The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-11-09
CAST OF CHARACTERS

CAST OF CHARACTERS
JILL WENTWORTH, heroine,
attractive debutante.
NALAN JEFFRY, hero, ring
young artist.
BARRY WENTWORTH, JILL.
stepbrother.
JACK WENTWORTH, Jilrs
brother.
SYLVIA SUTTON. oil heires,.
Yesterday: Broken in spirit,
Alan returns TO his studio. A few
minutes later Ardath appears. In
desperation Alan, at Ardath's sug-
gestion, begins a portrait of her.
CHAPTER XVIII
The shining scarf had given Ar
oath a subtle allure. But some
thing was wrong. Those fat lit
tie curlS which had been pains
takingly pressed down over her
forehead, held in place by thick
blond braideS.
Alan frowned, and crossed the
room TO his dresser. He came back
with 2 comb.
Mind" he Queried. Without
waiting for her reply, he combed
out the curlS, released Ardath'S
young brow from the curly
screen,
"Oh, not at all Ardath an
swered Sarcastically. 1T doesn't
matter that | spend q dollar this
afternoon TO have my hair set like
that. Just 70 impress you"
"Fm much more impressed this
way" Alan'S voice was grim.
You have a classic brow. You
might be some young Greek god
dess. who has forgotten she is
carved OF stone. and has come TO
life. Ready to enthrall a mere
earthly man with her beauty.
Are you cnthralled?" Ardath
asked boldly
Pm no man. I'm an artist.
That is. Just now" 4 tide of color
had washed over A.an'S face.
"And afterward@" Ardath per-
sisted, softly.
Alan was bending over his
pants. He spoke slowly: After
ward-after this sitting, III still
be an artist. \ very tired artist
feeling that what he has done is
foolish and futile. And you'll be
a very weary girl. ready to call It
a day. As for that dollar. What
a price for fame. Maybe you'll
hang in the Metropolitan gal
lery."
"And maybe | won't" Ardath
thought with the cynciSm learned
in the hard school of experience.
Maybe. I'll gather dust in this
dump with q lot Of other painted
ladies. | wonder if he looked at
that Russian girl rs though nc
really didn't see her. And if she
felt as I'm feeling now"
EG<
Ardath couldn't have analysed
her own feelings. 4 chaotic COM
bination of anger. helpleSSneSS,
vanity, and what Ardath was &C
cuStOmed TO calling love" She
was being swept along by a swift
emotional current past the bOun-
daries of restraint and dignity.
Take your handkerchief and
rub off some of that rouge on
your mouth" Alan commanded.
He watched her lightly touch her
lips with a handkerchief, and then
he crossed over 10 her.
Here, let me show you H
took the handkerchief and rubbed
vigorously. "Thcre. that's better.
A goddess who's getting a soul
doesn't have lips like a scarlet
poppy. Her lips are awakening
like rosy dawn. You're
trembling. Cold? Wait I'll build
up the fire. And maybe a cup of
coffee would help both of us. It's
going 10 be a long sitting"
Ardath'S lips curled contemptu-
ouSly as she watched him stir the
fire. Was there another man IN
the world who would have turned
down the invitation of her lips
while removing lipStick from
them? He had a heart of stone.
He had no heart at all. This was
going to be an entertaining eve
ming.
II was a long sitting, Alan
worked intensely, without words.
Twice he stopped TO bring coffee
and heap more coal on the open
fire.
Ardath found herself strangely