| Show cV LJ ILLUSTRATED RAY CO Y CHT ay OY x SYNOPSIS I 9 Hall t artist prepares pre- pre parts pares for tor da the days day's s work In ln his studio Flodie r if FIsher his assistant s S s ant reminds him f of a n P party he hc I is t to IV give I ln In the ft f studio that night and that tha his I business liS ness is In bad financial shape Mr 1 r. r Doremus attorney rv ncy and tit i justice Vf of the Ve Ue e peace calls and Informs hull Hall V that hl his U Uncle nc e Johns John's will has left lert him 0 on condition that he marry before hl his 3 twe twenty eighth t begins birthday which at midnight that nl night ht Mrs Rena Royalton calls at the studio Hall asks her to marry him She e agrees to give him an at mis answer we r dt at the party that night night Miss Mss Carol Carolyn n Dallys calls s. s Hall HaH propose proposes to her She agrees to gl give e him an answer answer an- an nt at the ie Party R Rosamund Gale art artan model calls H Hall tries tiles s to rush her into I an-I an an immediate m marriage She e too defers her ner answer Answer until U the e evening Flodie tries te to show snow Hall a n c certain a n way out of or the but he I Is obtuse br Jonas bury Uny heir r to the millions mons in case Hall rails falls to marl marry on tI time plots with Flodie f to block Halls Hall's marriage r to any of or tho the three Ot I I. I women before midnight p 1 Flodie odle arranges ar- ar J ranges eVi to have II halls nall's I I three meet at the studio as If by y chance CHAPTER VII VII Continued Continued I Flo Flodie le reappeared at the doorway She didn't t appear to resent the question ques- ques tion i In n the e least Seventeen a week Rosamund's loop look had vitriol Hm Her er lips lost some of their b beauty auty I Isee Isee 1 see iee one place where he could reduce expenses pretty easily Really Im I'm willing Oh Ive I've had p plenty enty of offers said Flodie I dont don't have bave to stay here I only do because he wants me to so much and I dont don't see how he could ever get along without without without with with- out me Well VeIl Rosamund turned away 3 scornfully I think thin Ie hell he'll get along all ally right The next offer you get get I adv advise advise ad ad- v vise se you to take it Hall may change his plans pretty soon and you might be in the way Rose Rosemund Und had led trumps so Flodie followed suit She took her time however how- how ever biting the end of her penholder thoughtfully I 1 dont don't know but youre you're right Miss Gale she said saia finally perhaps I had better leave You see fir Mr is likely to get married any time you never can can tell with a aman aman aman man like him him and and I would be in the way as you rou say Rosamund's chin had risen an inch Flodie watched it as is she added It It would be an awfully good thing for Mr Ir e. e too too You see his wife could keep the books and stay In the office here and hed he'd save b by It of course he wouldn't have havee to o pay her any salary Rosamund's chin dlin dropped Why heavens he wouldn't think of having baving his wife wife wife-It Oh you JOU toI don't dont t know him lihn Flodie did jid the airy fairy mood Besides he couldn't afford to marry any other way Why I 1 thought ib iffy foy the way fre Jre talked that he was doing a pretty good business Well VeIl Flodie replied with a fine frankness its it s fills way You see Mr thinks hes he's he s doing a a lot lotof lotof lotof of business when hes he's not He does a alot alot lot ot of work I 1 mean but he takes so many pictures for nothing its it's worse than lif he be were idle For nothing 1 How ow Why tho the same as he did yours exactly ex ex And women do run mm after him so 30 you wouldn't believe how many They're in here all the he time Ume Rosamund Rosamund Rosamund-by by this time me didn didn't t quite know where she was Being herself a woman with witha a a pliable ble conscience she didn't altogether Flodie but and nearly nearh so BO confident she was not determined as When she shad entered Centered She had come in with the intention intention of oft or I these hints accepting Hall She of Flodie's disturbed her herr mightily sat down hand antI to to look over look over a pile of photographs nervously Flo Flodie die read Tread her indecision and an ibe- ibe hind bind her account delighted in lit it She had bad however little It time me ItO toi watch catch Carolyn before the door opened and trig and debonair sauntered Da Dallys lYs into the r room om was lifted lift Now here was wasa a a chin that naturally with none one of lot Rosamund naturally natura Rosamund Gales Gale's affectation of tion ot of superiority Care Caro herself It was w lyn Dallys ys waS ws sure fure sure sure-of a jU with her than to easier to tool fool mu much ch arched fool her jf Her T eyebrows were whimsically over leer her jig 6 a