New Britain Herald Newspaper, January 30, 1929, Page 10

Ashtoreth and Hollis Hart are newlyweds, honeymooning in Paris. Ashtoreth js rarely beautiful. And Hollls is extraordinarily rich. But happiness seems, somehow, to hae eluded them. Before their marriage Ashtoreth was a stenographer her husband’s employ. She is vears younger than he, and he idolizes lier youth and beauty. In Paris she meets an old sweet- heart, Monty English, over there selling radios. Monty is young, and Monty is handsome. But he was dis- tressingly poor. and Ashtoreth couldn’t s2e him at all. He treats her rather coldly, but it is apparent that he is still in love with her. Hollis devotes himself to tennis and the collection of antiqui- ties. Both pursuits bore Ashtoreth to tears, When he is not at the courts, or browsing about the old shops, he makes tender and ardent love to his little bride. And that also bores her. Annoys might be a bet- ter word. She has discovered that his two front teeth come out on lit- tle swivels, and that spells the end of romance. On their last day in Paris, she has luncheon with Monty. And meets him, by accident, at Maxim’s, at dinner time, where they dine to- gether, Hollis has disappeared. Ash- toreth is not worried, but annoyed. She begs Montv to wait with her until her husband returns, but he declines rather curtly. She leaves him angrily, at the Ritz, where she ig staying. And Monty returns to his pension on the Left Bank. At midnight he is roused by the sound of small stones being thrown against the window. It is Ashtoreth. He takes her to his room, and pres- ently there is a great noise at the door. Her husband has arrived. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER XLVII The Victory was three days out, and Asthoreth had not left hel stateroom. Most of the time she cried. Hollis, from mid-day until mid. night, devoted himself to consist- -nt drinking. After the bar closed he roamed about the deck. Liquor had little effect on him, except that his eyes became blazing: 1y blue. And his speech a trifle stu- dled. He was very tender and cour- teous with Ashtoreth. From the gay French shops abroad, he sent her trifling gifts. She knew that he went himself to interview the chief steward about her trays. Mogg had been left in Paris, but to replace her, he engaged a stew- ardess, to serve as lady's mald. During the day he called to in- quire distantly for his wife's health. And to express the polite hope that she would venture soon on deck. At night she could hear him tossing in bed, in the adjoin- Ing cabin. The second morning she discovered that he was taking veronal. It was then she scribbled a hysterical little note, and pinned it to his pillow: “Dearest Holly— I had rather you would beat me than be so kind. Your courtesy is more cruel than physical tor- ment. I swear everything was all right with Monty. You said your- selt that you believed us. Then what is the matter, darling? I shall go crazy before w¢ cach the States, unless you let 1 talk to you. Tonight T am going to send the stewardess away. Please come to me. Your heartbroken Orchid.” It was dinner time before he re- turned to his cabin, and found the letter. Ashtoreth heard him when he opened the door from the cor- ridor. The stewardess at the time wag bustling about the room, pre- tending to be very busy and indis- pensable, ; “That will be all, thank yor, Mrs. Saunders.” She dismissed the woman shortly. *“Pleasc dont come back until T send for you.” Discreetly Mrs. Saunders with- drew. 8he had also heard :ounds in the cabin beyond. Ashtoreth sprang from the couch to her feet. She was wear- ing & tan jersey. Smart, but hardly seductive. It was over her head in one swift motion. S8he dashed cold water against her smarting eyes, and dusted her flushed face with powder. Rather heavily, because 1t was well to look pale and pathetic. 8he sprayed her hair with Narcis- sus. And touched her eyelids with | a blue paste, that made her ey seem large and sad. Then :h slipped into a green negligee foi which Hollis had expressed a par- ticular preference. When he knocked, she was ly- ing face down on the bed, vith her knees drawn up, and her hum- ming-bird mules pecking from the hem of her sea-foam robe. Hollis had told her that she slept ador- ably, like a little child. As a mat- ter of fact, she slept on her back, with her mouth open. That Is she did when the lights were out. Tt was just as weil, of course, to snug- | gle prettily upon cccasions. “Come in,” she called in a pit- eous, smothered way, her face in the piliows. He opened the door that joined their cabins. and stood looking at her. 8he jumped, as though she were sartled at the intrusion, | and, sitting up, put her hand to her throat in a pretty, fluttering fashion. He spoke gravely. “Ashtoreth, you shouldn’t have | left a note like this lying about. | The bedroom steward might have seen ft, you know. It was most indiscreet, child.” | She passed her hand wearily across her forehead. | “But, Holly, I had to talk to| you!” “Why?" he asked, standing there, and tearing her note into | small pieces “The way vou're she erled. “And you asl ! Oh, Holly, what can T say to make you belleve me!” | “But 1 do belleve you, Ashtoreth.” | “Then why — why are you treat- | ing me this way?" 8he threw out her hands appeal- ingly. Once they had reminded him of calla lilies. Mrs. Saunders had manicured them, and Ashto- reth had recently applied Vio- lette's marvelous creme, to keep them soft and fair. “You told Monty everything was all right. You that that you knew we . . . we . . ." “Why, surely, my dear.” He in- terrupted gently. “There is no doubt 1n my mind about you and Mr. English. “Then why,” she cried again, fluttering her pale hands entreat- ‘why are you acting like Hollis leaned against the door. and looked very tired, and a little old. “What s the use” he asked | reasonably, “of going over this |again and again? You're wrought, Ashtoreth. You . . . “You don't call me ‘Orchid’ any more!" she criad, and her volce broke on a wild little sob. “No” he said. His voice was very gentle. “That's because you think I'm n-n-not g-g-good.” she sobbed. “Please,” he besought wearily. She drled her eyes, and con- trolled her voice. “I won't make a scene, Holly, she promised. “I won't act like ¢Sadie Morton when she was trying Ito get you'back. . . ." “You couldn't,” he interrupted gallantly. She continued dispassionately. “Oh T've'no doubt you think that I'm just as common and cheap as Sadie. You are sure now that you married beneath you. You don't believe any more that I am a thoroughbred.” She raised her land to silence him, when he tried to speak. . “Oh, T know, Holly. | had your doubts for a long | But, when you held me in your rms, you could forget them. . . . I hadn’t background. 