Show 0 d 1 l r prudence's Dau gh terr B m. m r J By ETHEL HUESTON HUEST N 1 bY the tho Bobbs Merrill Co Copyright Service BERRY JERR QUITS I ONE At a artY PART P ART the studio apart apart- I n rrY party Blake New York nt at o of cari Carter lne Harmer Pru- Pru l f Ger me meets ts Duane es ces daug wealth Idler He ado ad- ad o weD tremendously and she she- shores t res ber r Allerton gets sets ae a MM gut But ut e bier with unfortunate Jerry au resenting his MB as- as Je f JerrY familiarity lea leaves ves I option 0 of abruptly the story ry a and e B childhood JerrYs s I rU to Jerry hOrne home In Des Moines tb at her wealthy wealth father Mid of a she sheea V fe twenty she reels feels reelsen I I en ea n she ahe Art Art and asks her hersome 0 of f let her bel go to New seat relit to WIth some rols- rols studY dy tu rk r for tor to her going ns nr they agree Jerry makes maltes her 1 York Delaney ii- ii With I fc a Mrs v tan actress who with an f nf mJ l painter occupies the a erua eresa r a. a Immediate j takes an rr use Theresa Teresa who Is talt tal- tal t to eccentric and the two rid aD and d e o.-ne o. ome fast last ft P HI III-Continued III Continued 5 V I r wear your er very fluffy clothes 4 thes so they'll all nil fall tall In love Jove loveton jon 1 ton admonished Rho Rhoda a. a Hes Hesto awfully amusing to have some same and nd you'll be crazy about it 1 I ret get t dressed and come by for me U bLe be rather late I 1 have haye to finish a ag g before we go You come along I ten and well we'll start as soon as I the ibe darned old lamp in the right I i e lamp What lamp Jamp I nr n y drawing Its It's a background There has bas to be a n floor Jam lamp lithe e lady villain falls iaUs under It res re's only one place In the picture PosSiblY go and when I 1 put It iet fit t throws a n shadow where there d be a n light On the ladys lady's face face face- Ive I've LIre been having baring the devils devil's own with It all day My lamp Isn't e ough so Im I'm going to borrow I of of to take along home and laps ps PI It wi will 1 go better fifty iy dont don't you let It go until to- to err mr Wr asked Terry Jerry Then you'll you k Ice and fresh for It If you work yo you'll 11 be all tired out Walt Wait t I tomorrow tomorrow o Db but I cant can't work tomorrow going to toa a party 1 I Another party tomorrow 7 no no this one tonight But I tomorrow I never can cank Uh k the day ay after a party e wj 1 y dismissed the subject with a g af f her pretty shoulder She had time ceased tr trying to understand days js of ot eager Rhoda and tired raa She was going to the party part is tell wll as Rhoda Jerry was sure d id be beat at her class as usual the theng gaS ng Jg day t Uen o'clock that evening e radiant radiant- 1 lo In a stunning little flame fiame-col- gown col-gown wn of ot chiffon velvet et with pearls i LEr throat and swinging beneath beneather I luster aster er of ot curls over her ears I J bandied In a great soft cape of g. g t kolinSky she took a n taxi tax to i o. o And opening the door e to a a muffled strangled i In H she stood aghast staring Ride Ide lips parted 11 fora II tallest handsomest rosiest Imp mp stood conspicuously In the f Qt of the room and on a rug dl- dl I ah h it May lay Rhoda herself herselt in evening e gown of gold Len J en g twisting s 's squirms squirm squirm- u s l I ng g her herself elt frowningly In af a and mirror f to get the effect of ns the Ole meaning me an I Dg of the tb curIous panto panto- Ia I IrS f upon Jerry she Into merry Oh n u r to a you cant can't imagine lne how t 1 Yon OU look d da she got ot up Iio She took ae kOlinsky Jerrys Jerry's wrap and tOSsed It I a chair I u II d do It I Sh She av l lr the 11 Ie a Il light ht hand Ii on her easel 1 p See I T Theres There's a t to be the lady The lih there It Tt throws her herI tta shadow adow see I ar ar And Its It's hot It I e a and l In a 8 jt light Now I r ater fr her I d na InSistence Jerry was wasI I tn me colored De-colored colored chiffon chilTon velvet Otto sprawl o out t Ut on the j r t rug nig on J head d turning this way twisting ft f rown backward n b tilted Ill e m Rhoda lOr J ba n stood over her 7 I th tb ng swearing her bl C lh softly tte n now ow there moving the lamp Jamp t J after I borne Irne minutes of off Ott on n pain the th th Part of f coo flood su t suddenly rj enly found that n a ot I tell tare ten fell direCtly across 1 on n the cite hf ru rug She I cried I I 1 ud oId I h clasping nS her or ter hands And eau d it It Jerry And Crry she orb orl or or- tl b e light caught ul U l J er lIer br brush toor to or thirty 1 I l aith a the room was I tracked f eat silence while e In as J at th the herd Jed pie pie- ler o on the ett bre th fu 1 n her ler floor almost l fear ot of spoiling I Ott 1 nil Rhoda of oda liGht b clicked out the le the till reller lef easel sighing i I anI aile I laughed Done Donet a t the Ree C Obliged Jerry Jerr t t e c SPort I 1 ever eu o o'CloCk f muffled In heavy hean wraps they were In a taxi on their way vay to Brooklyn That was as the night of Jerrys Jerry's first studio party t the a nl night ht of Carter Blakes Blake's contract souse as it was was affectionately affectionately af- af recorded In the memories of f his friends forever after And that was vas the night when Jerry basking warmly In the