Show ILLUSTRATED PAY COpy S SYNOPSIS 9 hail lIaU t parIs parI's for Cor da r pre pre- the days S War work In his studio Flodie FIsherS li hi his assistant reminds him of a party he hels Is to g give v In Inthe the studio that night and that his I Ig s business us InI I ness Is In bart bar and financIal shape e. e 1 Air Mr Ir Doremus attorney Justice of the the peace calls and Informs Hall that his TT U nc e Jo ms m's win will has left leet hIm 1000 nm b condition that he marry before beCore begins hl at his t. t ety t lh birthday which midnight that night Mrs Rena her hor Royalton calls at the studio r Il 0 Hall asks s shIm to marry him She Ie agrees to give hint hIm im an F answer at a the o party that night Miss 1 S Carolyn Dallys calls Hall Proposes proposes to h her sl Jail She agrees i t to g give vc him an n answer an an- E 5 1 n at the party Rosamund s n Gale art artan Pf model calls Hall tr tries to rush s her ler Into nto a an art immediate marriage get She too defers her answer until th the te evening Flodie tries to show Hall a ce certain n way out of the but lie lle Is ls obtuse Jonas Hassing- Hassing bury hE heir i f ny lr to the millions n In n case Hall fn tails fails to im m marr marry rry on t time I m Plots with Flodie to block i Hal Halls Hall's marriage r to any a of the three women before midnight n t. t Flodie arm arranges ar- ar ranges n to haye have Halls Hall if three m mOet meet at the studio as Sl if by y c chance oh ance CHAPTER VII V- V V Continued s. s reappeared reappear at the doorway I She he didn't appear to resent the question ques tio Lion tion 1 in the tho least Seventeen a week look had had vitriol Hm Her lips lost so some of their beauty 1 1 See ee one place where he could r reduce duce expenses pretty easily Really I Im I'm m willing Oh Ive I've had plenty of offers said Flodie I dont don't have to sta stay here I only do because he wants me to so much and I 1 dont don't see how he could ever get along without with out me Well Wel Rosamund turned away scornfully I I 1 think hell he'll get along allright allright all right The next offer you get I 1 advise advise ad ad- vise you OU to take talce it Hall may change his plans pretty soon and you might be in the way Rosemund had led trumps trump so Flodie followed suit She took her time however how ever biting the end of ot her bier penholder thoughtfully I I 1 dont don't know but youre you're right Miss Gale she said finally perhaps I 1 had better leave You see Mr Ur is likely to get married any time you never can tell with a aman aman man like him him and and I would be in the way as you say Rosamund's chin had bad risen an inch Flodie watched it as is she added It would be an awfully thing for Mr too You see his wife could keep the books and stay In the office here and hed he'd save by it of course he wouldn't have to pay her a any ay y salary Rosamund's chin dropped Why heavens he wouldn't think of having his wife wife wife- Oh you dont don't know him Flodie lid did the airy fairy mood Besides he couldn't afford to marry any other way Why I thought by the v way he talked that he was doing a pretty good business Well Vell Flodie replied with a fine i its You see I frankness S 'S this way Mr Ir thinks hes he's doing a lot lotof lotof of ot business when hes he's not He does a alot alot lot ot of work I mean but he takes so many pictures for nothing its it's worse than ban if h he were ere idle For nothing How Why the same as he did yours ex cx- And women do run after him how many so 30 you wouldn't believe They're in here all the time Rosamund by this tills time didn't quite know where she was Being herself a I woman with a pliable ble conscience she didn't altogether believe Flodie but and I confident she was as as not nearly so determined as when she had entered She had come come comein in with the intention of accepting Hall these hints of Flodie's disturbed her mightily She sat down and began to look over a pile of ot photographs nervously and behind behind behind be be- Flodie read her indecision hind her account book delighted in it watch little time to She had however before the door opened and Carolyn Dallys trig and debonair sauntered into the room lifted chin that was Now here was a naturally with none of Rosamund Gales Gale's affectation of superiority Carolyn Carolyn Caro Caro- lyn Dallys was sure of hers liers herself lt It was than to with ith her much easier to fool were arc arched led fool her Her eyebrows aquiline whimsically over her bred humorous humor humor- held beld a always nose ose her ees eyes ous spark Oh Ob bow do