Show Pru dences daughter da ug h v i by ETHEL HUESTON copyright by the dobbs bobbs merrill co service NOT interested SYNOPSIS PART at it a merry merry party in the studio apartment of carter blake now new york j jerry erry geraldine It harmer armer pru dencer daughter meet meats duane allerton wealthy idler tle he ad mires her tremendously and she he likes him but allerton gets a bit exhilarated with unfortunate results jerry resenting his bla at as of familiarity leaves the party abruptly the tory story turns turna to jerrys jerry childhood and youth at her home in des de moines only child of a wealthy father wh when a n she to I 1 twenty she feels feel the call of art and aaka her parents to let her go to new york for study with some ome misgiving they agree to her going in now new york jerry makes her home with a mrs delaney an actress who with theresa a painter occupies the house jerry takes an immediate liking to theresa who to la talented and and the two become fast friends friend jerry now devotes herself to theresa who returns her liking CHAPTER IV continued 6 art that hint Is what I 1 am I 1 suppose eup pose nn art truller ller oil 01 no jerry beir youre youie a student it if you want ant to yourself studying art its nob odys business but my own jerry finished promptly when rhoda hesitated again rhoda agreeing ethoda begged tier her to stay for dinner to cook anost delectable things on oil the grill to take her out anny where she liked to go to the theater generously profuse n lr her enticement hut but lorry jerry would not be pers persuaded laded ded she sall she had to go home and fix alx something for theresa who was vaa look ing III who bad no proper regard rok ird for food or rest or exercise nil and who ho certainly required a stron COPI alu nind to force her into reason 1 I lie iosia heaps or of money sold surprisingly ashes doin ing marvelously I 1 yes by bv not hilt bu t t lull hett w why hy for hen heavens vens sake then why slie she get et a decent room and ont ent it decent meal once in a el I 1 thought well you thought wrong it the money with people hac therean lice e nil all of us its that burnit ig up tip in ihde we no cant help it dont try to know what ft hut ini in phout old anel ancl face ance the more you vou think abolia it the less understand tinder stand I 1 it was the next morning when jerry slipped softly upstairs with a breakfast tray that hint theresa asked her diffidently fi almost it if she ahe would caro care to see a few of her ti lings olt oli I 1 should love to jerry cried flug flushing hIng with plea pleasure mire Ili eresa was ns vaguely bely ue ly surprised a little troubled tit nt her en eagerness gerness it if you nii tl to see them why you aili me mi I 1 cow nt thereon There Ther sn I 1 thought ond anther not show allow me int I 1 ns aist ji st hoang you ou would sug pot gest it roine conle lenic for the lie fart time in the weeks she had known theresa There sn she he really took aline to do 10 n tiling thing quietly deliberately binl alth ith easiness she spent th alio full morning morn liiK civilli jerry sl inIn tier lohens of little sketches mom llla blis of land elipe lovely liend draped flauris without number sang alivin rinn N lah it h nn nil Imper sim tit ill n i lint aloit lin nned ined rind jerly jeri slip touched upon choir of nf composition nod ex ei gutlon generously Ki nerous lint but NIt ili bout out personal pors pei onal and alie polli polluted ted out their defects lc feits with ith a he kadi eye bic aind nn an unsparing tongue and then she said 1 I have lieve sned my hil best st tilt III file he last jerry this lans Is my im wie one lins slon my aly and my adored it aas is typical mical of therean lint flint she did not keep it on darpli 1191 flaY lice darling and nl elored ored but packed 1111 ii awny 1 with l tender ander aire in n dark closet obviously the one tiling ming in her life lint flint received tier her tender boire coire jerry held her breath us ns theresa brought it out removed lie ahe protecting wrappers and turned it about for her to see lowits a arri chuei iel green ocean lashing grent waves mes into white foam nn ocean of blackening black shadows and shifting lights at first glance jerry saw only the turbulence of a multitude of waters and then hen looking deeper standing out with sharp inclusiveness once she ehe had discerned its presence presence ad riding lne the highest wildest wave of all stretched the slim white body of a woman triumphant white face upraised dominant white arms arma flung wide a joyous jubilant fearless figure of youth swept on the black waters sprayed with flit white jerry cried out enraptured theresal The reaal I 1 oh therna I 1 it la IB beno beau it Is 13 the logt th rill ing thing i I 1 ever saw BOW it makes you eel so full of freedom 11 theresa nodded her dirk eyes alight with pleasure un cm freedom ive been working on it for years yeara jerry A thousand or more I 1 think I 1 used to spend the summer on the coast in anine with ray my mime when I 1 was a kid you know I 1 adored the ocean it la Is the hie only really free really relentless le lent less thing I 1 ever saw it knows no law but its ita own oh yes I 1 know what scientists say eay about the moon arid and lie file idea no no what little moon riding the heavens could