The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-28
CHATTER VIII

Patty had dropped by Alan's studio for a cheering word and also with Q practical suggestion.
 Had he ever done Illustrating? ? There was . chance her publisher might be interested in having him submit some sketches.
 Alan thanked her. But color was his forte. He would feel aS helpless as an armless man trying to express himself through any medium but paint.
 ':I've had some good fortune since saw you" Alan said. "A mar-1 haven't been able to discover who he was-bought one of my pictures through Q dealer. He paid the ur- helievable sum of 5000 for 1t"
 "What 6 breakl" Patty cried. She was genuinely pleased and bewild- cred. Here, she had been giving the old town Q black name for coldness and callousness. And straightway 1t had taken this newcomer to It's heart.
 The bewilderment lasted all the way round the corner to her apart- ment, where she found Ardath Holm stretched out on one of the cots, the lowered cover in Q wrin- kled heap on the floor.
 Patty lifted the cover, folded 1t carefully and placed 1t on Q chair. Oh, well, you couldn't have . neat room and half of the rent paid.
 ''Come to lfe," she said to Ar. dath. "Wonders do happen. That painter fellow has just sold Q pic. ture for $3,000. What do you think of that for nice piece of lucky"
 Ardath sat up and stared at Patty out of her strange eyes, which now had an excited glow in them.
 "Tell me about It," she said In her low, throaty voice.
 "Not much to tell" Patty replied. s'T don't think he knows SO very much about 1t either. He said some- one-he didn't know the mans name-had bought . picture through Q dealer" ..
 "F1e must have some big friends, Ardath drawled. She reached for c cigaret and began to smoke, lazily regarding the circling smoke through half-closed eyes.
 Patty was digesting the remark. She rejected 1t scornfully. "He does not know anybody. The seediest crew of people you could imagine have been coming in to see his pictures. Except for . lot of browsing down and outs, he knows only you and me-and Jill."
 She stopped. There was . queer smile in Ardath's eyes.
 'HIer voice sounds rich," Ardath drAwled.
 Patty stared. This Ardath wasn't 50 dumb after all. Jill's voice did sound rich. Well-bred, beautifully nodulated. The voice of c thorough bred, who had had thoroughbred training. What did you know about thatP
 swell, 1t should" Patty replied. "IIer fathers John H. Wentworth, the millionaire"
 'aThen, she's Jacqueline Went- worth," Ardath gasped.
 sOf course. Her friends call her JiN."
 "I thought her face seemed familiar" Ardath stammered. i've modelled dresses for her mother, and once she came in. I didn't think she was much interested in clothes. l couldn't place her the other day-it didn't occur to me-"
 Meeting her here, 1t wouldn't" Patty supplied, dryly. "We were friends at school, and Jill doesn't forget her friends"
 If you think Jill had anything to do with this, you're mistaken" Patty continued, grossly. "Jill was wild for him to sell something. But even c rich mans daughter doesn't go around throwing money away on pictures"
 Maybe she wouldn't be throwing 1t away-on @ picture" Ardaths voice sounded wise.
 Thinking 1t over, Patty came to the conclusion that Jill must have interested some of her wealthy friends in Alan's picture-if she had not been, as Ardath had hinted, the actual purchaser. It wasn't likely that c purchaser had dropped out of the skies and left such tangible evidence of his visit.
 But she would not tell Ardath Holm this. She wished fiercely that she had not said word about 1t. Though. she couldn't see how Jill