The Washington times., 1936-07-21

lucky"
Jimmy flushed a little. Luana
saw it. He went over to the bar.
She thought, with little pang:
Il might have known they would
be after him, tooth and NALL"
She forced herself to talk
brightly to Mr.. Vandaveer, how
ever, and answer his wen-meant
inquiries.
How did she like New York by
now? HOW did the work go?
Jimmy came back with the
brandy flip for the debutante.
She exclaimed loudly: What?
No drink for yourself? Here,
waiter, a Scotch for the gentle
man." Grabbing the glass from
tray she thrust it at Jimmy.
with tnas divine shade of hair,
don't spring the bad news on me
that you're on the water wagon?"
Jimmy laughingly denied the i'm
parchment.
They drank together.
Presently the orchestra broke
into a ightsome tune. The girl
grabbed him by the arm. Come
on. Let's dance"
He turned in the direction of
Luana, out the girl pulled him off.
Through the open doorway
Luana had glimpses of them, the
wretched child with her face lit
orally buried in Jimmy's shirt
front.
Two new men came in the bar
and were presented to Luana. One |
of them asked her to dance. She |
agreed.
She prctended to be unaware of
Jimmy and his partner. She |
chatted gayly with her own. Their |
faces being on a level, talking was |
easy.
His opening remark was prac- |
tically the same as that of the girl |
who was now dancing with Jimmy |
so rapturoUsly. He said: Where
have YOU been hiding all this
time?"
Luana laughed. Nice that some !
one appreciated her, since Jimmy
was so very much occupied! She
flirted little. Let it teach Jimmy
a lesson. I'm a woman of mys-
terry. I onlv appear at the cocktail
hour" This was her very first
cocktail party, but he must not
know that.
II suppose you're fresh from
schcol?" here a man cut in on
them. His partner relinquished
Luana with a humorous: Line
forms to the left"
She was glad that Jimmy saw
she was successful. He was still
grinning fatuously with the same
partner. She told herself: Don't |
look their way. Pretend you're
having grand time. Give him a
little of mis- own medicine.
A third man cut in on Luana. !
Jimmy locked longing over at her. |
Fervently he wished that someone
would remove the incubus from
his arms!
He thought: 81 must look swell
with this snub nose buried in my
Shirt"
The music came to an end. He
parked her at the bar. Esca.Se now,
in search of Luana.
But Luana was surrounded by a
bevy of new admirers, so that he
could not get anywhere near her.
He could only see the top of her
hat, hear her musical laugh.
He went back into the bar and
ordered himself a second Scotch
highball. His recent partner had
found friend at the counter, for
which he was duly thankful
He told himself that cocktail
parties we're not in his line. Why
on earth had he come?
Because Luana had asked him
to. Because he found his mind con-
tinually reverting to Luana, these
spring days that we're so magic.
A second conservatory lay d.
rectly beyond the one in which the
musicians were playing. He would
go in there and have a cigarette.
He had no wish to watch Luana
flirting with other men, as she ap-
peared to be doing, and enjoying
it to the full.
He seated himself beside a little
fountain that .dripped pleasingly.
The place was empty.
He lit his cigarette and thought
of Luana. Who was he to spoil her
fun? Among the rich, important
men here, what was he but a detri-
ment?
Ito Be COntinued)
Copyright 1888. by King Features