1 hadn’t culture, T hadn’t even principle. “But T could make you forget all that, my lover . . . couldn’t I? You held me in your arms, and you didn't ecare if I hadn't a fine thing about me, “You believed me to be inno- cent. And you thought that no man before had tasted such kisses from my lips. You talked about my ‘adorable untouchedness.’ And you called me ‘Orchid.’ because you saild T was chaste, and cool, and remote, “You bought me gifts, and dressed me in beautiful clothes. And believed that you were creat- ing a setting for a jewel to gleam for vou alone. “Then you found me In another man’s room. . . ." “Ashtoret he stopped her barshly, “But you did!" she crfed. *“We won't mince words. Holly. You are not used to plain talking. And I'm not either. But let us under- stand each other now. . . . You found me thare, And that, my poor dear, was the end of a dream. The end of the beautiful myth you had builded all around me. You couldn’t talk any more about my ‘adorable untouchedness. You couldn't believe me chaste, and cool and remote. . . ." “Ashtoreth, T won't have you talking this way!"” He came into the room, and |stood near her. But he did not {touch her, nor capture her hand when she laid it on his arm. “You know.” she sald, “that Monty and I told you the truth. You know that T was worried when you did not come back, and that T went to him because he was the only friend T had. You believe that, as T helleve you spent the day and half the night negotiating for the purchase of a French plane for me. “If T were a suspicious woman, T might not credit that story. But suspicion is the jealousy of dull, mean minds. I know that you went to Monty — not because you suspected my virtue—hut because he was my friend, and might have word of me. You were frightened when you returned, and found me | gone, and it was natural that yoa | should go to him. | “We have not lied to each other, Hollis,. And you must believe me when I swear that I have not been unfaithful to you.” | | “No. No,” he she said, “it is because shattered an ideal that e closed your heart to me. [k ou were dreaming, my dear, {a beautiful dream. And you can- | not forgive me, because 1 woke | you.” | She looked at him through her |tears, and felt a great pity for his sorrow, “Poor darlin she murmured. “1 am so sorry. So sorry."” He raised his head and looked at her searchingly. “You say yoa have told me the truth, Ashtorcth. Have you al- ways told me the truth? n the big things” she told him m a dreadful liar about little things, Holly. You must have no- ticed that, 1 pretend such a lot He shook his head impatiently “I didn't mean that. Not pre- evasion From the . 1 told myself you were fraud. 1 loved you for I didn't mean that.” “When then?” she asked him He was silent for minute, star- ing beyond her, at the row o erystal bottles on her dressing ta- | ble. Staring with unsecing eyes. His shoulders jerked convulsively. “You told mq he said dully, suring his words, “that you ved me. Was that true, Asheo- reth?” She buried her face in her hands, and he saw that she was trembling violently. He stood up then. and took her in his urms, and felt her body throbhing asif it held sobs buried alive “Oh, Holly. Holly!" She was cry- ing softly. “I don't know, dear. Truly, I don’t know. It was all ] so wonderful. I thought it was love. I wanted to marry you more | me, Ashtoreth.” “I—I'm not lying." “Tell me, Ashtoreth. T am wal ing to hear.” “But, Holly, . . “Tell me, Ashtoreth.” “I—] I'm tryingto. .. . Oh [boat. . . . I'll tell you about it Holly, there are so many kinds of | some time, . . How is & woman to know}" than any man in the world. You . . you thrilled me. And you made me happy. And . . . it was all so exciting. Oh, Holly—how could I know, my darling?’ He held her from him, and lift. ed her chin between his fingers. Seeking her eyes with his. “Then—whatever it was before —you do not love me now, Ash- toreth ?"* She clung to him, sobbing, to the bed, and wrung a celd towel for her eyes. . “It is all right,” he told her gen- tly. “Quite al right, my dear. You mustn't feel badly. fault. A woman cannot love a8 man solely bécause he desires it. "It is rot enough that you should love me, because I learned to worship you.' She brought his hand to her lips, “You said you would mot le to|and kissed it gratefully. “There isn't anyone else,” she whispered. “No? Not Monty?" “Monty?* she cried. “Oh, he simply despises me, Holly! He sent the most insulting letter to the . Listen, dear, . . . Wait for me in your bedroom. I'll bathe my eyes . . . and be In He hushed her explanations with | soon. his lips—kissing her gently. she continued to ery, he carried her | toreth.” When| He shook his head. *“No, Ash- It isa't your |and “But, Holly, you don't mean his neck. g He drew her clinging arms away, kissed her forehead. , . . In a moment he had gone. . . . And the door between their rooms was closed. & (TO BE CONCLUDED) Tragedy in the next chapter, and “Orchid” comes to a dramatic conclusion. Kidney Removed With Alcohol Anaesthetic Mexico City, Jan, 30.—UP—Alco- hol, applied by an intravenous injec- tion, has heen successfully used as an anaesthetic by . Dr. Miguel Garcia. 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