Show Telegram Fiction LOVELY LOVEL E L Y L LITTLE I T T L E FOOL By Phyllis Plis Moore Gallagher CHAPTER THREE They talked a lot and in between the courses Marshal found her hand and held It in his The party that had given every promise of being unbearable now became the most glorious function she had ever at itt itt- t. t tended They talked of the office of oC Terrys Terry's national guard meetings of all aU the little events that were precIous precious prec prec- ious bus because they shared them with each other and every once in a awhile awhile awhile while Marshall said one of those things that made her dizzy with happiness unable to answer him Through this beautiful enchanted haze laze Betsy saw Raoul dark and si silent silent si si- lent Ignoring his dinner partners dreaming over the gardenias at her and at the head of ot the table Jennie i turning slightly In her chair nodding nodding nodding nod nod- ding to someone in lin the drawing room Betsy looked beyond Jennies Jennie's flaming head bead and her expression changed completely There under the great arched beam of the door a tall blond young man walked with ease and assurance assur ance toward Jennie His smile was awkward almost wistful and his dinner clothes accentuated his bronzed fairness Beth Betsy heard him murmur something about being sorry that he was late that he had found home university university university just a near the sity and had moved in before beCore some student stu ent snapped It from Crom him Then he nodded to the others whom he knew new about the table and took the vacant chair on Betsy's left leCt Betsy had lad not noticed that the chair had been unoccupied until John Storm was in it until he was turning and looking into her eyes Well Ve II say y say This is a surprise he lie said For just one moment Betsy forgot forgot for for- got that Marshalls Marshall's fingers held her own She was liking Johns John's eyes again and his gentle mouth Ill fail utterly to storm the social battlements of the capital It if I arrive arrive ar ar- ar rive late at formal dinners wont won't I U he laughed and shook his blond head forlornly The ll pui ut you on the tall tail of ot all bachelor committees where you'll s stand nd out liko like a third thumb she wagered My excuse Is Js A l I think I was arrested for speeding on the way here so it may now be said ld that John Storm has been presented at court Without velvet breeches and a plumed hat S I John threw back his head You know what he said laughing a little lit ittie it tie tle wickedly Id like to pass Washington Wash Wash- ington society a snub some time and serve it scorching hot I think that would be fun Not to Jennie Jennie- she's a brick But to some soma of ot the theold theold theold old gals with daughters who steer their ambitious social crafts into the sacrosanct waters of the Potomac Betsy was laughing now too John Storm was fun She suspected that there was some Ir Irish h in his veins Irish that made his eyes twinkle and the corners of ot his hI lips turn up a little as he talked Irish that made her like him Instantly without knowing anything about him Only the Irish could work that magic It was Marshalls Marshall's tugging hand that made her turn Old home week eh 7 he asked his brows darting together The Thelong Thelong Thelong long lost lover returns What a primitive type of mind Marshall Mr Storm means chickens chick chick- ens in the pot and electric bills paid I and maybe a dress or two What is this He lives on our third floor beginning beginning begin begin- ning fling with tonight she whispered her eyes screwing into a a. tangle of ot lashes Oh she was giddy now giddy with happiness Marshall arshall was jealous Jealous It showed in his eyes his jutting chin The girl doesn't live i who can resist the flattery flattery flat flat- tery of ot jealousy even when it annoys annoys annoys an an- noys her And Marshall was jealous jealous jeal jeal- ous ow His chin stopped jutting He bent close to Betsy I love you he said softly And the words fell feU on her ears and flowed like wine through her body stirring her heart warming her While the strange fluffy dessert made under Jennies Jennie's direction was eaten the black coffee drunk from the gold incrusted S cups and the butler outler passed a a. block of ice covered with grapes and strawberries ries rles and cherries Instead of ot the conventional finger bowls Johns John's voice drifted off Vaguely Betsy heard him telling her about the law courses at atthe the U. U and the houses he had trekked in and out of all aU day because the dorms were hued filled But nothing John said was important when Marshalls Marshall's hand was grasping hers her pressing one two one two three their secret code of I love I love you She looked shyly at Marshall and Marshall and suddenly her eyes sobered and her heart beart went plunging down with a cold sick thud Two-Timing Two Marshall dropped Libby Stockton's Stockton's Stock Stock- tons ton's hand dropped It as if it had burnt him but not quickly enough Betsy h had d seen She had seen that while he was giving her their secret code he had been holding Libby's hand too And everything he had said Save said Save me from this woman Libby's a a. leech swept swe t back vivIdly vivIdly