Evening star., 1941-07-20


forced himself to look away. He
occupied himself with cigarette,
then found he had no matches.
Stephanie opened the little gold eve
ming bag that hung from her wrist,
took out book of matches and gave
it to him.
Joan Tells of Romance.
As he struck match Phil noticed
that the cover was imprinted with
a gold S, for Stephanie. He put the
matches into his pocket.
Bart Hughes came and asked
Stephanie to dance when the music
started, then Joan Hammond came
to Phil. She looked unusually
pretty tonight, Phil saw. She was
in white: the billowy skirt of her
gown had a broad red hem. Joan's
eyes were sparkling, and-he was
right-tonight she was really smil-
ing.
Having good time?" he asked.
And Joan said. "A very good time.
I feel better. 1t makes a girl feel.
better when someone thinks she's
all right"
I'VE all think you're all right,
Joan. But who has been telling
you?'
Stacey. He's been making love
to me-"
He would, of course. But don't
take him seriously, Joan"
I'm not-so far" she said. Then
she was silent for a moment. before
asking, Would you. as a friend,
give me some advice?"
He faced her SQuarely and saw a
shadow replace the sparkle in her
eyes. Certainly" he said. You
know that. Joan"
She heSitated, then drew a sharn
breath. And said. What would YOU
do if you were alone, except for a
father who hated you? Would YOU
continue to force yourself on him?
Or go of and try to make your own
way?"
Can you make your own way,
Joan?"
S"f AtSNtdiS SftudtfOh.
Il can try. But have no train
ing. You see. I lived with an aunt
who gave me the wrong sort of edu-
cation. She didn't want me to have
a career, other than marriage. Now
she isis gone and I'm sort of lost"
so you came to your father, and
he doesn't want you?"
He hates me. It's in his eyes
when he looks at me. It's because
l resemble my mother, Phil, and re-
mind him of her. You see. mother
divorced him when I was 4. never
saw him from then until now.
Mother was killed in a motor acci-
dent shortly after the divorce and
was taken by her sister"
Phil said, why a man should
hate his daughter for something his
wife did I don't know"
"She divorced him to marry an
other man. Joan said. so I
learned from my aunt. But that
marriage never came about. be-
cause of my mothers death. There
you are, Phil. What can I do?"
He studied her, pitying her. He
didn't know quite what to say.
You're so very young, Joan.
You're just a kid. l can't advise you
to make a break. Stay and try to
make your father love you
You don't know him. Philip-not
as I've come to know him"
"Ah, don't -" Phil said. You
forget he hates me-"
Joan looked at him curiously. ITS
strange that ne should. Yet it's true.
he does He warned me to keep away
from you"
A Frank Statement.
Then he cares a little about you
or he wouldn't mind you're seeing
me. Do as he asks, Joan, and you'll
win him over"
Il won't do that, Philip. Keep
away from you, mean. I'm not a
child. I'm grown up. If I like a
man"
She broke off, her eyes startled.
Color stained her cheeks: it was
evident even in the pale light of the
moon. Joan had said more than her
pride wanted her to say. That, too,
was evident. Phil felt confused.
He said, I'm glad you like me,
Joan. I hope you like us all"
And she replied, her voice I'M
steady, Il guess you do, but in an
impersonal way. I know. There's
that woman-that Stephanie. You're
in love with her"
He turned his face away, leaned
on the railing and looked out over
the water.
Joan moved closer, slipped her
arm through his, leaned her head
against his shoulder. Her fingers
touched his hand, gripped hard, but
the contact left him unstirred. Joan
wasn't Stephanie, and Joan could
not throw him off emotional bal
ance.
There's Stephanie and you" she
said softly. But there's also 1t.
Mason. You think of that and it
makes you frown. But it doesn't
trouble Stephanie."
You think the worst OF her, be-
cause you don't like her Stephanie
did nothing to make me fall for
her"
Didn't she, Philip" Joans voice
had the bite of acid. Are you sure?
When she dances with you she's
much too close. Whenever she can
she gets you alone. Little things
like that. She's a fiirt, Phil. And
she's predatory. She's man
hunter"
He drew away from her. Joan,
you should be spanked. If you
weren't so young you wouldn't talk
like this. I fell in love with Ste
phanie of my own volition. But
what I'm going to do about it, !
don't know"
Il know what you could do" Joan
said. Fall in love with me in
stead. Just little in love with me,
I wouldn't ask for much"
Phil Howard stared at her, and
he saw that she was not joking.
| (Coryright. 1e41, Chicago Daily News, INC }
| Continued tomorrow