The Washington times., 1938-01-05

was somehow impossible to con.
tinue gay evening in the presence
of that somber girl in the pale
gold frame. Wild and Lynn were
among the first to go.
May 1 drop in and call on you
some day soon?" Wild asked. II
want to talk to you about that
other picture of Lynn"
Rene nodded: ANY time"
Lynn's eyes were pleading.
Rene's commanding, as she said
goodnight to him.
And the two were silent as they
went to Lynn's apartment down
the street.
WILD CALLS ON RENE.
That next week, on an after.
noon before Wild was to meet
Lynn, he went to Rene's studio.
Rene was working, but he stopped
when Wild came.
Where's the picture?"
Gone. Went off yesterday.
Well soon know the worst"
Wild stared at the wall where
it had hung the previous satur-
day night.
IT can still see 1t, Rene. It's an
unpleasant picture! But q great
one"
You're wrong about 1t being
unpleasant: You're reading things
into it"
Wild thought a little. did you
ever see Lynn like that?"
I've see her unhappy and trou-
bled, if that's what you mean. I've
known her better than you have,
through a lot of trouble"
"She's always seemed so young
to me-"
"She is, but we've seen some
bad times together. I remember
her face through haze when I
was so sick last Spring. I suppose
a lot of that went into the paint
ing. There wasn't always enough
to eat"
Wild put that idea from him as
unbearable. He resented Rene
knowing Lynn as he did not. Later
he spoke Of that other portrait.
II want to buy it. That's the
way like to think Of her, moon
swept. It's a good canvas. I want
it to show our grandchildren"
Rene went, foraged about among
his canvases. and found it. When
he put it up on the nail where
the other had hung it seemed
somehow to have lost some Of its
power.
"It's nice, but it is inconsequen-
tial after the other" Rene said
judicially, as he looked at the
blue and silver picture. "It's too
much like a magazine cover"
II like it."
Rene laughed shortly: Then, it
will be your wedding present,
Wild" The idea seemed to amuse
him.
II won't let you do that"
you can't help yourself. I'd
like to think you owned it. have
a fondneSS for it myself. If I'm
going away, Lord knows when I'll
be back. Take it; it's yours"
So that is how Wild came into
possession of a picture that one
day was to be almost as famous
as Manhattan Idyl."
Wild tried to talk further to
Rene, but he seemed to have shut
a wall between them. 1t was as
though he had talked enough,
that he wanted Wild to leave.
and he did. But Wild was uneasy
and dissatisfied. There had been
so many things he wanted to ask.
But he had to leave them unsaid.
Later when Wild told Lynn
about their first wedding gift she
was furious. Her anger amazed
Wild.
I'VE can do things for Rene,
and we WILL" he said placatingly.
1T would have hurt him If
hadn't taken it, Lynn"
But her fury left her spent and
terrified. How could Rene! He had
done it deliberately. And Lynn,
with a heaVing sigh, knew that
later Wild would hate that picture.
Christmas was only two weeks
away now. Wild had made great
plans and Lynn planned to put
up a tall Christmas tree in Rene's
studio. They were to have a
Christmas Eve party for few of
the artists in Rene's building, and
Wild had promised to come for a
little while.
Wild had wanted Lynn to come
to Austin Manor for the holidays,
but when he finally broached the
subject to his mother she showed
her reluctance and he did not
force the issue. Time enough for
that later.
WHAT TO GIVE WILD
Rene hated the fuss of Christ
mas, found it all shallow and
boring, he said. But it was Rene
who helped Lynn out with a sug.
gestion for gift for Wild.
What can you do for a man
who has everything in the world?"
Lynn asked one morning when
she was resting for a moment.
She was dressed in Spring green.
a magazine cover for April, and
there were masses of apple bios
SONS about.
You might tell him the truth
for a change"
To Be Continued