harness a fathomless ocean I 1 I 1 used to sit like an ugly blackbird on the highest rocks nod and adore the ocean in a storm A hundred times I 1 went home drenched bof the skin soaked but exalted with rapture to he be soundly whipped for my in y mischief and put to bed in disgrace she paused smiling at jerry go on go on she begged feverishly tell me first I 1 suppose it was just ft a personal emotion I 1 wonted wanted to ride the waves I 1 chafed chafee tit nt my bondage to solid sordid earth I 1 thrilled myself to a rupture by fancying myself swept high alli on the topmost wave and so he be fore long my thought a mother to the thing I 1 suppose lt it really teemed seemed to tue lue I 1 saw lur her tire the ocean rider a lovely slim white conlan triumphant on the I 1 worshiped it it was a 0 god to me I 1 have h ive only been able ta to vork ork on it when the he passion Is hot upon nie me so it lifis hns been a very slow blow thing A doyen thides in a storm I 1 have gone orr off to the lie islands to do another lilt on rny my ocean athler Il liler it U 0 right yet c the ocean Is good enough hut bill the aidea 1 I client li ent quite finite rot goi it there I 1 here hns brooding discontent in Theres 1 ons ns voice ilio light in tier her eyes its not right I 1 wonder jerry her flet volve voice took on a sudden wheedle suaveness sua leness jerry had tin never neer heaird in it before 1 I would you yon mind bould you let me u uc your eyes I 1 have smiled tin teil a hundred times to ask i on hit oil theresa I 1 mind nt at nil all 1 I should love lop it eliy you ansh me before IK fine hut but slie she looks so lovely to me ile taw way slie she Is im afraid you will poll tier theresa bresn her head not right tn her eyes ive linam n it ra rl tho tane flint Is ive felt there yai vas lacking and when I 1 saw you ou I 1 knew what it wai was she must have the lie light in her glicr cies that lint 5 sou ahl hen ni you panic first 0 the lie city its 18 wele wel eie e when I 1 diw you first drat 1 I never forget for et it flint sort eort it f rai maillant llant look I 1 ter her eyes nrc are too jeep deep they are too subtle for a free wom woin n jerry flushed lu shed theresa that hat Is irony I 1 kyea hyes like mine for a free I 1 why I 1 dont know what freedom Is I 1 tle tl e nerv to find fidd out when I 1 have hae a clemce ch lInce I 1 am bound hand and foot to convent conventions conventi lors ors to convict convictions lons to prudence 11 yes yea ant Is what I 1 menil mean you yon dont find that blithe anti and buoyant con fl fi dence that triumphant joyousness loyous ness of surety in freedom freedo nj itself only 1 in 11 1 the hie pursuit of it IL in eyes tant hove have seen freedom she wined a liblit hand toward tier her ocean isider alize this subtle bill ie understanding perhaps perhaps per hips you ou menn mean license theresa instead of frechou theresa smiled at her ber gentle dim dence yes I 1 get lie distinction but unfortunately jerry one must try both before one knows knos which la is theres lip pity of it IL and gie die eyes are faithful registers they record it nil all so my brave little ocean rider has haa got to have not eyes abal linvs known freedom hut but which hold a vision aslon if it il u unrealized areal laed billat illat balile after afternoon noen jerry posed for the hie eus enes of hie lie jer who anu know not fre freedom edoin but cherish a di eai in of it IL 1 link I 1 missel missed my mf calling after a nil I 1 she said eald 1 I should be a it model iodel the other night I 1 was a corpse for mid and now im a 11 mermaid for you OU and sho sat sweetly patient in a aright light ll 11 ht starry eyed mith ith delocht libit she could bo be of service sen ice while 1 li worked pa on the eyes that lint were not just right and when she bad finished rind declared the result far exceeded d her expect e lecta a dona she ghe kissed jerry 11 ly IY for the first time not on the lips but on the brilliant eyes could see visions jerry herself saw no difference in the picture felt that theresa had overestimated the he importance of an unessential trine trifle but site she was sad glad theresa was pleased with wild her As she as tripping almost happily almost an aa in n the dilys before the studio party of buell sorry memories down the stairs to her own room fine was stopped by 17 mimi a radiant vision in a filmy gown of silk and ellve lace ince who held a cautioning finder abrora her lips to insure el lecca she whispered go guide and get dolled vp up you have a callet the best thing you ever saw in your lut life I 1 she bhe turned expressive eyes toward the ceiling to convey the extent of he be rapture 1 I took him in my room to give you a chance to fuss up a little after fi messing jessing about with theresa shall shad I 1 make lome teal jerrys eyes were no longer starry but cold oa as ice who la Is it sh hell bear you ouane duane Aller allerton top the stunning est tillou ive seen been in years yeara I 1 CHAPTER V jerry meets a genius jerrys slender hand upon the flimsy binl str of the el stairway airway grew suddenly tensa so that the blue veins stood out clearly upon the delicate whiteness of her skin kin will you tell mr allerton she said gently but with firmness that I 1 do not care to see sec him 1 I 0 sh for heavens sakel begged