
expensive beauty. IT can't afford to
make him angry. If I do Supposing
he spoiled everything for us"
What's he trying to do? Black
mail you with threats of tattling If
you don't let him see you? It's about
what I'd expect of him.
Don't be silly" Jan squirmed un-
comfortably. 1T was all a misunder-
standing. There's nothing vicious
about Hi. He thought put the an
nouncement of our engagement in
the paper, and in a huff he took the
money his mother offered him and
went away"
Patience dropped shoe. DO you
mean to stand there and tell me-"
she looked aghast, you're going to
pass it all off like that after what
that little rotter put you through"
It's all over" Jan turned from
the searching gaze of her angry sis
ter. I'm going to see him and laugh
at him and be very nonchalant. AS
though he never did, and never could.
mean anything to me. If you must
Know, promised to have lunch with
him today"
Il forbid you," Patience said
WHITLEY.
You can't" The Keats chin tut
ted out defant1y. "Ill do as pleased
I'm going to get a little fun out of
New York. can't go out with any
one else because of these cuSsed
clothes. Hi knows all about it, and
there's no danger with him"
You little fool!" Patience sat
down heavily. "You have all of New
York at your feet, success that other
people work all their lives for and
never begin to attain, and you want
HI Totten! After all he's done!
You'd give people a chance TO saw
tnat he threw you over like a piece
OF dirt and you took him back the
nrst time he gave you look. Where's
your pride, Jan? You must be a lit
Tie out of your mind"
But nothing Patience could saw
would move her. She washed her
hair and curled it until it was a halo
Of Jet curs around her young patrician
head. Then she dressed in the one
dress that she felt was really becom-
Ing, put on her coat and hat and
went out
Patience threw herself on the bed
and wept Historically. Then she got |
up and washed her face and knocked |
on Shells door. When he saw her
he was alarmed. whats wrong, bad |
news?" He reached out and took her |
hands.
Patience went in and sat down |
~earily. Then she told him the whole |
story from beginning to end; the
truth about why they happened to !
leave Green Acres. She ended with |
q plea that Shell do something at |
once to bring Jan to her senses. But |
he shook his head.
NO" he said firmly, well keep |
out of it. The harder we fight against |
him the more she will defend him |
a | want to see him. If we're clever, |
this fellow will probably hang him
self. She's only II and another burn |
ing will teach her once and for all |
not to play with fire"
Patience saw the wisdom Of his ad- |
vice, and went back to her apart
ment to get Shells lunch. It was |
Saturday and she would begin on |
Monday as Col. Steele's secretary.
She almost decided she'd have to give
up the opportunity and watch Janell.
But she decided against that.
Jan and Hi lunched at one of the |
swankiest hotels. There was one of |
the best orchestras in town, and they
wanted to dance. No one could pos
sibly recognize the slender girl in |
beige dress, coconut hat and gloves
as Jan Keats of Rainbow Over
Broadway" Jan felt certain.
They were idling over their coffee
and Hi was telling her of the art
colony in Paris, which was the set
ting for her opening number, when
Gary Gray walked in.
Jan gasped. There's Mr.. Gray,
our director! He thinks I'm Nell
Keats, JAMS sister. Don't call me
Jan if he happens to recognize me-"
ehe begged breathlessly. Hi grinned.
Gary was looking for some one.
His eyes swept the dining room slowly.