The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
CHAPTER ~THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
"Nicky!" Such a bad boy!" Their
was affectionate reproach in Ger
trude de Ligne's voice as she swep
into her drawing in a sWlr
of black chiffon and bore down OF
'Nicky who kissed the slender nam
she held out to him.
Should have paid my party call
May I be forgiven" he pleaded, no
bo fervently. Gertrude, he saw a
0hce, had Sent for him either Il
ask something Of him or to lind gu
something she wished to know.
wasn't it a lovely weoolng'
But I've been so lonesome, Nlcky,
She, said pathetically, distributing
the folds of her gown over h edge
OF the amber brocade chair. nc
Rave,. both my children leave me
fKInulte lucky that you'll be q
,ragner and know what it is to lose
y0traehildren."
.Yol've still got the twins" he
.Reinted out.
,-aflBuE they're in school in switzer'
AAnG1o7she said sadly. And nov
Dicksisz SO far away and Fablenne
&4E deah, Nicky -. what am
tKeG about Fabienne?"
HEakrugged and offered her his
s s's3:@:': whats the matte,
.Iha6s what I hoped you could
teff me. You and I are closer TO
s9Eaztsaee than anyone else, CARING.
@Sometimes I think you are
Mcloser thar 1 am. I've let my little
HZirl get away from me. But your
kbeautiful attachment goes on With
Sout interruption
A Morton came in at that
Awithi a tray of cocktails n saved
ENickv from making the reply Ger
Htrude obviously expected.
& He shook his head when Morton
Mbrought the tray to him. "On the
n wagon," he explained.
IA Gertrude wrinkled her bro"s
q ouizzically, but she smiled at him'
mot really: Why, Nicky?'
: working" he said. "The Bart
lett company discourages morning
after headaches. An office boy has
to keep his wits about him.
"Working. You?" Gertrude tor-
got her picturesque pose.
THAT'S right. A guys got to set
tie down some time
Gertrude relaxed. She said CELL
gGTNl1- yTJ1 ana L d.
bienne-"
"sure. We've both settled down
to work. 1t gives US both a KICK
Gertrude, annoyed at the way
he'd turned the conversation took
it firmly in hand.
"Nicky, you've got to help me
about Fab. I'm not at all happy
about her. In the first place, shes
practically made me a Laughing
stock. Everybody knows what a
cruel blow it was to find that grand
father had left the old Wlllough-
bv house to a settlement organiza-
ton. And then for Fab to boldly
O the same cause wen
it's pretty obvious, isn't it, that
she did it for no other reason than
TOTO make me unhappy"
81 don't think you do Fab JUS
tice," he told her quietly.
Justice. ! Justice. When I am
irving to save her from her own
folly, I'm ambitious for my daush-
ter, Nicky, and it hurts me to see
her doing something she can only
regret later. Fab wasn't meant for
the sort of thing she's doing"
"She seems to like it. She's USE
full, she's - she's swell. She's only
waiting for a chance to go back to
the full-time job she had before"
ooh" Gertrude said, her train OF
thought arrested. you mean she's
not working at the settlement
house"
only on that little theater thing.
Bill Mallory doesn't think she's
strong enough to take on a full
load"
"And this DR.. Mallory" she said
casually. do you think Fab is in
terested in him?'
ST think she's head over heels IN
love with him. If it comes off,
you're to be congratulated"
Gertrude had other ideas. she
said, Nonsense, it's only an infat-
uation. You're the only person she
ever really cared for, my dear" Ger
trude was too wise in such matters
to embarrass Nicky n further, SO
she hurried to say, eff you could
only get her away from that wretch
ed place where she iives.'
Nicky's expression chilled. He
eaid, "Have you ever seen it,"
mo, but I don't have to. I met
that little Miss what is her
name? -. Oh, yes, Chapman. She
was al the wedding. You remember?
Would you say that she was the sort
of person that Fab is: So common,
Nicky."
Nicky got up. '1've got to run
along, Gertrude, but I want to say
one thing before I do. It's this
Fab is getting to be the sort Of
person Ellen is. And a good thing
Ellen is a girl in a million"
For a long time after Nicky left
Gertrude sat calmly, studying hel
folded hands, thinking Of the dis
closures Nicky had made. "Sc
that's the way the land lies" she
said softly. '"Fabienne is falling in
love with a penniless doctor and
Nicky finds the little Chapman e
<yirl in q million Til have to dc
something about such a r%idiculou:
situation"
When the Comtesse de Ligne made