The Washington times., 1938-03-08

New YORK.
Ellen looked up. She consideret
Leonard a moment before an
Swering.
He did look less strained thar
when he had come in. In tht
soft light of the fire he seemed tt
have shed at least five of his 8!
years.
IT never thought of it in JUS
that way before" Ellen said
Running an oasis seems to bt
about the best thing I do"
Meaning what?"
"Just that" Ellen lightly turned
the talk to other channels. Are
you going to the Chambers din
ner tonight?'
Leonard gave a resigned shrug
81 suppose so. AS luck would have
It, just after I'd accepted. a bid
came from the RollardS. Think OF
giving up the RollardS' food and
liquor for one of Mona Chand
ler's crazy parties. If I hadn't
known you we're going, I would
nave TenegeQ on IL.
THE BEST PEOPLE
"I'm flattered," Ellen said
dryly, "but I doubt if Mona
Chandler would be. I don't agree
with you about their parties.
Mona is one of the few people in
our set who has interesting and
different friends"
Different. all right" Leonard
laughed. Have you seen the
Western cowboy she's trailing
around right now? Mona has the
discrimination Of a friendly
puppy. Lord knows, with her back
ground, she ought to know who
the best people are, but she
doesn't"
'The best people" Ellen echoed.
"Just who are the best people, I
wonder?"
I'VE are" Conviction lay under
his bantering tone. He stood UP.
Thanks for the tea. I'll drop by
for you at eight" He held Ellen's
hand for a courtly moment. smil-
ing down with satisfaction on her
slim blonde sophistication. Don't
you go back on me, Ellen. You
and belong to the vanishing
race of perfectionists."
Ellen leaned a moment against
the door after Leonard had gone.
Yes, it was a charming room; an
oasis; the room of pertectlonlst:.
Ellen WINGED at the memory OF
Leonard's compliment.
REFLECTIONS
Funny how one word could
shatter a complacent habit Of
thought, pierce life with a sudden
awareneSs!
What was she getting out Of
this oasis, where Leonard and
others like him refreshed them
selves with her personality, plus
tea, her cocktails, her highballs,
according to the hour?
Ellen had known Leonard for
four years, now. She thought
back to the girl she had been at
Is, coming to New York with her
newly acquired freedom. Her
small inheritance was enough to
keep her from working, and to
allow her to mingle with her
mothers relatives and tn cir
friends.
A wistful smile broke the bitter
line of her mouth. Her poor
mother! Her dying thought had
been to have Ellen go back and
take her place in that -four hun
dred" that she had abandoned
when she married.
Old 1oyalties had opened the
door, and with Leonard for a de-
voted Prince Charming, the way
had been easy.
Extraordinary how she had ac-
cepted Leonard's standards, let
herself be nodded by him. But
women did that when they were
In love.
HATES TO WAIT
Ellen'S blue eyes darkened with
&C44144A4oNC4I PCbA44 do o1AC 4CAANCO
those humiliating days when,
finally, she had realized that
Leonard was never going to ask
her to marry him; that he was
the perennial bachelor and al
ways would be.
A startled glance at the clock
sent her hurrying to the bedroom.
Leonard hated to be kept waiting
when he had a taxi ticking away
the pennies.
On the way to the Chambers,
Leonard expatiated on Mona's
cowboy" "a giant hulk of a
fellow. 1t appears he married a
college friend Of Mona's. She
died a couple of years ago, leaving
him three little girls. He's on
here to get a governess or some
thing for them. Why Mona
bothers about him" their arrival
cut short his disgusted outline.
It didn't take Ellen long to see
why Mona bothered with John
Crane, when he gripped her hand
and smiled into her eyes at Mona's
gay introduction.
You're taking Ellen Redding
in, John. She's the perfect bach
elor girl; something you don't
have out West"
Ellen felt color slowly come to
her cheeks as she glanced up at
her dinner partner.
TALK FLOWS EASILY
He was tall and powerfully
built, with look of hard fitness
about him. His gray eyes had
warm glints of humor as he com