The Washington times., 1938-03-09

flash against the bright scarlet
Of ner mouth Rodney laughed,
too, apo then he said:
what are you doing tonight2
Now, don't tell me you're going
to sit at home with a book.
Books are just an escape from
reality. I'm an OF extrovert.
Got to have my reality. How
does dinner at Martins sound?"
For a moment Gloria didn't
answer. When she did her voice
sounded happy and terribly
young. She said, her lashes
wirlking quickly: II have hus-
band and IA children at home.
Still want to take me?"
"You," said Rodney, "are q
teller of very tall tales. You're
Gloria Lee. found that out.
And you know I'm Rodney Call
man. saw You asking Barney
about mel" When Gloria's
cheeks famed, Rodney went on:
"Look, don't eat with my
knife. l don't take off my
shoes in public. -" He paused
a second.
Outside, the bride and bride
groom were departing in a
shower of rice, the wedding
party preparing tc follow. There
was laughter, car doors slam
ming, the doorman'S voice
Shrieking numbers.
Rodney said: Sounds like
Clusters last stand, doesn't it?"
And then: please say you'll
have dinner with me, Gloria"
Gloria smiled. what" she
said lightly. "have I got to
lcse?" But she thought, per-
haps prophetically, "Only my
heart, I suppose"
SWELL" said Rodney. "I'l
pop back at 7. You'll know me.
I'll have a red rose between my
teeth" And, With a gay laugh,
he hurried off.
DOESN'T LOOK DANGEROUS
TOMMY came out from behind
l. the main desk and over to
Gloria. He was only 20 and
yet, since the death of their
father last year, he had assumed
the role of counselor to his
mother and two sisters. He said
now, Careful, Clio. That was
Rodney Callman talking with
you. He's rich and he's not the
marrying kind. He has a way
with him. And when a rich
man who isn't the marrying
kind begins paying attentions
to a poor, unknown girl, then
=. you know"
Gloria tried H. smile. She
said: Don't be melodramatic,
Tommy. Rodney Callman
doesn't look particularly danger
Gus to me-"
"And neither" said Tommy.
furiously, "does a bottle Of
poison until you've had a dose
of it,"
Gloria wanted to tell her
brother that che didn't care
whether Rodney was a marry
ing man or not; all she knew
was that she was N love with
him and that this had been the
most disturbing and the most
beautifully thrilling morning OF
her life.
Rodney said something like
that, too-not, Of course, In
superlatives--when he pulled up
in front Of the Lee bungalow one
Saturday night and sat there
lazily by Gloria's side. He said
softly:
"Well, we've had ourselves a
time these last two weeks,
haven't we? Dinners, drives,
movies, night clubs-such as
they are in this burg. like you,
mutt. Let's step out a lot,
shall we? How about tomor.
row evening-and tomorrow and
tomorrow and tomorrow"
Gloria said: Nov let me see
" and she lifted her blue
eyes. II have so many i'm
portant things to do tomorrow
and tomorrow and tomorrow.
But I might be able to sanwich
you in"
WHAT SHE WANTED
Rodney met that gaze with a
grin. You're a lovely little liar!
You're aching to go places with
mel" And then the grin faded.
He looked at Gloria wonderingly,
completely serious and Rod
ney Callman was so seldom seri-
Gus! He said: Gloria, what do
you want from life? You claim
you have no buried talents. no
burning desire to paint or write
Or express yourself creatively.
No desire for a career"
Gloria smiled. That's right.
And it's darned original OF me,
isn't it? Every ones blazing
trails or following magnificently
in old ones. I thought they all
needed an audience for their
accomplishments and So-here
am I-eager and ready to ap-
plaud!"
But you do want something.
don't you, Gloria? Every one
wants something rather ter
ribly."
Gloria caught her breath. She
couldn't say: "YeS, Rodney, I
do. want you. I've never
wanted anything or any one