The Washington times., 1937-07-20

Sixty.two one may find oneself
learning to accept, even to vel
come, tranquility. Your mother
will have her housekeeping and
her flower garden and her chick
ems, and if I can put the fruit
trees on a paying basis, that will
be something useful as well as a
hobby to kill time. It'll work out
all right"
"But-Brock-" she Stammered.
His family have lots of money.
I mean, after all you've done for
me, surely I can do just a little
in return"
"The Milbank family have felt
the depression too" said her
father quietly. Besides, my dear
child, the old must not be a bur-
den on the young"
It was an incredible morning
A restless one. Ears keyed to the
sound of the telephone which so
far as Brock was concerned, did
not ring. Her father and mother
had presents for her. The white
satin lingerie set and boudoir
robe from her mother looked
awfully expensive. Toni whis-
pered: Don't you think, in the
circumstances, we should return
it?"
A hurt look came into her
mothers eyes. For your trous-
seau, darling"
At II o'clock, Toni 'phoned
Brooks office. She was told that
he hadn't come in yet.
But he was expected any min
ute. He had a II o'clock appoint
ment, and a couple of afternoon
appointments. Her spirits lifted.
Soon she would see him.
But it was a considerably
sobered Toni who dressed in the
burgundy fall suit, the smart We
lour hat to match, the dubonnet
suede shoes. Brock loved her to
dress we'll. and noticed every tiny
detail. She sighed as she remem-
bered that now her trouSSeau
would be scant one.
About to hail a taxi, she again
remembered altered circum-
stances, and walked three blocks
to one of the funny little street
cars that fly up and down San
Francisco's steep hills. Arrived
early at the hotel where she was
to meet Brock, she waited in the
lobby, watching the slow hands
Of the clock, wondering how Brock
would take the news of her
changed family fortunes.
She felt he had suspected that
her father would be affected by
the new taxation, as, in a lesser
degrees, his own father had been.
This suspicion became a certainty
when one of the girls in her set,
passing through the lobby, stared
increduously at Toni as though
amazed that, today Of all days,
she had dared to show herself in
public when she ought to be at
home comforting her parents.
Toni! You here! Why, Toni
I'm frightfully sorry! You
could have knocked me down with
a feather! II just saw it in
the papers! It's an awfully raw
DEAL"
The girls shocked concern
touched Toni. Tears Sprang to
her beautiful dark eyes.
That's awfully kind Of you,
Frannie." She contrived Shaky
smile. But every cloud has its
silver lining, and I've got mine
ahead of me-" Immediately she
said the words, she regretted
them. They sounded mercenary,
as though Brock were to restore
the family fortunes.
The girl stared as though she
imagined Toni had lost her mind.
Then with a nervous: you're mar
velous! Simply marvellous, taking
it like that!" she moved away,
murmuring something about
luncheon with Jim.
CHAPTER w
One o'clock. Five after one.
Ten after. One-fifteen.
Was it her imagination, or were
acqualntanceS-glrlS and boys she
knew casually-avoiding her as she
sat in the lobby of the hotel where
she had been won't to entertain so
lavishly?
Avoiding her, and then looking
over at her surreptitiously, whis-
pering about her, some with pity
ing looks and some with thinly
yelled Sneers.
Did the loss of ones money
mean, so quickly, the loss of pres
tige and of so-called friendship?
Were they afraid she might try to
borrow from them? That she was
here without an invitation, trying
to horn in on luncheon or some.
thing?
(TO Be Continued)
Copyright, 1887, by King Features
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