mimi uell hell henr bear you ril ill tell him youre out ril ill give him a cup clap of tea it if you dont mind to put him in a good humor and then but im not out and rm im not busy and im not engaged im just not interested jerrys enunciation was wa perfect the hallway narrow the open she went into her room and closed the door theresa in a similar circumstance would have slammed it furiously but lerry jerry was not given to furious as a means of expression she closed it softly left alone alciie distracted and bo ba mildered wll wil dered in tier her predicament threw out both jeweled hands in a remon stra dve anxious gesture now what can you do with a girl like that she walled the abe anine from the farther doorway mimis doorway where V C ri that same afternoon jerry posed for the tha eyes of the ocean rider dunne duane allerton stood and hut bill ruef lity not much im in afraid not epe claley keen chont seeing irp Is 3 slie site with fill it 11 visible obort pulled herself together opet lier dimpled ased the long ions lashek to the best possible effect ashes tired poor thing slie she aid you 11 enells tier her he works so hard you jon know oh she local does 1 I 1 understood that she lie lid dh no work at a 1 I ane ibern n she pr er sapa tired anyhow and nervous sher she 8 frightfully nervous dont hold it her clint t I 1 phe give yon ii a nip cup of ten tea oh no that thaties iks I 1 feet feel I 1 dt pollute her re alny langr lhnn is absolutely ner necessary essary aw fully goo good of you ou thanks very erv much lie went ent downstairs nt n once and let out into the lie narrow street and knocked on jerrys door opening it herself without waiting val tIng for na 1113 answer jerry erry sho she began yo ron have hurt its hii feelings just terribly poor boy and so good looka ig nw lints positively not nice go and cheer him blin up tip it if you von ilke said jerry lies easily comfor comforted teJ lie ile ant walt wait I 1 mean boj might at least have introduced me the best looking thing 0 0 0 0 0 jerry learned afterward tant he had gone to rhoda for tier her address and two days later he be went to her again to ask ash her to intercede for him to remonstrate with her disagreeable from the middle west ile he asked rhoda if jerry was a flirt A flirt r echoed rhoda vaguely vaen nely cly good heavens he avena I 1 dont know what wha t Is a flirt T they need to say any in college colleg that hat she was but they meant it nicely every one was wa crazy about her thata iowa you know A girl who la Is quite wickedly awful in the middle west seems like an angel from rom heaven when millen shea transplanted to greenwich doot dont ask me about her I 1 dont know ashes a lovely thing and 1 thin a lot of her demot 0 occur jerry it did not remotely ely 0 occur to jerry that she was unhappy instead she aha felt fel t that she was quite joyous carefree she took a great deal of pleas ure ore in doing things for theresa making her comfortable theresa who cared as little for comfort at as a honey bee for snow she scoured the market for tempting delicacies arid became very proficient in preparing them nicely on her little grill one day theresa theres asked it if she would mind rum rummaging magin 9 through a couple of old bid bures boyes for her in search of a particular bit ot of tinsel oe ehe particularly needed for a costume jerry flushed with pleasure oh will you let me may I 1 go through the drawers dra wera and every everything ng and fold things up ill be very quiet theresa laughed at her go as aa far as you like she ehe said eald generously tunny funny thing about you jerry you never bother me most people nag ma to sixes and sevens over nothing at all ulal especially I 1 feel she Is s coming when she ehe starts up the last flight of stairs and I 1 begin to see cross eyed right away you are the nicest kid after that jerry took entire charge of theresaa The room and theresaa The belongings sorting out ont soiled hits bits of silk for the laundry things theresa had bad overlooked for months and washing out especially y fine pieces with her own hands oh theresa There sn she bald one day 1 I wish you were my sister oh good heavens heaven sl yes I 1 do I 1 had find a little brothel brothe lut but lie died I 1 cannot rem remember embee him oh 1 I do wish you yon were my sister then I 1 should he be satisfied just to live on tills this and take care of you aal do little things for you I 1 should felt feel I 1 was nna very important indeed you do paint such exquisite things theresa I 1 should be so proud of you id ably take nil all the credit for everything you do and bang about the way I 1 brought you up jerry erry Inus lied gleefully at th tills I 1 3 picture of herself but theresa lid did not join tier merriment funny tiling thing jerry but you are arc the first person in the he world the first ft woman oman who ever wanted me for or anything friend foe or fellow citizen I 1 think I 1 must be quite getting on n in the world to lime have somebody body cravine me hiie for anything I 1 feet feel quite stuck ck up about al out it she put her brushes down abruptly and went out of the room without apolo gy and jerry with that new loni don of hers which wits odly intuition and not no the least understanding vent eat on with the I 1 papers apers sh sha filing and paid no |