Evening star., 1940-09-08

my valet's room. I've given him the week of
and arranged to have your meals sent in
since understand you're not to leave the
apartment until the - ah - little affair"
He glanced at BouBous huge feet and
hands, and WINGED. And - ah - for heaven S
sake try not to break anythingr
BouBou nodded dumbly But in staring
around he had caught sight of something that
impelled him to speech. Say, mister" he
said family. What - what's that"
Calignac followed his gaze ''Oh, that
That's statue of Diana Perfectly hideous.
but it's gift from my uncle. so it can't be
thrown out. Now, I've some magazines for
you, and books and pack of cards -"
Magazines. books a pack of cards were so
much waste paper to BouBou the statue was
another matter. He regarded Calignac with
almost equal distaste "Hideous," he had said.
How did he get that way?
DIANA" he whispered to himself. Say,
that's nice. That's real pretty name"
The statue stood just inside the entrance
to the room. A little less than life size, it
portrayed Diana, the Grecian huntress, stand
ing on tip-toe as if poised for the chase, a
robe flung loosely around her slim form, one
ann inert by her side, the other raised and
half-ponting 1t was the figure of beautiful
gnl. and somehow the sculptor had infused
into it all the radiant freshness of youth
IT FASCINATED BouBou more and more in
the days that followed 1t was as if one of
the incredible young women he had seen in
the movies had by some magic been trans
ported into the same room with him - except
that Diana was even more beautiful Every
one said that he was stupid BouBou knew,
but even very simple fellow may dream,
and Diana might have come out of his most
secret dreams. Her lovely lips were forever
smiling and her eyes were forever tender,
and her arm forever held out - to him, if he
stood in just the right position
Nevertheless, during the first days BouBou
did not dare to come too close to the statue.
He would approach it timidly, when Calignac
was out or asleep, and stand respectful dis
tance away. staring at its features He felt
vaguely that if he drew nearer Diana would
object. For what was he in comparison to her?
An ugly. hulking clumsy OK except when
it came to opening safe, of course
Not until the fourth day did he muster
up enough courage to come closer For that
he had done an extraordinary thing.
He had washed himself all over. 1t was a
peculiar and definitely unpleasant sensation,
but somehow, looking at Diana, he felt that
she appreciated it. The next day. shuddering,
he washed himself all over again. Madness.
perhaps, but it was worth it, for early that
evening, when Calignac was out, it embol-
1ened him enough to 60 right up to Diana
md stand next to her - and actually to look
iown into her eyes.
They seemed to return his worshipful gaze
more tenderly than ever before He could have
worn that light shone in them, and breath
essly he fancied that the arm with the point
ng forefnger was stretched out as if beckon-
ng to him, to him alone
He was uplifted to dizzy heights A rapt ex-
ression tansfgured his face. He was hap
ler than he had ever been in his life.
The moment OF spiritual ecstasy was shat
cred when Calignac suddenly entered the
oom. His pale cheeks were flushed and his