Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-09-19
Copyrisht: is4i By News Syndicate Co. Ine
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
An Artist Goes Hunqru
But Finds LOUe in
Wdr-TOrn London

W W. UH AOHtuON
1t was early in the month of Sep
tember. 1910. that Tessie Appleby
found herself on bus bound for Err
rington Court. block Of luxury apart
ments in a fashionable part Of Lon
don, where dwelt her rich cousin, Mar |
got Hope Jordan.
Tessie was nearing 10 and looked 1t
when she was tired or worried. which
was pretty often in these terrible DAYS.
Normally she earned her living illus
trating fiction for the cheaper maya
zines, but the work was getting scarcer
than hens teeth. Having no private
income, TesSie had to stick to 1t as
long as any Of it lasted. The well paid
war posts were already filled with
trained young women who swarmed all
over the place in their becoming uni
forms, so Tessie Appleby had to keep
on trudging about Fleet Street with
her artists portfolio, a weather-stained
raincoat for protection against the ele-
ments and her frizzy faded hair bill
lowing girliShly from under rakish
red tam.
At the moment the war was proceed
ing at a lively clip as regarded the
home front. Two nights ago the house
in which TesSie had a furnished bed
sitting room collapsed into a formless
heap of rubble, officially described as
due to enemy action" TeSsie had SAL
vaged her life and battered suitcase
with few belongings, as well as the
precious portfolio. The following night
she spent sitting on the suitcase in a
tube shelter.
In the morning, somewhat dispirited
for her, low in pocket as well as in
mind, she made her toilette in a pub
lie institution where she got hot
bath for twopence, with a small piece
of yellow soap and a stringy towel
thrown in. Then, putting the rem
nants Of the past pride into her pock-
ct. she rang up her cousin Margot.
Marquis voice sounded peevish and
inhospitable, which was rather to be
expected. On the last occasion she
and Tessie had met. which was some
time ago. now, they had parted in mu-
tual anger over the matter of a silver
christening cup which had come down
from their paternal grandfather. 1t
was handsome cup, a goblet, ornately
chased and very decorative. Margot
wanted this heirloom, and she was in
a better position to show 1t off to ad-
vantage than Tessie.
However, 1t was in Tessie's posses
sion. come By quite legitimately, and
Tessie stuck to it. She had it in her
suitcase now. Such being her present
exigency she was ready to barter the
cup for cash, If absolutely necessary,
but she did not mention that to Mar
got over the telephone. All she said
was that she had been bombed out and
had no place 10 lay her head.
well. I suppose I could spare you
a few moments to talk it over Margot
replied although I'm very busy this
morning and :"
She wondered what Margot was
busy" about Fat, lazy Margot Hope
Jordan, who had inherited a cool 1000
a wear from her late husband, and
never had done hands turn for her
self in all her life-nor for anybody
else, either.
But Tessie Appleby did not muse on
the mystery for long. Hardly had she
boarded the vehicle which would take
her near to Errington Court, when the
siren gave its banshee howl and the
bus responded as from bee-sting IN
some tender part of the anatomy.
Huddled in corner seat by the
door, Tessie Appleby tried to control
the chattering of her teeth and put
on a bleak smile for the benefit OF
the conductor and stout charwoman
opposite who were exchanging their
personal opinions OF Adolf Hitler. After
her recent experience Tessie felt quite
sure that her number was up. Con-
seouently it seemed a miracle when
she was actually off the bus and had
safely crossed the street to the shelter
of Errington Court.
Margot, who was considerably older
than Tessie, but flattered herself she
didn't look it, was reclining on satin
damask daybed, somewhat in the we'll
known pose of Madame Recamier, and
likewise diaphanously attired, while
middle-aged gentleman of portly meln
and cheerful, rudy countenance, knelt
beside her plying her with smelling
salts and whisky.
There, there, now" he was saying.
You mustn't let yourself go like this,
m'dear. 1t will never do. Geometry
to swallow drop of the cratur' and
You'll feel better. 1t will pass"
Well, pass it did at that very mo-
ment. for again the siren walled, and,
of course, this time it was the All
Clear.
Mrs. Hope Jordan sat up, pushed the
bottle of salts away and drank of the
whisky in a couple of gulps.
"It's on my nerves." she moaned. "Oh,
there YOU are, Tessie. shouldn't have
thought you could get here so quick"
The portly gentleman scrambled to
his feet and was presented to Tessle
N an offhand fashion as Major Creagh.
The room was in considerable dis
order. Heaps of elegant clothes were
wing about and as a wardrobe trunk
vas also in evidence, Tessie scarcely
needed to be sleuth to arrive at the
conclusion that her cousin Margot was
Getting ready to abandon London.
Major Creagh bowed CALAMITY to the
shabby artist, whose tam was hanging
over one ear and her fr1zzy mop little
~, .loo ,,c,,o1 and then made his