Intoxicating intimacy of f Duane Dunne Allerton's friendly smile lost Jost the glamorous illusion of her girlhoods girlhood's dream CHAPTER IV When Jerry Gave Up It was four o'clock In the morning when rhen Jerry reached her ber little studio I apartment on Reillys Reilly's alley aey after Carer Carter Car Car- CarI I ter er Blakes Blake's hilarious contract souse In n Brooklyn She went in very slowly very ery quietly and placed her great fur cloak carefully on Its hanger In the small mall closet And then she slie set to work vork with the minutest care and orderlIness orderliness or- or piling together every penciled pen- pen lied cUed sketch every laboriously painted tree ree and flower lower every anxiously outlined out- out lined Ined face tace and figure that was even en remotely conn connected with the pursuit of Art When she had It a all In one heap she he wrapped It In heavy paper and tied It t with a n stout cord Then she cleaned her er brushes with painful painstaking Intentness closing every bottle and tube ube and Jar of or paint and oil oH wiping them neatly and packing them all in their heir boxes These she put away vay on the he top shelf of ot her closet Last of all nil she he released the supports of her easel and nd let Jet It down do and then with a areat great reat effort managed to shove It Into her er bath closet Joset behind the ridiculously small mall tub Jerry did not know why she did these hese things She did not even wonder why She only knew that she must banish every reminder of a 0 dead pasIon pas- pas though sion-though Ion though really Art had never been beena a passion with her but only a pleasant pleasnt pleas pleas- pleasant ant nt warm luke Interest When easel sketches ketches and ond paints were gone from fromer her er sight she sighed a little wearily she removed the flame-colored flame gown and nd went to bed At ten o'clock the next morning she went went rent up to Theresa carrying a gaudy tray ray on which she had arranged a charming harming little breakfast with ith that daIntiness which characterized everything every every- thing she did Theresa who kept her door forbiddingly barred to Mimi l and to 0 all the world besides after the first few ew days of their acquaintance had given Jerry a n duplicate key Come in whenever you like she said aid You have an nn easy way about you that doesn't drive me wild like ever everybody body else But dont don't knock Just use the key and come right In Theres There's never any making love to Interrupt interrupt In- In here Theresa's abhorrence to knocking was a frenzy with her tier A state of nerves Jerry called colled It but Theresa who never acknowledged nerves In any shape or form torm denied it although the slightest lightest tapping startled her to such sucha a 1 degree that It was a physical pain Oh Im I'm off In the clouds and It jerks erks me down to earth so fast it makes my teeth chatter w was s the tile way she described the sensation There was a 0 huge black and white sign on her door which read For Gods God's sake suke dont don't knock Cough lough and Ill I'll let you OU in if I 1 want to see you you Jerry with that delicate reserve ac at acquired a in twenty years with Prudence prudenc would not for the world have Intruded so even when Invited to do sound so and und was always careful to approach slowly with a slight clearing of her throat fumbling a bit with the be key and then pausing a long moment before before before be be- fore opening the door to give gi Theresa time to adjust herself to company compan whether she slue wished for tor time tune or not Theresa Jool looked ed up at her entrance and anel nodded briskly In greeting Theresa The The- She resa never said good mom morning ng held that a nod meant welcome and u frown requested your our absence Come and ond eat Jerry lerl said without preamble Youve got on n my co con conscience conscience think thinking thinking think science so 1 I cant can't sleep nights here wasting away to a In ing of you ou up either shadow un and for no good reason l' l Im I'm ex expecting any t time e to find youve you've devoured de your our easel Tl Theresa was thinner wanner the dark circles shadowing her brilliant eyes yes deeper and wider than thull before and balanced balanced balanced bal bal- gratefully She took tool the tray It on her knee You are the nicest kid J J Jerry eTry she site I wish I said I am am hungry mess about with a n grill the tile wily way ou out everything comes omes Rhoda does but Jut much touch salt wit I 1 burned or raw or too haven't haven the l knack for It ft It and und It mak makes s of a apan apan The sight bight me peevish anyhow hoW evil instincts s. s 1 pan pun arouses all my and cave man marl wish I had been born a raw Just then I 1 could cat eat my food catch I a bird and gobble him up up Youre cave man enough Jer Jerry n more e for any warned her ber Dont wish of it It Do you notice an improvement showing show shim In cooking Rhoda Khoda has been my mv rather fun 1 I The he- he e- e really and Its It's Ing In me e Im ou don dont don't t mind resa rea Im I'm glad lad that you practicing on you my Theresa Theresa The The- in silence They sat for a while resa drinking the hot soiree coffee nibbling nibbling app toast with warm the crisp unusual not was don tion The fhe silence