The Washington times., 1937-02-25

magnificent cape of silver TO
There you are. Denise Moth.
er'S resting; Fathers Conferrlng
with creditors downtown still-he
telephoned he would be home to
dinner; and you look about as dis.
turbed as l ever saw you. Surely
you're not taking bankruptcy so
hard. It's become so common,
place. Fathers just trifle late.
though, to be fashionable. Thirty
two would have been a more pop.
ular year than thirty-four. Still.
one can't choose ones times and
occasions completely, can one?"
She blew smoke at the high cell
ing. her lovely eyes narrowed, and
waited for an answer.
Denise said: I'm sorry for them
They'll have to leave this house. u
Felicia shrugged. why does
anyone want a house, when a pent-
house is so much easier to run?"
Father and Mother won't have
money to move to a penthouse"
Her sister looked at her, sur,
prisedly. Il wasn't meaning, Let
them eat cake I was just talk
ing while you caught your breath
What is the matter with you
Denise? You aren't usually SO
literal"
Nothing"
Felicias hazel eyes opened very
wide. She said You went out
with Keith Sheldie. Townes men
toned it. You return by yourself
in a state. Did he fail to say that
he'd look after you and yours
while breath was in him?"
At that bit of percipience from
one not usually given to percipi
ence in other peoples affairs, or
not even given to any apparent
interest in them, Denise gasped
Then, to her chagrin, two tears
slid out of the corners of her eyes
down her cheeks.
She could have trusted her
sister to ignore them. Felicia s
voice was completely matter of
fact; This time next year you'll
have forgotten him, or near
enough"
IT doubt it,"
would you be interested in my
philosophy of life, Denise?"
Felicia, what a darling you
are! You just talk on and on, as
If I were 5 and you were 9, and
were still consoling me for bump
on the head. I remember one day
you talked for two hours so fasci-
natingly about the clothes you
meant to have when you grew up.
that I forgot all my pains and
aches. That was the time I tried
on pair of mothers dancing
slippers and fell downstairs in
them"
We'll. I did achieve a good
many Clothes" Felicia said.
And practically everything
else you ever wanteN"
Felicia looked startled. "Practi.
cally is such a curious word. Any.
way, my philosophy of life, about
which you show no scrap of inter.
est, is that everything is of abSo.
lutely equal value. The variety of
the canapeS my butler presents
with cocktails is no more. no less.
important than a sunset" Her
voice didn't change at all When
She said: Didn't you know I had
broken heart once myself
Denise? I took it very hard, but
I told no one, so no one ever had
a chance to be amused at it OF
me"
Denise said: Duane! I should
have guessed, Felicia. I'm sorry u
CHAPTER III
Felicia's lovely white face was
composed, even Just slightly
amused, at herself or Denise
Denise could not tell. 1--WE been
married to Eustace three years;
Duane Fenton's been dead nearly
two. That, just now this minute
is the first time I've said the name
Duane Fenton, since my wedding
day-on the morning of which ]
said it to myself over and over, all
the time I was having my break,
fast and my bridesmaids were
lowering, as bridesmaids do. I said
it, to mySelf-as if three thousand
miles away he would hear me and
come"
The complete steadineSs of her
voice was somehow little dread.
ful. She said then: "So-no need
should mention that or him,
even once again. The only reason
for it, at all, is that I do want
you to know clearly that I under.
stand. Because there's something
I want you to do, quite quickly,
and you're more likely to do it if
you believe I know what I'm talk,
ing about"
Denise said: I'D do almost any.
thing for you, Felicia. I suppose
you would for me. We've always
got on, more than most people
All right, with that very slight
encouragement I shall make a
planned speech. What I want you
to do is not for me, but principally
for yourself, and a little for Father
and Mother. I want you to marry,
fairly Immediately, an enormously
rich husband"