The Washington times., 1936-08-08

stand! It's only you-you-YOU!
I don't give a rap for Mrs. Van
daveer!" He drew her into his
arms and kissed her pasSionately.
"Jimmy-oh, don'tl Why. Jim
my, II wasn't jealous! Honest
I wasn't" breathed Luana.
"You darling!" He kissed her
mouth, her eyes, her hair, her
throat that was like the stem Of
a flower. "Then I was jealous!
Frightfully jealous Of that Carew
fellow!"
He kissed her again, held her
close to his heart.
Jimmy my orchids - you're
crushing them!" But her very
soul was singing.
TELL me you feel even little
bit the way I do? Say it, Luana!
Put your arms around mel"
"Why, JIMMY"
She could have shouted it aloud
her love-she could have wept
with sheer happiness.
IT didn't know you cared. You
gave no hint Of it,"
''Luana, I didn't know myself
didn't understand anything till
this evening-till just now when I
saw you on the dance-floor with
that mani"
She gave o little throbbing
laugh.
why him?" There was happy
scorn in her voice.
"He's nothing to you, Luana?
I couldn't bear it If he was any
thing to you'll" In a shaft of moon
light she saw his lips tremble.
Nothing in the world, Jimmy.
This is the very first time I've
ever gone out with him"
1.-THE way he held you. Luana,
on the dance floor-oh, forgive me,
I don't know what I'm saying.
I'm a fool"
She had her arms about his neck,
and now one slim hand moved to
caress his hair. Often she had
wanted to run her fingers through
the copper sheen of it. She felt
Jimmy tremble as she touched it..
Short-cropped as he kept it, and
Sleeked resolutely back, a looSened
lock curled round her finger like a
live thing, so that she seemed to
feel little shock of electricity
Jimmy, we're chemically suited.
Do you know it?" She drew back
with a nervous laugh.
Were suited in every way that
God meant a man and woman to
be suited, Luana. lit came on
me like shock"
''You love me, Jimmy? You
really do love me?" came the
eternal woman's question.
nal woman's question.
He pulled her back into his
arms.
"You belong here. Luana. For
ever. Do you understand that?"
he said hoarsely. YOU'RE mine"
"MaSterful Jimmy!" She laughed
happily. "Are you always so die
tatorial?"
"I've never been in love before,
my darling. And you?"
"Never!" she said passionately,
and quite truly, even though the
disturbing vision Of Gerald Bruton
rose before her. Thrust that vision
back. Shut him forever from herl
Here was her real sweetheart, her
only love.
"Then you care for me, Luana?
Tell me. I ache to hear it"
She put her two arms around his
neck and whispered In his ear:
Jimmy, love you"
CHAPTER XVIII
There were two disgruntled
people in the grounds Of the Inn
that night.
Handsome" Carew and Lor-
raine Vandaveer were left to their
own devices for a good half-hour
at the table, and when the other
couple returned, they had eyes for
no one but each other. That was
evident.
She ate her pate-de-fois-graS and
drank champagne. She joked with
Handsome" on his silence. Don't
tell me that a case-hardened sheik
like you is falling in love?"
He looked at her quizzically.
"Just exactly what do you mean,
Lorraine?"
1.-THE little shopgirl. Quacken-
bush's little model" She raised her
plucked eyebrows and shrugged
her shoulders. She hoped he would
not miss the inference in the Sec
ond phrase.
THAT lovely child?"
"She's shrewder than you think,
my dear man. Under her pretti-
ness, canine cleverness."
Then more power to her." he
said briefly, and turning, looked
back at the Inn expectantly, which
was not polite of him.
Lorraine decided she would
change her tack.
"As a matter of fact, it was
who found her job for her. She's
sort of protegee of mine"
(which accounts for the shrewd-
ness" he twinkled. He understood
Lorraine. She had been trying to
make fool Of the Randolph boy,
and she was annoyed that he was
now letting her down.
A thought struck him.
II wonder if anything's hap
pened to her?" He made as though