Sometimes they at at for an hour sa say I Ing ng not one word T Theresa heresa working steadily at her ens' ens el easel Jerry curled up comfortably on th the e tumbled couch Im glad your od Jeyes eyes are blue Theresa The The- resa said suddenly y with Ith one one of her rare smiles es I do dont don't n t mind your staring star- star ing ng about B Brown rown eyes ees give glue me the willies Was I staring Im I'm sorry Theresa eresa looked at t tier her Ii er curiously In Jerrys Jerry's abstraction she found food for conversation Oh I 1 dont don't ml mind n. n d dIs I 1 wonder if It it its its Is s b because your e eyes yes are arc so blue that your lashes seem sos so CJ cloudy U y or because your lashes are so dark n t that lat your eyes seem so blue I dont don't know Again Theresa sw swept ep t her a quiet look ook Or perhaps e It ItIs Is the midnight ht ItI blackness sJ blackness o of your hair la I r and the olive cream of your sll skin that effects the subtle combination Jerry said nothing O OOl Have a good time at the party Oh Ol 1 yes lovely ely Y Youre U I late for tte your class Im I'm going gong go go- Ing ng t to r report o YO you t to the Amalgamated Middle West Youre You're ou re supposed to be prompt Im I'm not going to the class Why not Too much party Im I not going to study Art any any more Why not B Because I cant can't paint Y You ou k kit knew new it all lJ the time didn't you ou 7 Yes Yes How did you find out I I don dont don't t know It Just came cameto to to me all ali of a sudden Why didn't you tell i ime me Theresa 7 I You do very nicely J Jerry Jerry for for amusement for amusement for for passing away r i 1 i Q I jt tl i L l la laThere I Ila There Was a Huge Black Sign on Her Door the time and all that You Just haven't the spark that's all I wish you had told me Theresa Jerry was wretchedly abject object in her ber despondency Why should I It amused you and you have money to pay for any amu amusement amusement amuse amuse- ement e- e ment that pleases you ou If It you ou had luid one In professionally expecting to tomake tomake make e a n career of It a u living McDow living McDow McDowell ell would have told you ou But you ou were never pe really one of us you ou know knot You mean menn I I-I I I am urn a n misfit Yes a misfit Theresa smiled upon he her You You you dont don't like me meery very ery well Jerrys Jerry's voice was Theresa do you jou ou pathetic I Theresa's Theresa's answer surprised her think you ou are the sweetest s the most lovable lo girl I ever saw In Iu illY ray my life In fact youre you're the only one I 1 ever did see Jerry fl flushed shed deeply with surprise and pleasure You may not be an artist bt but brt t Youre You're not joure youre a a heavenly fine One kid Idd going home are you jou ou 7 N Im I'm not I 1 think thank not 1 dont don't know Know Imo what I am going to do Th Theresa resa put the tile tray on the floor and Jerry went downstairs quite confidently to J Jerry err expected telephone at ut atto hear from Rhoda hoda by to her wife safe least to make mal Inquiry as IS that t ghastly hour But nut arrival alone iu at t telephoned nor came carne And she neither to afternoon lorry walked so 80 late in to the afternoon cl s the the siX sir intervening blocks to is' herThe her maid assured her that thattil studio The tiles til La La lin Faye e was 1 In nd sent en her but although J Jerry up P directly d there very smartly twice knocked ed buthe but bu butas butas tas answer She started down was no friend the maid Insisted that her as cd once certainly In she return returned was us and used the heavy heaY knocker to to more time that utter after n a Ch effect st such good flinging muffled groan n a came ume a there the of f ers co and presentlY shout f slippers toward 1 shuttling g o othe of soft soled soft soled oed slippers the he door door- and disheveled Rhoda it was aa S a flushed confronted her her usually who and dull Two 1 eyes ees Inflamed J I kid curlers protruded I grotesque while tW rest resl fly over her left eye of ot her bobbed hair dangled about net hi face tuce In free tree disorder Why didn't you do It all demanded demand demand- ed Jerry quickly her eyes on the bristling bristling bris bris- tUng curlers Why such partiality Following the direction of Jerrys Jerry's eyes Rhoda lifted a languid hand and felt vaguely about her forehead coming comIng coming com com- ing to a n sudden electrical alertness as she felt the two curlers She ran to the mirror for tor u ri a minute Inspection For heavens heaven's sake she walled wailed did I go like Uke that to the party Jerry assured her she sha did not and Rhoda sighed In great relief Well Vell Ye I 1 dont don't know how it happened happened hap hap- she said and I 1 don't dont dont don't care Bertrande brought me home Perhaps he did It t for a Joke As long Jong as I did not disgrace myself at the party I dont don't care She tumbled upon the bed again and Jerry sat down beside her Oh such a head moaned Rhoda lifting her hands to her throbbing temples I swear every time Ill I'll never do It again and then I do Jerry took off her gloves removed her hat Ilat folded her coat nicely over the back of or a chair and went to work She got out cups and saucers measured measured measured meas meas- coffee e and water nier Into |