The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-01-02
. SERIAL STORY
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You're Just about my size land
height. When I've dressed you up,
you'll be ravishing.'
Mary began shutting through
the closet where the beautiful
gowns had been hung. Her eyes
elistened when she came to the
Robin Hood red frock, slim
bodied and with a skirt that fell
in ripping cascades of chiffon.
In the darkness Of the closet she
pressed its folds to her face. TINS
was the dress she had worn the
night when she had first met VIM
cent. Suddenly, all the rapture OF
her romance came flooding back.
She remembered Vincent's first
words after they had been intro
duced. rs it you or the dress
that's SO gorgeous ?" he had asked
with that intriguing uplift of his
left brow.
Demurely she had answered,
Its the dress" And all the time,
of course, she was trying not to
show her breathlessness at meet
ing this gentleman soldier.
Vincent had answered.: why, to
be sure. Probably when I meet
you for lunch tomorrow III ask
myself how I could have thought
you were the most beautiful girl
I'd ever seen"
It had been like that. Swift,
inevitable, love that had thrown
them together in the midst of a
war-mad world.
But that was in Paris in Sep
TENDER. This was now, aboard the
Moravia, blowing through winter
seas to New York.
Mary turned to Anna with the
red dress. This is what you're
going to wear"
Anna Winters touched the GRIM
son dress. "Oh, no, couldn't"
she protested. IT'S too beautiful
for me. I'd be out of place in it.
I couldn't
But you will" Mary said firm
ly, land we're going to start right
now to make you a knockout"
Annals brown hair was brushed
into swirl with clusters of curls
pinned over her ears to give
breadth to the pinched face. All
the tricks of the trade Mary had
learned as a fashion designer were
brought into play.
The new flag-red lipstick, the
tawny pale powder, the alluring
eye shadow paste-these came out
of kit to make Anna blossom
from DARKNESS to charm.
Mary's own shimmery lingerie,
sheer stockings, and gold slippers
went on her cabin mate. And
lastly, the Robin Hood scarlet
dress.
Anna Winters gasped as she
stared at the mirror. She was
lovely
There" said Mary, while
Rome burns you're going to dance,
Anna. You look like something
out of a fairy tale-a beautiful
damsel waiting for a Prince
Charming to claim you. And who
knows, maybe one will"
Anna glowed with an inward,
radiant happiness. I'll wait for
you." she said.
Mary shook her head. mo,
you're to make your entrance
alone. I'll join you later after I've
had a chance to make myself
properly alluring."
The English girls eyes suddenly
brimmed with ears. Il want you
to KNOW" she began in a muted
voice, that you've made me hap
pier tonight than I've ever been
in my life"
For a minute, the two girls
looked at each other-the gentle
goyerness and the American styl-
ist. So unlike, and yet at this min
ute, so strangely the same. Same
slim. graceful figures-same smart
coiffeurs, and more-hidden grief
in their hearts.
Mary Carroll knew then taat
this minute would be stamped in
her mind for all time. Nothing
could ever blot it out. In life
time. she would never forget Anna
Witersr standing before her like
a bright red flame-tragic and
/ beautiful.