The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-02
CHAPTER V

JONnnyS s relleI LLldI Jedu dIlu 0uS hadn't combined forces to scratch Molly's eyes out vanished when he caught the look of triumph in Jeans glance. She wanted Molly to come to tea. How could she have known that Molly'S whole point in this visit to the Meltons' was to in- crease her list of patrons for the Wharf Theater? He wondered Ii he should warn Molly that the kit ten had claws.
 After all, Jean couldn't get him back by this method. He was more under Molly's spell than ever. He hadn't wanted a scene between the two of them, and apparently he wasn't going to get a scene. on the bare face of it, the facts pointed to reasons for rejoicing. Even Jean, with her arm around Molly, leading her back toward the house didn't convince him that all of this was on the level, how ever.
 Come along and meet all of us" Jean said. and Johnny 1ol- lowed them back across the lawn.
 The rest of the evening passed so smoothly and uneventfully that Johnny began to think he was unduly suspicious of Jeans ul- terior motives. Sue reluctantly rallied round and Molly was soon a part of every group. Molly sat on the green lowered love-seat and told them enchantingly about the Theater.
 She mimicked MT. Earl and they howled with delight. She told them how acting was taught at the dramatic school and they loved her for letting down Ter hair.
 Are you in the first play?" Jean asked her.
 "I,m an old, Tod lady" she said in a voice like Miss Bessie Car stairs. But I ought to be glad to get that. Apprentices seldom have a line except, "Moddom, tea is served Nobody wanted that part of the old lady, so they let me try out. I don't care about parts. All want to do is to act
 Molly was telling Sue good night, when Johnny went to find Jean. He had watched her as she sat on a cushion beside the empty fireplace, smoking cigaret after cigaret. When she did speak. 1t was only to urge on Mo1ly's nnonolog.
 "Youve been a swell sport, Taern Johnny told her. You could have been pretty nasty about all this. And I do thank "Dont thank me-" Jean said curtly. And don't pity me. I'm not going to be a dog in the wood pile, but she's still got to do a lot of proving"
 why, you acted as if you thought she was lovely. l don't get you women" He was more bewildered than ever.
 Don't you?" she asked bitterly. ssWell. this isn't any trap. I'm clearing out the minute I find out she loves you. Personally, l thlnK she's stage struck"
 .sYou're jealous, and I've been giving you credit for noble ges- ture. You thought she'd cut a lot of rope and hang herself, didn't you? And now that everybody likes her. you're mad"
 Here we go around the null berry bush" Jean chanted. T suppose it never struck you that this whole little aaffir bores me just a little"
 Molly came back just then, and Jean flashed her the sweetest of smiles.
 See you Thursday at 4:so'
 All the way home Molly kept telling Johnny how wonderful everybody was.
 And Jean Reynolds is the incest person I ever met. At first, I thought you weren't telling me the truth about you two. Then when I met her, knew if you'd ever gotten a whirly from a gal like that, you wouldn't have looked twice at little Molly Travers."
 "So you've gone into long divi- sion, or is it algebra? If I were you. I'd stay away from mathe- matics. You always get the wrong answers. I've had plenty of time to analyze the way I feel about you. The weather saw to that" Johnny put his arm around her and they went down the dark vil- lage street. q knew if I'd lost you forever, my life was empty. But what do you think of me? Do you really care?"
 She was in his arms again, and he was kissing her.
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