Henderson daily dispatch., 1942-04-21
CHAPTER F~ORTY-EICHT


SHE HAD TO admit, while lying
in bed-staring out at a moonlit
SKY, notified with rain clouds, and
listening to all the cracking sum-
mer noises Of katydids and crickets
and frogs-that Larry's kisses had
almost erased the memory of James
Lvndon's. She had felt as young
and thrilled as she had when Larry
had kissed her for the first time in
the vestibule of the Four Arts Club.
But she did not intend to let her
self be swept along again by the
insanely enchanting magnetism Of
Laurence Peyton, q new Laurence
Pevton with an unsecured faCc-Or,
rather, the same Laurence peyton,
Just his normal, Good-looking self,
Just as COnceited and cOcksure and
critical and dictatorial.
1t was the old Laurence Peyton
telling her with such smugncss that
Hollywood had ruined her by put
ting her through the mill, that it
had dinmcd her sparkle. Natural
~ she had nc comeback. TOO spar
ing Of his feelings to tell him that
his g1ecn-grapes observation was
the sole rctort of everyone who
had Topped in Hollywood, she said
nothing.
Yet, in a way, Larry was right.
She had been tossed from picture
to picture, fed to a demanding and
clamorous public until she had felt
driven and as if all the spirit and
SeintllaNt fire We're being forced
cat Of her. Worse stiL. the work
teld no zeSt for her. 1t had turned
u.to a machine that ground cut
money. Well, she wa through
grinding out money, not only for
herself, but for Zenith, i~ncorpor-
ated. How they had hoWled when
II told them she was going to
marry the wealthy James Lyndon
ana retire. 1t meant nothing to
them that she was exhausted as
n had never dreamed OF being eX-
hausted and irreVocably disguised
with her profession.
That vas why she wanted to
marry James Lyndon and be cared
Tor as If she We're something
precious ana never have to worry
or fuss or be jealous again for the
rest of her life. Nevertheless, she
Tell ASLEEP . thinking of .-arry's
kisses
He was gone when she aWoke a
little after 8 the next morning and
looked out upon a rainsoaked world.
She found his mother on the
screened porch. even more affable
IMAM she had been at supper the
previous night.
Larry has already gone to the
theater," she told Annette and
chuckled at her surprise. oh,
Larry keeps Hollywood hours here.
There's so much to be done and
he's so interested in this new play.
Sit down. dear" She pushed the girl
into a chair by the big table, COW
cred with bright oilclOth, and
called to the kitchen. Bring the
little one some raspberries and
cream The thick cream" she
specified. She turned back to her
daughter-in-laW. You look like q
child in that Bingham pinafore aHd
nair bow"
Anetc took hNld C the wcwa,'5
small Wiry hand. And fee; He
an old woman"
You're just tined. dear. Wen
change all that" she said happily,
then her bird-like eyes encountered
a strange expression on the girls
race. you are going to stay ne-c,
aren't you?"
The hired girl brought in a bowl
OF plump red laspHc4"ies ana q
pitcher Of yellow, almost butter
thick cream. She placed an CID
style coffee pot. just like the one
Anette's grandmother had ching 10
with fanaticism, within easy reach
ana left the pair alone.
Anette said systematically. 4
nave to get back to Hollywood"
Please don't" Larry's mother
begged. IF YOU do, it win be the
END OF MY prayers. If only vou
nneW hoW many times I've hated
myself for writing those lies to you