The Washington times., 1938-03-17

celia with violet shadows beneath
her eyes. After that day Marcelfa
avoided him. She never came to
the front desk for mail or the
cashing Of checks. He was never
even able to catch her eyes and
hold them Questioningly.
MAKES DATE
Then one night, late in August,
Marcella had telephoned from up.
stairs. She said in a wan little
voice, that somehow seemed fright
ened: Tommy. can you be out at
the lake tonight at 90" She didn't
wait for him to answer. She hung
up quickly as If some one had
come upon her Unexpectedly.
He had gotten off the kus at
Riverdals and had trU dyed
through the lonely stretch Of
woods that led to the place by the
lake where he and Marcella had
sat so often during the summer.
Marcella was there ahead Of him.
waiting. When she saw him she
gave a pitiful little cry and came
hurrying toward him. She buried
her face against him and chung to
him.
Tommy! Tommy"
He did not speak. The words
he might have uttered were gross
in the singing sweetness Of the ST.
lence that linked them.
Later, she told him she was GO
ing to be married in November. To.
Baron Hans Won DreyfuSs. Her
mother had urged it; there had
been a scene, tears, threats.
She couldn't, she said, let her
mother down. Mrs. Drake had
lived for just such brilliant mar
riage; every move she had made
since Marcella was a tiny mite in
a handkerchief-SiZed frock from
Paris and square-toed shoes had
been made with such a wedding in
mind. So she had agreed on one
condition-that it be a nominal
marriage.
Hans only wants my money"
she had explained, carefully, "and
mother only wants his title In the
family. Loving you as I do, Tom
my-it-it couldn't De any other
kind Of marriage!"
Then she had said, suddenly,
with her face very pale and blind.
ing tears in her dark eyes. Tom
my. how can I marry a man like
Hans. He terrorizeS me, Tommy.
There's nothing he does I can put
my finger on-no actual refine-
ment or cruelties. But there's o
light that comes into his eyes
whenever he looks at me like
a reflection of some inward poison
=. like cloudy waters from a con- i.
taminated source, somehow, I
don't know. get cold and my skin
creeps and I'm deathly afraid
Of him, Tommy. How can marry
a man with eyes like that! How
can ~" And then she hal lifted
her face to his, the words catch
ing in her throat, "Oh, Tommy,
darling-what's to become Of US
what's to become Of us!"
CHAPTER VI
A long while later, when Gloria
called that dinner was ready,
Tommy went slowly down the
steps into the tiny dining room.
He thought, truculently: IF Hans
Won Dreyfuss doesn't make Mar
celia happy, I'll I'll His
mind didn't finish the thought.
but there was a grim set to his
jaw and his eyes burned fever
ishly. Then he was in the dining
room, swinging one long leg over
a chair.
Sitting at the small table in
candlelight were Isabel, Gloria,
Rodney and Henry Drake, who
had just dropped in. Gloria was
saying, brightly, too brightly,
Tommy thought, II waved my
wand - and presto! there was
dinner!"
For my part" said Isabel, Il
shall be glad when the human
race gives up cooking. When all
you'll have to do Is call up the
corner drug store and have them
deliver you enough capsules to
take care of meals for a month"