Show fete COMES a MOMENT BY ELINOR MAXWELL O C ARCADIA HOUSE SERVICE r SYNOPSIS I Mary Loring and ond her father Jim nn on In attorney meet Inet h a n train which brings his Ids wealthy abter low ln In law fried Linde and her friend Le Le- JI Ila by divorcee for a Christmas vial vl 11 Welting Waiting nt Dt homo home for them ore Marys Mary's mother molher her younger slater 1 ler Ml- Ml r Ien len her fathers father's maiden sinter r. r Aunt and end Peter the baby of the family At the tho I e depot de Ol Dr Christopher Cragg helps the tho guests with their th lr lug lug- gage lIage Though secretly In love with Doc Doctor tor Cragg Mary hoi hoc paid little attention Ito ilo to her beauty In leaving her Aunt urges Mary Mory to visit her tier In New Nark I York but Mary Mory refunds At work In a I ai rental dental i library whore she ahe spends her herI spare I time writing short stories torte Mory Mary Li La dismayed when her father tells Lelia her 1 that he has herr bees let out us II railroad at al attorney torney I the fees feeR of which were a tho the solo sole support of 01 his hia family To earn money money she Bhe decides to 10 begin writing In earnest I l III Continued ill-Continued Continued 3 Mary placed her typewriter and ond paper on Mr Hormel's oak desk at atthe atthe atthe the rear rent of the shop inserted a sheet of paper poper and pounded out nut a title and her name nome At Sea by Mary Loring For half hall an on hour the sho sat Bot there there cudgeling her brain her vague vogue thoughts for a II plot jangling about bout 0 In her mind along liong with the tho harassing and t insurmountable questions What will wo we do now that Dads Dad's been let out Where will money come from low How wit will Mother react when she sho hears At lust last her fingers fell tell upon the keys She had hod on an Idea Iden A simple straightforward idea about a large family at ot loose ends financially She wrote with eager haste the tho homely fluid thoughts of her story conceiving themselves In her ber fertile mind passing magically through her lingers fingers and on to the sheet of white while paper per before her At lost last It was finished nearly finished nearly live five ve pages of neatly compiled complied thoughts of swift clearly defined d ned notion action She had hod done dono HI She hud had at ot last lost written a story that seemed even to her own crill critical cal mind to be worthy of editorial notice Of course she Bhe thought Ill have to read it over again and again and revise It and retype it but at least Im I'm on my way It was not until the tho following night Just before six that Christo ChrIsto- Christopher ChrIstopher pher Cragg made his appearance at nt Hormel's shop Mary had re roo retyped retyped typed her manuscript slipped the story into a long lone envelope and dl di directed At Son Sea to t e magazine she prayed would accept It The front door opened and Mary a copy of Sabatini's most nasi recent tale tolo of adventure clasped mid air mid in her hand turned about The late Inte Doctor Crags Cragg he an on announced with a n grin People will have babies in this town and thus my dear deor Mary keep enterprising young doctors d away from Uio the best sellers Dut But thank God for III A baby yesterday at four o'clock A baby today at half hall past three I Paying babies bables Doctor Cragg Mary demanded in mock serious ness I do hope you haven't been wasting your Chris brought his hll eyebrows to to- together together together gether in what was supposed to em em- emulate emulate on an expression of ot severest rep rep- reprimand Any baby is a paying proposition my dear Miss Loring for a guy that's Just starting out in business bustness Experience my child Is tenths nine-tenths of ot the price or some some- something something thing to that effect However if you must know mow one ono of the arrivals Into this vale vole of ot tears will bring brine me absolutely nothing In dollars and cents The other well other well do you think fifty dollars is too much to charge for or the safe sane and most most most-er- er modernistic ot of deliveries Fifty dollars Why H its Us really pretty cheap I think providing the proud new parents possess the fifty Ive I've Ive I've saved your book for you but not I f must admit without consid consid- considerable considerable erable difficulty Its It's hidden away on a shelf shell In the back of the shop A bit of favoritism Im I'm showing Doctor Cragg Come en on back and Ill I'll root It out for you lie He followed her to the shadowy rear room of the Ule shop noting as ashe ashe ashe he did so the valiant way she held her shoulders the slender lines of her young back Its ts up here she said sold pointing to the shelf that seemed to be the carry all for tor every everything everythIng thing not wanted for display and before he could say anything she had ascended the ladder I could have done that he re re- Here lIere Mary let me me- me meNo meNo No You wouldn't be able to find It Ive I've hidden It behind a lot lotof lotof of trash flack Duck there somewhere somewhere- And reaching beyond her distance the she lost her balance and toppled to the floor For nn on Instant she felt herself hersel to tobe tobe tobe be swirling in a great black void She couldn't remember where she was or what had happened