The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-01-28
W.N.u. .RetEAsF

iidu VANISHED DICK IN the Qlrect1on
of the hall again. Judson Marsh
banks introduced Cherry to his wife,
who acknowledged the little ceremo-
ny with an absent glance in Cher
rvs direction.
''You let me do all the dirty
work." said Fran Marshbanks, in a
lazily annoyed tone. And again her
voice shocked Cherry with its very
beauty; it was rich, low voice
that seemed always about to be
broken with laughter or tears or
both, shattering, trembling voice
that yet clearly indicated its own
er's boredom and indifference and
pride.
"Jud, you are running out on this
party" his wife accused him.
well, my dear, a debutante par
ty-" he pleaded.
Il know. But you owe it to Amy. /"
But she did not care very much,
either way. "As for Mr.. Coates, ;,
she went on, carelessly reproachful; !;
me is apparently entirely without
soul; he ought to be cultivating rich,
homely girls who want their por-
traits painted, and here is an occa-
sion when he could meet, not one of
them, but all of them! Not even
dressedi"
my dress clothes are circa Presi-
dent Harrison, Mrs. Marshbanks. !"
the painter said. IF / painted any
one it would be yourself, and you say
you won't sit for me-"
Because I won't go to Sausalito
and dress in a transformed barn."
Fran answered composedly.
you've never seen it." he said.
81 know it's like that. Besides,
I'm just bringing Amy out in So
ciety," the woman went on, land /
have maternal obligations"
Maternal! You! What is she to
you? Sister-in-law?"
81 wish Jud's mother were here
to hear you! Family intricacies are
meat and drink to her." Fran said.
"She's getting back from Florida
this week, by the way; you might
come in for cocktail and meet her.
She'd be a subject for you! No."
she added, reverting to the original
topic. "Amy's not my sister-in-law.
She's my-work that out, Jud.
What's Amy to me?"
''She's my brothers. child" he
elucidated. "She's my niece, and
that makes her your niece by mar
riage."
'sThat makes her my niece by
marriage" Fran repeated, turning
the slow battery of her dark eyes
upon Kelly.
"I'll have to come here and paint
you at the house," Kelly said in an
odd voice after moment.
"Ah, well, if you could do that!"
II don't see that we're such crim-
inals, Jud and l." said Kelly,
you've two perfectly good escorts,
out there in the hall. / don't dance;
drink very little; I hardly know
these people-Why on earth should
/ go?"
ITO be with me-" Fran suggest
ed, with an oblique glance at her
husband and the hint of an unwill-
ing smile.
you'll be dancing or playing
bridge"
"I'll be bored. / know that. I'd
much rather stay at home and read
Coventry Patmore. But for one
thing" Fran said confidentiaily to
the painter, somewhat lowering her
tone as the judge went away to
answer a telephone call, II do it
for Amy. After being so much
abroad with Jud's mother, spending
winters in Palm Springs and New
York, she's out of everything. We
have to give her some sort of party
next month. / want to refresh my
mind as to how it's done. 1t isn't
my sort of thing at ALL"
II know it isn't" he said, his
keen gaze fixed on her.
"You don't really know me at all, "
her fine, nervous ivory fingers were
busy with the delicate lace of her
handkerchief. you've seen me
three times, is it?"
"Dante saw Beatrice once" he
said.
''It's so pleasant" said the wom-
an, Ito talk to man who doesn't
think Dante's a hospital and who
pronounces Beatrice properly"
II shall hope as our friendship
ripens into real affection" Kelly
said with little inclination of his
head, ito please you in more i'm
portant ways"
"Our friendship is going to ripen?
How NIGEL"
Don't be too sure it will be nice.
1t may be-distinctly unpleasant!
he warned her lightly.
She looked at him through half
closed lids at this, in silence SO
long that Cherry, fussing with
cheese and coffee, could feel her
own heart beating quickly.
"You interest me-" Fran present
ly said quietly.
81 can't think at the moment OF
anything I'd rather do" he an
swered in the same deliberate, half
serious fashion.
The judge returned before either
spoke again, for although there was
time for more words, Cherry noted
that they did not say them but sat
looking steadily at each other for a
full half minute before Fran dropped
her eyes. Amy came in from the
hall too, followed by two young
men in formal evening attire and
there was little stir of departure.
When they all left the room Cher
ry followed, not knowing what else
to do, and slowly mounted the stairs