humorous humor humor- nose he her eyes spark oils ous i v ou too tar Oh low how dOU do dD Fisher J wasso was wasso telephoning me Ml l anxious to see those proofs I Flat so amiably at drawled ever she right remembrance nce smiled In and encounter S She he of their theft forenoons forenoon's anything seriously hardly take lake could resentment Then to bear enough a careless glance she gave quality of oC Inter Interest that only by modified her har brunette always alwa's gh gives S est eat which a bowed slight slight- and blonde haired blonde alster Rosamund nd frankly stared ly Carolyn inquired in in- In n 1 Air Mr carelessly quire d that he was away on Flodie replied most ot of business b but but that Important were readY proofs Hiss fear Dallys' Dallys had till the ne last lut o two Would she he valt Would nt of cf fact they In point been printed J for but half ag ago go tad nod been do done ne a and nd Carolyn y Flodie's lodle's s plan Pin ar r It was aJ alone ne together ether must be left In psychology tier cr er opening PC would walt wait and ond be beYeS' beYeS beYes YeS YeS' ew C roin y fl hands Hand about t the he office m l Idly ly an to t whistling chin up n co coyt t I pockets pockets' from the tl IC deter loft Y Rosamund site il as II 6 jai w way r iR In 1 through the pile of photographs intended intended in in- tended to wait also She would see ee what s some me of these women were like who came to see Hall lle She had alread already appraised Carolyn not Carolyn not Pretty consequently not dangerous still It would do no harm to watch her So Flodie left them but saw to it that i the stockroom door was not ot quite I closed ed The situation was tense it held po po- conflict Flodie listening from I the stockroom waited eagerly for for the first shot There was however a littie little lit lit- tle tie preliminary skirmishing necessary neither of the two foes had yet recognized recognized recognized the presence of a rival Rosamund with beautys beauty's contempt for mere brains had returned to her inspection of the photographs when hen a careless gesture sent some dozens of the prints slipping sUpping sliding sUding falling to tho the floor With an expression of anI annoyance annoyance an an- I she stooped to pick them up Carolyn watched her When two or three handfuls had been returned to the table and Rosamund listless and restless had taken a new pose one picture remained at her feet Carolyn good good walked over a and d picked it up then looked at it smiling Rosamund Rosamund Rosa Rosa- mund became intrigued at once Wonder who It is you know Mrs l Royalton A friend of Mr Carolyn's lip had the slightest curl in her eyes ees was waB wasa a subtle gleam Oh Rosamund gave it another look and added petulantly Mr Ir 1 Boni Boni- stelle seems to have a good many friends Carolyn was frankly amused I enough to say Oh yes yes yes' In fact Im I'm Imone Imone Imone one myself to She gave a sharp I woman woman-to-woman glance at Rosamund I Indeed l' l Rosamund's little smile I was acid She drew herself up Well I then when it comes comes down doryn to it t so am I 1 I. The two women's eyes flashed nashed like crossed rapiers We certainly ought to be friends then said Carolyn shrugging her shoulders There was but the faintest trace of mirth in her tone not enough for Rosamund to register but the host hostility hostility hos hos- t 1 t underneath Rosamund perCeived perceived perceived per per- oh easily enough Perhaps P you think Carolyn Caroln went wenton on on smiling as Rosamund was silent that that's s a good reason for our not being friends This was vas in the modern mode but frankness was vas not at all an the game that Rosamund Rt played best wherefore she sheI i iI iIi I C J Ji i i i- i 5 F t of s r 1 Y J Began to ok Over a Pile of Ph hastened hastened to protest Oh n no indeed Why should you you think that Carolyn laughed she was wa now thoroughly thor thor- Jy enjoying herself Well Wel then JIm Carolyn Dallys she volunteered J 1 k you y-ou must be Miss 1 Gale aren arent t you I Ive I've e seen Halls Hall's pictures picturE's of oC you mu you ou know Something auspicious I Iou in n add her to d s face faco impelled And hes he's often spoken ito to me sue about bout you ou Rosamund showed sho her lIer Irritation at atthe atthe the e patronizing air aJr of or familiarity only b ty by the slightest flush Indeed she hasn't told me said Its MIts queer he le about you Oh MOh theres there's very sery little to tell That what hat Carolyn's lips said but herb her was vas 15 told different story In Inthe Inthe a w whole b 0 Ie face tace womans woman's language 0 of f sm smiles f she h I the the was an un adept and Carolyn's s smile was taB cruel It was now evident that un unless I ess Rosamund Rosamund Rosa Rosa- U mund could distinguish herself from from of Hall s 8 female female