The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-10

and DedutlIul.
NICKY BARTLETT, wealthy and i
love with Fabienne.
yesterday: Gertrude, Fabienne
ambitious mother, IL distraush
when she learns that Grand1athe
Elihu Willou2hby leaves his entlr
fortune to charity.
CHAPTER TWO
"Perfect entrance" Fablenne WINS
tered to no one in particular Whei
Nicky Bartlett came into the draw
Ing room.
His smile, Leneath his neat mus
tache, was a blend of anticipation
rnd realized pleasure. His eyes IN
GUIDED ali of them as he went di
rectly to Gertrude de Ligne and ben
over her hand. Rising, he spoke t.
Edna Willouehby, gave his hand Il
Mark and then TO Dick and came L
tand beside Fabienne, as if that were
his place.
She said, "Hl, Teller, how'd yo'
know this was the psychological mo-
ment to arrire?'
He snapped open a p~aper-liili
geld cigarette case and held 1t ou'
to her. Something exciting going
on
F~a}ienne took a long time ove1
li=htin. her ciearet from his hight
er. Thon she blew a straight
smoky column before she answered
We've been cut off without g
sou. Or haven't you read the pa
i,ers today?'
"Oh, THAT" Yes. Nicky did
things well. Nicky did things in the
GOOD taste that Gertrude talked sc
much about, without always being
quite sure of what she meant. Ger
tlude often cot form mlHed II
With taste.
We can te'ieve it, Nieky," Ger
TUE said pathetically.
Should ! offer condolences:
His question was FOL Gertrude, but
lli4 glance WAS to Fabienne.
Not at AL She answered be-
tore her mother could speak.
Were al going to make some
thin. uf ourselves. y nice fresi
start with no Filthy Iucre to tie Us
dcYn. We're Goins to work. Dick
AMI me-
Isn't She droll. Niclsy? Darling,
its gettil. on to:%ard seven. Hadn't
,uu better dress for dinner:
WHY. mother. loor folk don't
q eSs for dinner. However, I'll get
cleaned up. Played SCme good ten
rs toda., Nicky, with Sue Auchin
~-!oss.' Fabienne aimed neatly al
the hearth with her cigaret and
made it. III put ON something
(.tnc-ish if you'll take me to the
Petite Ia, orine tonight, Nicky."
Last flare before she becomes
one Of the working Masses" Dick
explained.
Shes not serious about work
after Fabienne had left the room.
OF course not. She's piqued with
me because I'm s%olicitous about her.
I want her to get married, Nlcky,
and | know she wants to. I think
the child's romantic. l think she
wants TO be swept off her feet" Ger
trude paused for a moment and then
abruptly said something about that
days polo. She hoped that Nicky
bad taken the hint she had put rath-
cr badly.
After al, it was time that Nicky
stopped allowing Fahienne to twist
Linn around her finger. He had been
counting Fabienne for - Gertrude
calculated hastily - twelve years.
Ever since the summer she had
taken the child TO Maryland to visit
Iar dead fathers parents. They
we're only twelve and sixteen then,
but already Nicky had been brow
beaten by her own willful daughter.
Marcus came in with a tray OF
cocktails
Milky, do you know the Pro
rhets? They gave a most amusing
party on Monday :" Gertrude
chatted amiably as if she had not
spent the past seven hours in
storms Of tears and anger. Now
that Nicky was there everything
would be quite all right.
Yes. Nicky would know the
Prochetg. He knew all the right
people. the right tailors the most
dependable brokers, the rating Of
every club worth while. To know
and do the right things was Nicky's
whole life. He had never done a
days work in all his twenty-eight
years. But there had been no need
G. it; he IA the heir to the Bart.
lett tobacco millions.
Fabienne was a fool not to grat
him. my daughter, Mrs. Nicholas
Bartlett" the Countesse de Liens
would say in the drawing rooms OF
London and Paris that still knew
/. her.
: Fabienne came in wearing some.
: thing sleek in ice-blue satin tina
: made her look a head taller thai
: Nicky.
Doesn't she look sweet?" he,
mother said fondly.
IAN awfully good buy, Nicky. Re.
duced today" Fabienne said, and hel
voice took on a hard edge that wa.
like the hard light In her eyes earlier
Cocktail, dear? Well have din
mel in a few minutes"
mo, thanks. Nicky's taking m,
out to dinner" She didn't want t.
stay another minute. She knew al
the things her mother would sa,
for NicEv'S benefit. cumul