Then she felt Chris Chris' arms about her and heard his anxious voice Mary MaryI Mary darling he was saying Are you hurt dearest Darling Look at reel Met me Say some some- something thins thing lie He had called her her dearest and darling r He was clutching her close to his heart l as BE if he would never let get her go as if If-as If as If U he loved herl her Ana now his lips were touching her closed eyelids Mary Moryl he pleaded Cant you hear me darling Are Arc you nl all allright right Mary lifted a limp hand and swiftly fleetingly touched his loon loan check cheek Im nil right all right she mur murmured inured thinking Im happier than I have ever been in nil all my life Ufo He Ue loves me mel Chris loves me met mel melIUs Jets His Ups tips were on hers now bring brine ing lag them back bock to joyous conscious consciousness ness I love you Mary ho was saying In quick breathless words Ive Ivo loved you from the tho very first moment I saw sow you darling that thai night last lost summer lummer at tho the country club but I shouldn't tell you so to My God I shouldn't tell you Why not Chris Why be bo afraid of raid to tell me Silently he ho lifted her to her feet and gently firmly pushed her from him Because ho he said his hll voice clipped and tense tenso I haven't the right I Im I-I'm Im I'm going to bo be married next month month to to a girl Ive I've known oil all my life With a vague vogue movement of her hand Mary sought for something to hold lold to found the corner of a table tobIe and clung to It Thank God the lathering gathering dusk prevented his see ice seeing Ing ng her taco face with any clarity Thank God sho she hadn't told him that she too oo cared desperately cored desperately lie He would e r i hY kl Nothings sensible for a pretty woman except a good marriage decreed never know now lie would never know knew She Sho managed at last lost to speak and even to her own cars her voice sounded Bounded culm calm almost careless Sho She said sold Good luck to you Chris 1 wish you the greatest happiness Happiness I the tho man repeated sardonically Happiness And then Well I must be getting on Mary Are Aro you sure youre you're all aU allright allright right Are you positive nothing nothings hurt burt Nothing Nothing but but my heart heart she he thought but aloud she said sold Quite Quito positive Chris You arent aren't going without your book are you Chris was swinging away from her and towards the entrance door I dont don't want wont the damned book he almost shouted and disappeared Into the Uie darkened dreariness of Main Street There goes my very life lite Mary tory said to herself And now that that thatis is J over theres there's nothing left for mo me moto moto meto to do but hitch my wagon to a star It t wont won't be the kind though that Aunt Linnie meant It will wilt be a career Ill I'll mull mall At Sea Seo tonight and tonight Im I'm going to tell the Ute family tamely that after afler all I shall ac RC accept ac- ac accept Aunt invitation to visit her in New York I can write there I perhaps really write And I cant can't stay slay here I I simply couldn't bear to stay here lure und and meet the tile girl Christopher cr Cragg Crogg Is going to marry morry Jim and Janet Jonet Loring were quite amenable when Mary informed them that night she had de decided d de- de decided to accept Aunt Linnies Linnie's invitation Invitation tation to visit her in New York Janet always alwn's eager to give her chil chil- children children dren every possible advantage felt that n a sojourn in her sisters sister's com com- comfortable comfortable apartment would be a great treat for Mary As for Jim he thought Mary tory must have her chance God bless her herl A change will Viti do her a II world of good and und will be n a tine fine Influence She's a n wholesome wl wom wom- woman woman an an in iii spite of her sophistication and she has hos both bOUl feet leet on on the ground Mary Mar could pay her own expenses fortunately There was the mag mog magnificent nl cent balance balan e of seven ninety dol dol- dollars dollars dols lars tars in her savings account account o a bal balance ance once that represented meticulous saving over a period of five years With a feeling of daring she he went to the First National flank Dank the fol following lowing morning and drew out every cent of It This final gesture ce turc buoyed her up considerably The entire family went to the sta station tion to see her oft off Dont worry too much Dad dear she whis whis- whispered whispered to her father us ItS he held beld her ber herIn berIn herin In his loving farewell embrace lIe He looked so gaunt standing there on the wind-swept wind platform waiting for the train to pull in so 10 sort of of- of hunted Mary had kissed him first then with terror in her heart at nl athis athis his appearance returned to him after otter bidding the others othen good good-by to give him one last hug She Sho thought for a mad mod instant of panic I dont don't believe Ill I'll ever see Bee him again alto In Oh God help him Help us u. usall all alit Lelia Leila met her at the Grand Cen Con Central Contral Station a redcap already In tow and guided her hor dexterously through a milling crowd that had gathered to pay homage to Robert Taylor boarding a nearby train for Chicago