The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-23

BY EDMUND fANCOl l
 THE STORY: Myra Mack and Fay Rathbone, two Montreal girls, are invited to spend their Christ mas vacations in the Laurentians ns guests of eccentric Ferdy Lor- ton, artist. As Myra suspected, his guests include a strange as. sortment of personalities; Benny Brien. theatrical agent; Leona, artists model; BeanO McCluskey, wrestler, and wealthy Lieutenant Ross Benson. The group meet for the first time in Ferdy's studio.
 LUNCH WITHOUT ROMANCE
 CHAPTER V
 Fay Rathbone sat opposite Lieu tenant Ross Benson ill the spacious but crowded restaurant of the store where Beano had lately officiated as Santa Claus. He had extracted her from the studio with the neatness of one who preferred his company in small numbers and had had con- siderable experience in getting his own way.
 He liked the way she smiled and the easy way she fenced with him.
 It was odd how the girls one liked to be with were not at all the types one thought one could fall for, not that he was falling for anyone just yet.
 Then he realized that there was Quark of hunlor in her eyes that looked uncommonly as though sine were reading his thoughts.
 Toll me about you" he said. "Married?"
 No"
 "Engaged?"
 "No.'
 "Tn lc-e?"
 No"
 Terrible" he said seriously. 'You ought to do something about It."
 .-Fm happy as I am," she smiled back.
 ''Now particularly?'
 Particularly now'
 Because it's Christmas or be- cause it's me?"
 Because it's Christmas" she fenced.
 Do you like the male species?" Distance lends entertainment to anything" she replied. There was a way her eyes teased him as she said it that made him grin and admit that he had found his match in something's.
 Do you work?'
 She nodded.
 For preference?' he asked.
 No, necessity"
 "Family?"
 Large and penurious.'
 Hence the work?"
 No. pride. They said couldn't do it.
 And. of of course, you can.'
 T Scrape living just"
 "A note of doubt" he said, look ing up from his steak. The old ambitions somewhat shattered" "A little"
 '1n one so young too"
 Tragic" Her eyes fiickered with laughter as she said it. Her smile was very attractive, some- thing happy-go-lucky and carefree about it.
 And your ambitions?"
 "Art. spelt in big letters
 You need an income like Eerdy's so that you can play at it." T wouldn't play at it."
 T suspect you work at 1t in your spare time"
 She shook her head. Sometimes only. And you, your ambitions?" "A brighter, better world after this mess is over"
 "A reformer?"
 Hardly" he replied. "Benson's Benign Bath Soap. It brought me up and educated me and I'm very grateful to it and after this mess is over I intend to devote my life to it in sheer gratitude and also to make cleaner. sweeter world. can conceive of no more laudable ambition that is, If there Is still any profit in anything after this is over.'
 "A materialist." she accused.
 Half and half, and the soap provides the perfect answer. a nice clean way of earning a living. But let's forget all that until the New Year."
 Forget your girl, too?" There was a Turk of mischief in Fay's eyes es she said this. She was aware of the working of the mind of Lieutenant Ross Benson.
 Sometimes girl can walk through the door of 6 mans face into his mind as though it were a familiar room full of pleasant but weli-remembered things as though in some former existence she has known 1t all before. So 1t seemed to Fay as she looked at Ross Benson. She was at least four years younger than he but she felt suddenly much older, un- derstanding him and able to fore stall his thoughts. She knew very well that in the studio he had make a quick survey of the avail able material and had decided that Leona would be the center Of attraction and therefore too much in demand for such a short time as few days.
 Myra was not his idea of friv- oious companion and 50 she. Fay, fitted nicely in between, and nat szMlig she would fsal eeA&erAd "s