New Britain Herald Newspaper, May 9, 1928, Page 12

NEW LRI DAILY Whemn A £ © 1928 by NEA Service CHAPTER 1 ¢¢JF YOU mairy that girl I'll jump in the river!” The man at whom the reckless speech was di- rected smiled his disbelief. “But I mean it, Niel," the girl persisted. “Yes, of course you do. Just as you meant it with Berto last vear and Harry the yvear before and . “Oh, shut up! [ never prentended to care bout them, but you are different. I'm crazy about vou, Niel. The whale village knows it.” The young man made & gesture of weariness with one hand. His other was busy at the table befoie which he stoed, arranging the decorat for a buf- fet supper. “Please stop being childish. Chiri.” help me with these flower Chiri sniffed. *Orchids! them.” This time the man paused in his work to regard ter seriously. “Why not? She sent this cloth, too,” the fine lace and linen cover, *“and these,” lifting a piece of sterling silver tableware. *In fact, she sent all this stuff, Chiri, but what does it matter if she wants the things she's accustomed to? It's her party, too, you know, and if T hadn’t won the mural competi- tion and used it as an excuse to celebrate down here we would be announcing our engagement uptown.” Across the richly appointed table the girl called Chiri, drew back and looked at him scornfully. “You . . . poor . . . fool,” she said slowly. “For heaven's ke,” he returned impatiently, “stop trying to quarrel with me and get busy: can't vou stick these candles up straight?” “I didn't come here to straighten candles! Every- one's talking about you, Niel, and this . . . what's her name? . . . Brewster girl. We all think _\oule mad. Why, Niel, dear”—she changed her voice suddenly hom anger to tender pleading—*can’t you see it will ruin you to marry an outsider such as she is? Look. Linen! And we are used to bare hoards, or Italian bro- cade when someone is lucky. How will you like to down day after day at precisely the same hour to pre- cisely the same correct table? The butler will sneer at vou if you touch anything when you shouldn't, and pretty soon you'll want to kill him; and what will you do when the call you to dinner just when you've caught the thing you couldn& get into your work for weeks and weeks . . . “Good lord, Chiri, you don't know what yvou're talking about. I doubt if you've even seen a butler off the stage, and besides we aren’t going to live on Park Avenue. I hope to take Virginia to Rome next year and I imagine we'll be able to find a common meet- ing ground for our tastes.” “That kind of imagining has ruined many artists, Niel, and you know it. Oh, I can't let you do it, I can't.” Chiri came like a whirlwind round the table and threw herself into his unwilling arms. Her hands clung round his neck and her ragged bob brushed his lips. e disliked her perfume. It was a struggle to free him- self ‘without hurting her, *“Chiri,” hc began firmly, “I want you to stop this. You know you're only. acun" and that you aren’t wor- vied about my career.’ Chiri smiled straight at him and threw pretense to the four corners of the big studio, “Well, what if I'm not? I don’t wa t you to mar- ', and one reason's as good as another.” *“Then please save yvour acting for a better occa- ion, The only thing I've ever liked about you, Chiri, is your defiant truthfulness. “But vou don't like it when T say I love vou. “Because you're lying. But I'd be sorry if it were tiue, as I honestly believe I'm monogamous. Anyway, I've never loved any znl but Virginia, and I have an idea that I never will.” Chiri lete a peculiar little sound that meant *“too bad" escape her “You're talking like a bourgeoisie already,” she declared reproachfully, “That's what her influence has done for you. Monogamous! My God! Ain’t nature wonderful 2" “Must you be valgar? .nlmnwl asked quietly. “Oh, 1'don’t care what I am,” Chiri cried with renuine te in her eves. They were, however, tears of exasperation, “\oulo the only man 1 love and you have to g0 nl’JImKdHIO\l\ Nathaniel laughed. “You talk as if that were : political platform. Chiri, I'm ashamed of you, honestly I'am. Do vou think even if I loved vou 1'd let myself be just another scalp at your belt? I'm beginning to be afraid of vou.” “The trouble with you. Niel, vou ought to have more conceit. Why shouid you care what brand my affections