Thank you Ou for I was wasso wasso wasso Fisher telephoning me Miss anxious to see those proofs I ran so drawled amiably a at right over she in remembrance smiled and Flodie le encounter She of ot could Lid their hardly forenoons forenoon's take an anything thing seriously resentment alien rhen to bear enough Rosamund a careless glance she gave quality of f n inter cr crest modified onlY b by that always alwa's gives her brunette est cot which a sll slight slightly ht bowed and sister franklY stared ly Rosamund Carolyn in In Mr careless carelessly Y was away on he that Flodie replied but that most of business busineSS' were ready proofs mas Dally Dallys' bad two she A. wait till the lust Would point of or feet ant they In pol printed been but for ago iad ad d been do done a J hour half and n os und lodi plan pan Carolyn together It was mUSt be left alone jone ife In psychology lint jer opening exper would wa walt wait u uan arid and lie he hean liean Y Yes et 6 about the tile idly W- bands an to roam whistling 7 chin chiti m up n ii co cost coat t po pockets the d deter determined c t er from softlY Rosamund site she ue was mined way l in which I through the pile of photographs intended intended in in- intended tended to wait waft also She would see what some of these v women l en were like who came to see Hall She had already alread appraised Carolyn Carolyn not not Pretty consequently not not dangerous still it would do no harm to watch her So Flodie left them hut but saw to it that th the stockroom door Joor w wits was s not not quite closed I The situation was t ten tense ns it held po po conflict listening from the stockroom waft waited wafted d eagerly erl fo for the tile first shot There was however a little lit lit- tle tie preliminary skirmIshing necessary neither of the two d' d et foes h had yet 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 a careless gesture sent some dozens dozens' of the he prints slipping lIpping sliding falling to th the floor With an expression of an annoyance she stooped to pi pick k tl them em up Carolyn watched her When two or three handfuls had been returned to the the table and Rosamund listless and restless had taken a new pose one ne picture remained at t her feet Carolyn good walked over and picked ed edit it up then looked at it smi smiling ng Rosamund Rosa ROsa- und mund became intrigued at once once Wonder who it is know Mrs Royalton A friend of Mr l Carolyn's lip had the slightest curl i in her ey eyes s was a subtle gleam Oh Rosamund R ga gave va it another look Ibok and tind nd added petulantly i Mr lr Boni stelle seems seems' to have a a good many friends Carolyn Caroln was frankly amused nough to say Oh yes in fact Im I'm Imone Imone I one myself She gave a sharp woman-to-woman woman glance at Rosamund I Indeed Rosamund's little smile was acid She drew herself up Well I I then when it comes come down to it so aI am I. I The two women's women eyes ees flashed like crossed rapiers We w cert 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 hostility hos hoe underneath Rosamund perceived perceived per per- oh easily en enough ugh Perhaps you think Carolyn wenton went on smiling as Rosamund was silent that that's a good reason for tor our not being friends This was in the modern mode but frankness was not at all ll the game that t Rosamund played best wherefore she I j Began to Look Over a Pile of Pho hastened to protest Oh no indeed Why should you think that Carolyn laughed she sIte was now thoroughly thoroughly thor thoro then enjoying herself Well WeIl Im I'm Carolyn Dallys she volunteered I think k you must be Miss 1 Gale arent aren't of you you Ive I've seen Halls Hall's pictures know Something suspicious suspicious' in you Rosamund's face faco impelled her to add dd mischievously And hes he's often orten spoken to me about you Rosamund showed her irritation at atthe atthe atthe the patronizing air of f familiarity only by the slightest Mush hush Indeed she said its Us queer he hasn't told me about you Oh theres there's very little to tell That was what Carolyn's lips said but her whole face told a different story In Inthe Inthe Inthe the womans woman's language of smiles she was an adept and Carolyn's smile smile- was crueL crueL- that unless Rosamund Rosa Rosa- It was as now evident Ithe j I mun mund could distinguish herself tron the vast horde of Hall female fe female female of male friends she would expire without knowing exactly ex ex- shame Carolyn Caroln what caused the girl to suffer rejoicing In her lack Jack of f ease Sh She was watched Rosamund grope for