The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-03-16
LOVE LAUGHS
II TIE DOC J OK
~ &, MORE cowAN STONE Copyright. 1885, HEA Service Inc
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CONSTANCE MAIDWELL

CAST OF CHARAC EMS
CONSTANCE MAIDWELL--
heroine; the stand-in. -.
DEREK MANTHON-an artist
who loved money first.
HILDEGARDE THORVALD-
Derek painted her portrait.
DR.. ROGERS-he met his most
difficult case.
Yesterday: Connie gets her first
letter from Derek, Drumming with
his own plans. Then she looks Tor
the news she really wants to hear
1.-THE trip has been delightful, ,
Derek wrote on. 81 could not
have imagined such luxurious
comfort in so confined 4 space.
The sunset was magnificent this
evening"" As Constance read,
she began to feel chilled and very
tired. Every word seemed TO
carry Derek farther and farther
away from her. Some day,
after Pve painted the portraits OF
the whole California gold coast,
wen buy US Il plane, and | shall
paint sunsets from above the
clouds for the rest of my days
with you beside me- to hold my
brushes, darling.
"Miss Tho,vald, by the way,
took Il great fancy TO you. she
says you make her think of the
kind Of object dart that dealers
put into windows all alone by
themselves - like an exquisite
Japanese print or q bit Of jade,
for inStance-becauSe they are so
completely perfect and finished in
themselves. | did not tell her of
al the things you make me think
OF. They are too sweet and too
precious for other ears. | have
hardly dared think about you all
afternoon. Still less shall | dare
tomorrow"
Was Derek perhaps thinking
about her Ut this minute-remem-
bering that in q few hours they
were to have been going away to-
gether-alone?
"But, perhaps. she read on,
1--WE shall be even happier after
this brief separation, than we had
dreamed possible before. And be-
lieve me, darling, the delay will
be as brief as human devising can
make it. AS soon as We are set
tied at the ranch, l shall begin to
pave the way for. your coming.
. Meantime. kiss your hands
and your eyes and your mouth,
--.. Derek."
Constance read that last para
graph four times. Then, catching
n glimpse of herself in the mirror
before her. she dabbcd at her
eyes and thought, ! mustn't do
this. What will the aluminium
dowager in the unspeakable hat
think if I march in to lunch with
a red nose and bleary eyes?
For the first time she began to
consider the problem Of her cos.
tune for that luncheon with the
wealthy Mrs. Major.
Miss Taft had said that she
must look her smartest. And most
of her smarter clothes were al
ready packed. There remained at
hand only her wedding dress, the
tailored pin-stripe suit, the gray
knitted dress, and the bouffant
gray coat. 1t seemed sacrilegc
to put on one of these. But after
all, Constance thought a little
grimly, just now that Job with
Mrs. Major was bread and butter.
The weather. had cleared, but it
was chilly. The ,pin-striped suit
would not be warm enough. After
struggle, Constance put on a
gray hand-knitted dress, expen-
sively warm and soft as a cloud.
1t had just the, right air of in
formality-a deceptive simplicity
combined with a tricky smart
ness. She could wear it with the
cherry hat and bag and her old
gray squirrel jacket. But, no.
The squirrel jacket had gone TO
the cleaner, and had not yet come
back. Another SIS when it
does, Constance thought. She
must have that job.
She smoothed gray silk stock
ings over her slim ankles and put
on gray suede shoes and the pert
cherry colored hat. Then, in the
end, she took down the bouffiant
gray coat which had been her
greatest extravaganza, with the
swirl of fur about the hem and
the soft flare of fur at the necks.