bear? It's my love I'm talking about and 1 guess [ know more about it than vou do. I'll guarantee it's interestin Not to me. Chiri: please believe that. And there's the doorbell. A nice mess if it's Virginia. It it is, for heaven's sake behiave vourself. He moved off to answer the summons and the zirl looked after him with mutinous eves. She could not have him. Not now. She knew that. But men change. Things change. And nothing could make her stop trving. There hadn't been another man like Na- thaniel Dann. If only she could make him say, just once, “I love you!” Suddenly, like a cat springing, she eached out md grasped a beautiful purple dlld W hltl' orchid in her ous finge nd erushed it spitefully. It gave feel of hurting the girl who had won forever 1e desirved and could not have for even one hour. Between her d)](l the door stood a sereen. She glanced at it with eves made X-ray by her obsession. Nathaniel was ki mg his love—she knew that, and if she hadn't known already she would have when she saw the girl's face. It was )'rli.mtl\ beautiful as only the face of a woman hap) n love can be. Niel's kisses seemed to linger in the shining tenderness of the clear gray eves and the curves of the smiling lips. Chiri hated to look at it when Nathaniel intro- duced her to Virginia. And the voice that greeted her be said, “and I suppose SHE sent touching afforded further irritation. It held notes like those that Nathaniel coaxed from his violoncello when he played under the stars on hot nights. Chiri loved poetr) She knew that Nathanicl loved it, too. And there he had found his dream girl. Chiri e that. For a moment she fclt def d. without hope. But having her way with Nathanicl had become like the battle of life itself to her. She could not give up. But she knew that she could gain nothing by cre- ating a scene, and her passion be what it wa: flame which she fed with conquest isfactions—she was able to control it, and act with ease. She might belicve hu i ately infatuated with Nathaniel hut she would never be swept into an ungoverned demonstration of feel- ing. What she did, no matter how unconventional, was done ‘with purpose. Only true love makes one forget oneself, “What did you say her name is? Nathaniel when Chiri had left them. “Chiri, as though you spelled it ‘cheery.” 0Odd, isn't it? Says it is part of the name of a South Amei- ican fruit. Must have had strange parents, poor little kid.” “She scems ... osort of what does she do? Paint?” Well, she calls herself a student-model. Really gets serious now and then and tries to work, but most ly she models.” Deliberately Nathaniel watched Virginia then Chiri had not been the first to plant the seed of doult in his mind about the success of the marriage of an artists to one who might be presupposed not to un- derstand art. Would she becommon-minded about models’ “I've used her a quite a lot lately.” Nathanicl went on, still watching. Virginia lifted calm cves and spoke. “For you illustrations. 1 can sec she was the woman's figure.” Virginia did not know why he did it. He came and took her in his arms and said, *Virginia, vou are sweet.” She hadn't even thought about nudity! The figure she mentioned was clothed. He had sought to make her think Chiri was the lovely figure in the mural draw- ings, to get her reaction. And she hadn't had any. No more than an artist visiting and discussing the same subject would have had. No, certainly Virginia wasn't waing to be cheap about his models. He had known that all the time. He felt he couldn't have loved her if hie'd heen less sure of her fine mind. “What made you do that?” he released her, “You. You come over me sometimes like a wave of something [ can't resist. I'll aiways have to kiss vou, Virginia, when I feel like that. “Good gracious. If it happens any time?” “Anytime.” “Well, if the attacks aren’t too cloze together we micht arrange to have them happen in priv. vou think vou will have another one tonight? “Right now.” 2" Virginia asked . tropical. Who is she, she asked him when beauty in sight and sound. HERALD, MAY 9, 1928 rl Loves RUTH DEWEY GROVES The malady was cured for the moment by the ving of the doorbell. “Is it vour father?” Nathaniel . it must be the first of your guests, Niel. Dad’s terr ibly disappointed. He said he must sec some- one on very important business