fethe fe fe- fe- fe the vas vast t horde male ale friends she would exp expire re 0 of ml without knowing exactly ex ex- Carolyn 8 shame tal nc what caused the girl I t to 0 s suffer Utter In her ber lack of If ease She rejoicing I was waa Rosamund grope for an effectual ef- ef I w. w watched t c bed factual 1 reply reply- ly At last It C came me w with witha th i 1 toss of the blonde head hea and aud a n na proud t lu a pre n 1 I of the golden brown C eyes I cs j jOh I I 1 didn didn't t saId e she Oh Ob 1 J C see IJ OU spoke c first but buts wa you by the way know well nol 1 Know V him pretty ou s you erb per 1 Of Oo course cours e Hall Ilan and I J are quite good goodOf friends you lalow I 1 l lYes more Yes Yea was Not that Ive I've known him for such a long time timo I dont don't mean exactly but butwell butwell butwell well well were we're quite Intimate Carolyn gave her a keen look but did not show that she sha was particularly affected Really Why I rather understood understood un un- un- un he was interested In someone else Oh no no said Rosamund placidly t Of f course you understand I have hava a aright aright right fight to know you know Why hy no Miss Gale I dont don't know that I 1 do know you know She She drew her chair up aP to Rosamund and sat down deliberately Would you mind telling rn me what particular right you have Carolyn at last ast had dropped her banter This was straight front the shoulder Oh I can hardly go into that Rosamund Rosamund Rosa Rosa- mund said softly satisfied by her victory vic vic- tory Flodie behind the shelter of the thedoor thedoor door hugged herself in delight Carolyn stared at the girl puzzled Do you mean to tell me me she said 1 o I j p w e eNo i. i No Said Carolyn Dryly J finally nally that you are engaged to Hall Han Rosamund stirred uneasily and pouted Well Wen no not exactly that Is But I could be If I I. I wanted to What Carolyn Caroln exclaimed Has Hashe Hashe Hashe he proposed to you Rosamund nodded sedately Hes waiting for my answer right now Carolyn jumped up excitedly and was about to speak when Flodie smiling smiling smil smil- smiling ing like a book agent bustled into the vroom room She walked up to Carolyn Oh here her are your our proofs Miss 1 Dallys she said blithely Im sorry I kept you waiting so 50 long She turned toward Rosamund Oh I I see you have met Miss Gale so I dont don't need to introduce you No No Carolyn answered taking the proofs without looking at them Miss Gale and I have made ourselves acquainted acquainted acquainted ac ac- ac- ac while we were waiting thank you l Flodie lodie turned to Rosamund Miss Dallys is a very Intimate friend of Mr Bon stelle you ou know All the starch went out of Rosamund's Rosamund's Rosa Rosa- munds mund's pose She is She gazed at t Caro Carolyn yn as at a zebra ebra Carolyn shrugged her shoulders and gave a casual glance at the proofs Oh Miss Fisher she said would you mind printing another one or of each of these tw two Id I'd like e to send them to my mother and see which one she likes better She handed them back to Flodie Ill wait she added her eyes on Rosamund Rosamund added 1 I 1 think Ill I'll wait here a little while too Miss Fisher Miss 1 Dallys Dalls is really so very inter inter- esting Flodie smiled Well all right Miss 1 Gale I knew you'd like her hei And she disappeared Carolyn who had been walking up and down impatiently now approached ap Rosamund See here Miss 1 Gale she said Id rd like to know when Hall proposed to you I fail Cail to see how it Is any of your our business No Well then I suppose I shall have bave to tell you The fact is Hall has just proposed to me Why Miss Dallys you OU must be joking Rosamund stared dum- dum founded Why It was only this mornIng morning morning morn morn- ing he spoke to me me- me What bat time Why Does the particular minute make any an difference Id I'd like to know Miss Dallys 1 Yes as It happens it makes all ll the difference In the world orld Miss 1 Gale GaJe Mr proposed to lo me at about about- lets let's thirty ten tee thirty ten I think it was Rosamund met her eye to eye ee Well he lie proposed to me at exactly a n quarter to eleven I noticed the I clock Oh did you I didn't but Ill I'll take tak your word for Cor It it Narrow escape wasn't it Carolyn's laugh was hard and mirthless But I never heard of ot such euch a thing in m my life Ufe Poor Rosamund stared blankly at her rival No Xo said Carolyn Caroln dryly It doesn't happen often I ho but theres there's s 's no it it use e In getting excited about Excited Do lX you mean to say you'd oud accept a n man manlio who lio had treated you OU tike Uke that 1 No Xo Miss Gale candidly I And between you ou and me I dont don't mind truing telling r you ou I 1 wouldn't accept him under any circumstances I nev never J had nn any hl Ider r e cf Of accepting him TO HE TIE 1 |
