Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/98

 greater and greater effort. The effect of a friend was neutral, like putting sugar in tea or ice cream on peach pie.

Ivan, Madame believed, gave an air of distinction to her apartment. He created a comfortable atmosphere. He was a born talker. His voice was silver, magnetic, strangely at variance with his appearance. Sometimes, though, on special occasions, he roared like a bull. He assumed a ferocious attitude. His voice was more ominous than the roar of China.

Ivan had a wonderful disposition. He was always willing to do anything he could for those in trouble. Several times he had helped Madame with her philanthropies.

There was the case of Reba Gair. Reba was eighteen years old and so beautiful that she was a constant lure to men. Her father kept a restaurant in Milwaukee and she had been one of the waitresses, a slender, blue-eyed little thing that men adored. Her father's business was prosperous simply because men enjoyed gazing at her as they ate their food. She had wonderful eyes and she did not mind using them to advantage. Nor did she mind showing her slim, silk-stockinged legs. She wore dresses daringly low cut.

Although she was not a salamander she liked to play with fire. She never got scorched unfit a certain young polo player who had a great deal of money, good looks, and neither morals nor brains, chanced to spy her. He smacked his lips at the delectable morsel. At once he began to shower her with gifts. He took her to theatres, to dinners and for long rides in his imported car. They explored the country for miles around. He was smitten by her young freshness, so different to the painted ladies with whom he was accustomed to associate, from the upper strata of society and the stage.

Finally he bought her a diamond ring and secured her consent to an elopement. Like thousands of other fool girls she believed it would be a honeymoon. It was, though without the formality of a marriage ceremony. When he was fired of her three months later, he turned her over to one of his friends.

Reba had grown to love luxuries. They were a necessity to her. So she adopted the line of least resistance and permitted herself to be deeded over.