an effectual ef cf ef- ef reply At last it It came caine head and a atla a proud toss loss of the blou blonde e of the golden brown eyes j jOh she ald I 1 didn didn't t Oh I se see sec first b but t spoke the then ou 1 know by the n way YOU ou kJ know krow oW him butt pretty prett w ell ellOf Il Ilof Hall hail and T r are quite good Of course y you u know known Yes Carolyn wa was more attentive Not that Ive I've known him for such a long time I dont don't mean exactly but butwell butwell well weIl well were we're quite intimate Carolyn gave her a keen look but did not show that she was particularly arr affected Really Why I rather un un- un he was Interested in someone else Oh On n no V said Rosamund placidly I Of Of course purse you yo und understand I 1 have hay a aright aright right to know you know Why no Miss Gale I dont don't know that I do know kno you know She drew her bier chair up to R Rosamund sa and sat down deliberately Would Woud you mind telling me what particular right you have hate Carolyn at last had dropped her bier banter This was straight the shoulder Oh I 1 can hardly go Into that Rosamund Rosa mund said softly satisfied by by her lier vic vie I tory l Flodie lodie b behind hind the shelter of the thedoor thedoor door 00 hugged herself in delight Carolyn stared at the girl puzzled Do you mean to tell teU me she h said J I V I 1 No No Said Carolyn Dryly finally that you are engaged to Hall Ball Han Rosamund stirred uneasily and pouted Well Weil no not exactly that is But I could be if it I 1 wanted to What Carolyn exclaimed Has lIas Hashe Hashe he proposed to you Rosamund nodded sedately Hes He's waiting for my answer right now Carolyn jumped up excitedly and was about to speak when Flodie smiling smil ing lug like a book ag agent nt bustled into inte the room She She walk walked d up up uj to Carolyn Oh here are re your proofs Miss Dallys she she she- said blithely Im sorry 1 I kept you waiting so 10 long ng She turned toward Rosamund Oh I see you have met Miss Gale so I dont don't need to introduce you No Carolyn answered taking the proofs without looking at them Miss Gale and I 1 have made ade ourselves acquainted acquainted ac ac- ac- ac while we were waiting tha lk you Fl Flodie die turned to Rosamund Miss 1 Dallys is a very intimate friend of Mr you rou ou know All the starch went out of ot Rosamund's Rosamund's Rosa Rosa- munds mund's pose She Is She gazed at Carolyn as at a zebra Carolyn shrugged her shoulders and nd gave a casual glance at the proofs Oh Miss 1 Fisher she said would you OU mind ind printing another one of ot cacti of these two Id I'd like hike to send them to my ny mother and see which one she likes lIke better She handed them back to Flodie Ill wait walt sh she added her eyes on Rosamund Rosamund added I think Ill I'll wait here a little while too Miss Fisher Miss 1 Dallys Dahlys Is really so 50 very inter inter- esting smiled Well all right Miss 1 Gale I knew you'd like her And she disappeared Carolyn Caroln who had been walking up and down Impatiently now approached ap ap- ap- ap pro ched Rosamund See here her Miss Gale she said Id like to know when Hall proposed to you I fail tall to see how It itIs Is is any of your business No Well then I suppose I j shall have to tell you The fact Is Hall h has s just proposed to me one Why Vh Miss Mss Dallys you must must be bej j joking Rosamund stared stared dum dum- founded Why It was only this mornIng mornIng morn morn- Ing he lie spoke To to m me one one- What time Wh Why Does the particular minute make malee any difference I Id I'd like to know Miss Dallys Dahlys Yes as It happens it makes nil all the difference In the world Miss 1 G Gale le Mr Bo proposed to me at about about- I 1 think it ft was vas lets let's see ten see thirty ten Rosamund met her eye eC to eye ee Well Vell he lie to proposed me one at exactly a quarter to eleven I 1 I noticed the clock Oh did you I 1 didn't but Ill I'll take tak your our word for or it Narrow escape hard wasn't It Carolyn's laugh was and mirthless But I never heard of such a thing In my life Poor Rosamund stared bl blankly at it t her bici rival No said Carolyn dr dryly y ly It doesn't happen often orten often often-I I hor how but ther theres there's s 's no use In getting g excited d Cb about ut It Excited D lX Dc i you mean menn to say you'd oud accept a man lOan who vho had bad treated you you Ute that l kNo No Miss Gale candidly I 1 And between bet you jou ou and me I I dont don't mind you ou I J wouldn't accept him under any auy circumstances I never hid had any m of o him him TO eTO HE f |