Well Wen find a taxi Leila LeUa said I putting nn on arm through Marys Mary's as ai soon Boon as BI we plow through these thee movie fans who are arc doing their best to get a lock of that poor mans man's hair Aunt Annie sent lent me down to meet you ou and to Inform you post post- posthaste posthaste posthaste haste that she is simply enchant enchant- enchanted ed over your change of heart about visiting her hor She's She attending a guild meeting at Saint Thomas Thomas' this after after- afternoon afternoon noon but shell she'll be home by the time tuna we get there Aunt Linnie Linn Ie true to Lellas Lella's promise was at home when the two girls arrived at the smart Park Avenue apartment house bouse Rising quickly from her ber deep chintz cov I ered eyed chair choir before the fireplace she I came tho the length of the room to welcome Mary with outstretched arms Darling she cried Im so 10 glad BO so very glad that you de de- decided ceded to coma Did Leila LeUa tell you that she's staying with me too Mary laughed Poor Leila Lello didn't have a chance chanco to tell me anything she sho replied I was so 10 busy ex ex- exclaiming exclaiming claiming about tho the sights and lights and sounds Rounds and smells I And you haven't seen leen anything yet ret Oh Mary you'll adore New NewYork NewYork York I Well about Lelia Leila here hero she's shei sublet her own apartment for a few months contemplating as a. is her habit a dash down South later on to Bo I prevailed upon her to come and stay with mo me in the meantime and thus hus brighten a few moments of the declining years of my Ufo lifo And at the tho same some time save me mea men a n large largo number of precious dollars dollarson on hotel bills billet LolU LoUa added with a agrin grin removing her fur turban and brushing her hair back from her forehead d. d Come on Mary Ill I'll show how you our room and you can rest your hut but and coat as Addle Addio says lays Addle Aunt very pretty Mulatto Mulato Mulat Mulat- to o maid mold counselor bodyguard and friend Shel been with me for ten years Aunt Linnie added and she ihei a treasure Ring for her right thIs his minute Leila Lelia Well We'll have havo some Bome tea ca I X know Marys Mary's tired fired from her journey and needs something to brace her up We dont don't dine till eight el Eight Mary repeated auto auto- automatically automatically Darling youre you're In a It dream said Linnie I feel as if I were Aunt Mary admitted Ive never be be- before before fore seen a room to compare with this I Or such luch loads londs of flowers Or Orso Orso Orse so se many photographs of fascinating fascinating- looking lc people Well youre you're going to meet some of ot those intriguing creatures creature Sun Sun- Sunday day Im I'm giving a party to Intro intro- Introduce introduce introduce duce you to my friends and she added dryly I 1 hope you'll find them just us liS fetching as os the tho cam cam- camera camera era has hns trade mode them but I doubt It It Mary placed a hand on Linnies Linnie's shoulder Oh but you mustn't give parties for me Aunt Linnie Im I'm here Just to see you and to work To work What doing for beau heavens heaven's heavens ens en's sake Writing Aunt Linnie Mary re re- turned her dark dork eyes wide and se serious rious I want wont to be on author Aunt uttered a little littie shriek Heaven help use us An author Darling Dar Darling ling youre you're far too pretty to spend your time messing around with words Ive I've never met a woman writer yet who didn't look like the witch ot of Endor Besides the Ule Cots Cots- wells have ho never been noted for or their brains Its It's been all they could do to write a fairly decent letter Dont discourage the child Lin Lin- admonished Lelia Leila Theres an exception to every rule I think Its It's grand grond that Mary wants to try her hand hond at something sensible Nothing Nothings sensible for a pretty woman except a good marriage firmly decreed I 1 know know- because Ive I've never been either beau beautiful or married CHAPTER CHAMER IV The days which preceded cocktail party were like a dream to Mary Loring LorIng beautiful ful enchanting unreal yet bedew bedeviled lied by the present ever worry over home conditions in be beset set let at all aU times Umes with thoughts thought of Christopher Cragg Aunt Linnie I dragged her triumphantly through one mad orgy of shopping after an another another other pa on to lunch at the Marguery or Pierres Pierre's thence to a first show show- showIng showing Ing at Knoedler's or Harlow's Harlows then thenon on to someone's apartment for tea finally back bock home homo for a quick bath and change to evening clothes and dinner at tho the Plaza or the Waldorf Swank looking boxes of all sizes shapes and colors were dally dolly being delivered to her from the shops and although she ahe reveled in the lux lux- luxuries uries urges which Aunt Linnie insisted on presenting to her her enjoyment was decidedly tempered by the tho thought The Tho money spent on 00 these frivolities would just about support Mother and Petey and ond Dad for a month I suppose I do look well enough she conceded to the person in the mirror but what difference does It make moke Chris Is li marrying someone else else and and this thing called beauty doesn't get you to first base In |