tonight.” “I'm sorry,” Nathaniel said, and meant it. He cenuinely liked Virginia's father. Before he had be- come engaged to her he had feared that Richard Brewster, millionaire, would not weleome a poor artist for a son-in-law, however rising he might be. It would be a disappointment not to have him here tonight when Virginia would be introduced for the first time to the artists of Greenwich Village, But he soon forgot about it in the happiness of Chiri Came Like a Whirlwind Round the Table and Threw Herself Into His Unwilling Arms receiving the congratulations of his friends. They were a joyous herd that come mostly in groups. each with a central figure—a famous man or woman. Chiri came in late, with two fascinated young males and a pale. indifferent poet. “Dance with me, Niel,” she begged when someone began talking with Virginia. Nathaniel, overflowing with good will, was about to comply with her request when his butler, hired for the occasion, came to tell him he was wanted on the telephone. He turned to speak to Virginia, but the man put up a warning finger and Nathaniel noticed then that his face was grave and his manner one of suppressed excitement. He asked Chiri to excuse him and withdrew with the butler. “There is trouble at the Brewster home, sir,” the man said when they were out of earshot of Virgina. “Mr. Brewster’s man is on the wire. He said not to let Miss Virginia know until he had talked with you. It's her father, sir.” Something like a cold finger seemed to veach in to Nathaniel's heart and coil round it for an instant. Nathaniel knew it was fear. His mind, sensitive and psyehie, had leaped to a dozen alarming conjectures and settled to the conviction of tragedy. Though not a skeptic, vet he knew that life allowed no perfect bliss, and his recent happiness had been so great as really to concern him about the inevitable rift. But Virginia! Why must it touch her? e paused for a moment at the door of the small room adjoining his studio. which he used a bedroom, and glanced Iy.uk at the girl whose joys and sorvows must hence- forth be his joys and sorrows. No foreboding seemed to trouble her now. She was smiling, beinng gracious to his friends. Nathaniel was proud of her, of her calm He took up the phone wluttantl\. There was bad news for Virginia. and he must carry it to her. “Hello, Dann speaking.” His voice brought a rush of information uttered in a frightened whisper that barely carried to him. Nathaniel made out the fact that Virginia's father was dead. “Have you called a ph ian?" he shouted. “I'll get one at once, sir,” came back faintly in reply and Nathaniel heard a click that told him' the connection had been broken, He stepped to the door, uncertain of the hest thing to do. He might beckon her ... but she “dS not looking his ‘way. Then he saw her dancing. A slight tremor shook him and left his flesh cold. Dancm;z' Laughing, too, and he could see the grim shadow of the reaper over the gay crowd, dimmin',z the joy, mocking ambition and hope. \\’ou]d he have to go and take Virginia from her partner’s arms? He drew upon the courage that must never fail her, took a step forward and was halted by a touch on his arm. “Niel. What is it?” _"Chiri! Go and tell those musicians to stop play- ing.’ It was like Chiri, so unbalanced in her way with men, and yet so understanding and quick to grasp the the essential elements of any situation, to move off swiftly and without comment to do as Nathaniel bade her. As the music came to an unmelodic end Nathan- iel reached Virginia's side. “Please excuse her. Lionel,” he said to the man she had been dancing with; “there’s been something happening at her home .md we'll have to go at once. Will you tell the others Purposely he had given Virginia a few seconds to realize that trouble was impending. When he turned to her he saw that already fear was changing her fea- tures, “Let's get your wraps. Is you car downstairs®” Virginia grasped his arm with both hands. People were gathe] ing round them now but she did not notice, “Tell mey’ she demanded; “tell me, Niel, what has happened ... my father.. "o “I don’t know ... for certain. We' Il go at once.” He was leadmg Virginia toward the door now, where he saw Chiri standing with Virginia's blue and silver wrap, In the car Virginia made him tell her of the mes- sage from