The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-06-23

tlQSneQ a llIle ueSauoS viz ~,
looked sympathetic-as though he
knew the American girl who ran
away from her fiance on her we'd
ding night, was disappointed that
he had not telephoned her. Very
we'll, Bob might be with Roslta
now -.Rosita with the lacquere:,d
hair of ebony, the lacquered nails
of shining red. Marcia straight
ened her shoulders under the black
wool frock whose, wide cape was
lined with white wool, threw her
bright head higher as though Its
white pill-box, that was really a
hat, was a crown, and clutched
her bag and gloves.
She had not deceived Phil. "Pm
not making out so well, either"
he said ruefully, and she saw that
his blue eyes were narrowed, al
though his mouth laughed. If
it's the gold-striped count Camil-
la wants, I'll send her a silver tea
service for a wedding present
but I have my doubts of his devo-
ton"
He didn't sound particularly
sad. More like an older brother
defending a favorite. sister.
81 wonder if you are in love"
Marcia said, because she had so
little thought of herself when she
mentioned love to Phil.
Maybe Pm too lazy to be in
love-" he answered, but she knew
that there was too much strength
in his stubborn jaw, too much
power in the long, lean body for
| him to step aside because an OBJ
stacle had to be vanquished. An
whether it were noun
tain to be tunneled, or a count
with a military uniform to be
sent back to his embassy.
1t was a warm, bright day, so
they got a car and went out to
Versailles. They strolled through
the Petite Trianon, up and down
and all around the story-book
houses which had belonged to
Marie Antoinette, her doctor, and
her minister. Suddenly Phil was
talking about the Pampas again,
and she was letting the park Of
the Petit Trianon become some
thing vaster, higher, more ma
jestic than a queens home had
ever been. 1t was new, vital, life
in the making. Half-laughing,
they climbed into the car again
and went down the road to YER
sailles. They did not enter the
palace but watched the fountains
play. 1t was nearly dusk when
they came again to see the CONT
nentale.
ut was beautiful day." Mar
cia said.
"Thank you for ocming," Phil
answered. "Let's do it again be-
fore | sail"
81 won't let you forget" Marcia
answered, not thinking at all OF
her answer but wondering already
if Bob had left message. Surely
by now he had. Half-afraid, she
asked again for her mail and tele--
phone calls. Bob, it appeared, had
tried to reach her three times.
Camilla, meantime, was having
tea in a garden overlooking the
water at the Bots. JIMMY was sit
ting across from her and she,
could see his uniform shimmering
! in the mirrored surface when she
glanced down. The Count Won
Wormstedt had proposed just as
Camilla had expected him to do.
He was handsome. He wooed with
flattering charm. He bowed over
her hand. And he wore a uniform
we'll. He had offered Camilla his
heart, his title, and his castle by
the Danube. The mansion did not
boast steam heat, furnace, or
plumbing. 1t was pile Of old
gray stones along the river. OF
course it might exchange its can
dies and oil lamps for electricity,
it's small stoves for a great fur
nace-if she bought them, Camilla
unused. She wondered if Jimmy
had thought of that. She won
dered, too, if polo ponies might
not be waging a scrimmage in his
mind even as he asked her to mar
ry him. Jimmy rode well. His
pictures appeared on sports pages
and in rotogravure sections.
When he had come to New York
the winter before the names OF
several women had been linked
with his, but gradually he had
focused his interest on Camilla.
She had known, at first, that it
was because she had a great deal
of money. Later she wondered II
he might not like her for herself.
Now, facing him across the
small table, in a nook that was
clustered in foliage, she thought
again of money. 1t was BOb's rea--
son for choosing Marcia, she had
heard. If Bob would do that, why
not the count? 1t was cockeyed
world in which love didn't seem
to matter-just something which
went on the gold standard. I'm.
less, of course, one considered
Phil-she had never been able to
accept or to reject Phil.