vividly viv viv- viv- viv idly through her mind with bruis bruis- ing lug Ing force Men didn't hold the hands of ot girls they were trying to get rid of ot men didn't Oh Marshall Mar Marshall how could you 7 Be Betsy y 1 For a second Betsy thought that she could not bear it Pride was washer washer her master though and she held the thc stinging tears in her eyes She turned quickly to John Storm her trembling fingers Inger ic ice on his warm hand John Take me home will you 3 right after Jennie gets up I feel faint faint faint- She was white faced Ice ce was running through her veins freezing her throat till words could not thrust past She sat as s motionless motion motion- less ess as a portrait bracing herself herselt waiting for her pulse to quit its terrific ter ter- ter rifle tumult She threw up her golden head and fought for poise and set he her r lips in a cool and artless smile Voices rattled around in her head Betsy you do l look ok faint faint faint- Johns John's anxious voice Betsy Marshall whispering begging her to listen And the wild crying voice of ot her own brain Oh dear God please let me get out of th this J house without making a fool of myself Jennie got up from the table She laughed with even w white ite teeth and gestured with scarlet fingernails Bridge ping pong or dancing she offered hospitably Suit your yourselves selves my dears Betsy got up too with the alacrity alacrity alac alac- rity of profound relief She told Jennie that she felt a little ill and asked her to forgive her for leaving so quickly after alter dinner Jennie said she was sorry and meant it and kissed Betsy affectionately on her cheek A colored maid hurried for forler her ler wisp of or a velvet wrap John kept repeating breathlessly Do you feel better Betsy You do look better better bet bet- ter you know Libby with a a. awe sweetly etly calculated li lift ft of her brows drawled Youve been working too tho hard at the office darling Im I'm so so sorry A patronizing inflection behind the working Raoul managed managed managed man man- aged to get In above the other voices Save tomorrow evening for forme forme forme me Betsy will you Legation re re- re Ill I'll give you a a. buzz first thing In the morning before beCore I leave for the Fairfax hunt And Marshall Marshall Marshall Mar Mar- shall in the very midst of all these voices was unable to say anything more than just her name He couldn't without making a scene scene- and scenes weren't made in drawIng drawIng draw- draw Ing rooms like Jennies Jennie's try Jennies try to take her home when John was there putting her jacket around her shoulders shoulders ders leaving with her As the door closed Betsy ran tripping tripping tripping trip trip- ping on the steps panting frantic to be out of ot that house away from Libby's mocking amused ey eyes eyes eyes-eyes eyes eyes like green moss under ice Away from Marshall oh Marshall oh God God far far away from Marshall Away front from this nightmare of a a. dinner party and out into the cold wind of lot autumn Libby had said Youve been workIng workIng working work work- ing too hard darling Im I'm so so sorry But Libby that she hadn't been working too hard Libby had known exactly why she Bhe was leaving John tucked Betsy next to him bim in the car buttoned the collar of ot her velvet jacket close to her throat and curved one arm lightly around her shoulder There ho he said Now No behave yourself Betsy clung to him a little desper duper- Her head glowed smooth and gold jold and lucent as it sank wearily Into nto the dark arch of his arm But when she saw Jaw that he was heading the he roadster out Massachusetts avenue avenue ave aye nue toward naval observatory the shortest cut to Georgetown she jerked upright almost terror in her blue slue eyes Oh dont don't take me home John Please Dont be an idiot Betsy Seymour Seymour Seymour Sey Sey- mour reprimanded a severe inner voice Go home Telephone Marshall Marshall Mar Mar- shall shah and laugh it off olt After all he didn't do anything but hold Libby's hand What's so awful about that Youre You're acting as if it he had had a petting party with her Just the tho same ame Marshall had spoiled the bright thing that that had been between them he had rubbed away the gold leaving only dark met metal 1 showing through He could never again tell her that ho he loved her without her remembering the cold sinking thud of ot her heart when I he had dropped Libby's hand And she knew like millions of other girls who have been crushed and bruised by a man that her wretchedness was starkly new that no one else had ever experienced such anguish Now look here youngster John said as ashe ho waited for the traffic light at the c corner First you want me meto meto meto to take you home Then you decide you dont don't want to go home at all You wouldn't fool a guy would you He paused for a moment and softly added Youre a a. lovely i liar Betsy You weren't faint What happened to make make-I you want to leave Tears started up In Betsy's eyes Nothing happened she said I weakly I 1 just just just-just just wanted to leave 1 I needed the theair air Didn't you F ever feel leel like like like-like like that t To TC be be con continued 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