Pound’s, her father's valet. One moaning, protesting “no” burst from her lips when Nathaniel tried to tell her that the man could not have been sur he gad not yvet called a doctor when he telephoned the studio. Virginia accepted his words in striken silence. The drive home was a nightmare of tortured uncertainty, A man, evidently a physician, lifted his head and looked solemnly at Virginia and Nathaniel when they entered her father's library. That one look answered Virginia's question. The father she loved, the parent who had been hoth mother and father to her since the time, two vears after her birth, when he had looked upon her face for the first time, was dead. Until then his gricf at losing her mother had driven him to far corners of the earth, fighting his unnatural reluctance to look upon the child that had cost him the life of the only woman he ever had loved. Then one day he had come home to take up the responsibility of rearing his motherless daughter; and with the first grip of her chubby little fingers around his own, which trembled, and her first friendly smile, he experienced a poignant regret for the two lost years, Virginia had grown up nurtured and protected by a great love, With no brothers and sisters to share it there was developed between father and daughter a companionship that narrowly missed being a complex in the life of both. Richard Brewster had made not the slightest ob- Jjeetion to Virginia's choice of a husband. He returned the liking that Nathaniel felt for him, and while many of his friends regarded the prospective groom as beneath Virginia's station in life, Mr. Brewster only smiled tolerantly at their veiled comments. He knew that most of them had missed the indescribable hap. piness of a great love and he believed that Virginia would know it with Nathaniel Dann. His great fear and dread had been that she might love the wrong kind of man. But that fear had van- ished when she told him she wanted to marry Na- thaniel Dann. After that he had had but one worry— a worry, however, so consuming that it had shortened his life. For years he had carried a secret burden, un- known to his world, except for a few persons who did not talk of what they knew. The marks of his mental suffering showed plainiy upon his features now, and Nathaniel thought, as he stood helplessly watching Virginia when she rushed forward and threw herself frantically upon the life- less body, that he had never seen a face so altered. For a while no one dared touch her, so piteous were her efforts to reclaim her father from death, Then the doctor’s hands fell firmly upon her shoulders and he nodded to Nathaniel. Nathaniel half led, half carried her into the draw- ing room, where she lay on the sofa shaking with hearthreaking sobs. He tried to talk to her but she seemed not to hear him. It caught him unprepared with an evasion when she drew herself up suddenly and cried, “Niel, did you notice the awful expression on his face?” Before he could stop himself Nathaniel had said yes. i ‘Do you ... suppose someone did something to him?” Nathaniel read the fearful thought behind the stumbling words. “Certainly not,” he replied carnestly: “didn’t you 'ar what Dr. Meyerling said? It was his heart, Vir- He couldn’t have suffered much: the end came “I can’t help thinking that something terrible happened to him,” she persisted. “Oh, Niel, think of it he might have been calling me ... and T was dancing and having a good time.” “Virginia, you must not talk like that. Your father wouldn't like it.” “I can’t help it. It's so ghastly to think of his go- ing like this while we were so happy.” “Virginia, please. Here, Doctor, thank heaven you came in. Miss Brewster needs lool\mx after.” *Send in the housekeeper,” Dr. Meyerling directed Nathaniel. “We'll get this young lady to bed.” ‘I've given her an opiate,” he told Nathaniel later. Nathaniel looked at him oddly, then spoke as though he were somewhat ashamed of his words. “Was it altogether a ... natural death, doctor?” he asked. To Be Continued The death of Virginia's father interrupts Niel's and Virginia's plans for marriage, and in the uation ariscs and Chiri secs some hope of landing Niel for herself. Don’t miss a single chapter of this thrilling serial. To- morrow--- The explanation of Richard Brewster's death. next installment a new sit-