Show I 1 I 1 ali 1 by evelyn campbell 40 service i copyright by evelyn campbell Caro CHAPTER IV continued 8 R ills allusion to age was mockery he e was exactly its as he had been tor for fl fifteen years jears not old not young ills ponderous body not reveal the time it had lived linda disliked the smirk with which he always panted these hypocritical references to himself 1 it Is the penalty you pay for being in my y friend she said in a light artificial voice the se senator n ator received the next nert course with a pleased air ile he wits prepared to enjoy a anything that bi ought brought knowing knotting hint soon linda would he be at his mercy he could watch her writhe while slie site told her trouble and asked for his aid youve youre seen a sable coat you must it have a vel lie he bantered or this time tr a town car site she did not trouble to reply she knew he was playing with tier her they had bad talked of sable coats and town cars long ago but linda had not wanted them badly enough she owned very good furs and she could always buy bay a car their interviews intel views always alwais began with light fencing with a playful sarcasm behind which lurked tile the deadly burp barp of reality if lie he but once pierced her shield 1 I have not heard from stevens siemens about the traction stock she said at lenh leu ji 1 I wrote to him in october but he did not reply stevens was the broker who mysteriously turned tim jim Inver hills fantastically colored paper into occasional drafts money oh its merely a matter of moneal money I 1 the senator exclaimed with an air of relief my dear child you looked s so gloomy I 1 really feared it was something serious tills this time honey 1 low much tills this time slip she looked at him levelly le elly color rising to tier cpr del delicate lente cheeks there was a grease spot on his white mille vest ani and the collar of ills cont was lightly powdered with dandruff dinner was half over hut but lie he still ate us its eagerly its as tit at the beginning be inning unda thought with all tills this horror about him he still has tile the power potter to insult me come come lie urged reading tier her open look 1 I was only joking ill stir stevens up toi narrow lie ile must have been very busy and overlooked your conr mail account dont he be offended nn mn dear tills this ns its the way he always retreated she knew it was fills talar ground but she was glad to stand upon it sit SD strongly find bad the habit of ignoring facts grown upon her dinner was over hut but tl they y ant for a long lent while over their coffee linda had chosen a popular restaurant where they were sure to be seen and recognized slie she had never neer permitted her relations rel with converse to leome become sat 1 when the lancing dancing floor filled failed she was constantly smiling or nodding at somebody she knew the music was good and she tapped the floor with the lie toe of her slipper in a little secret harmony 1 I wish I 1 could dince dance with you my mj dear said the senator instantly olt oh nn she said hastily and he sniffed smiled with wry understanding that made her almost sorry for him film it Is almost time to go she added more gently your trip west has chan changed mil you he sold presently lifter after one of those observant ant silences lie was disappointed almost at once he hod had sensed something about her some expert ence that removed her farther from him though here she was ashing for money in that foolish guarded way that every time brought tier her fluttering closer to his hand lie ile frowned lie ile had not expected this for a long time he ila had watched wiit ched for the co collapse of 0 lindas defenses ile he knew that as women grow older they become less illusionary and more experimental lindas experience had been extraordinary her veils had been shorn from her quickly and tand until tonight lie he had been secure in the bellef belief that she would soon turn to him from her fallen idols ile he wits was quite rendy ready to accept her as she ans was a attle the freshness and in ino inao o cence tit ber beauty polished wh to hard d surfaces su ills ilia philosophy of love was that a woman who hns has suffered buffered and grown brown wise Is far safer to hang jewels upon than one who merely suffers in wearing them linda denied change nothing has happened she said 1 I will ft telephone stevens tomorrow 0 w promised converse Con lie ile made a motion to rise ue he hated restaurants ranta with their glitter and gaiety and smart you young g men and women but linda was watching a young man who was making his way through the he throng of dancers to where she sat her expression was very strange the senator analyzing lt it discovered surprise joy chagrin and something else new to him shame and embar rass russi neut puzzled lie he followed tier her own win eyes eves and beheld a familiar face young anstey An I 1 he what I 1 do you know him linda held out her hand as brian retailed reached them what a strange encounter it if anything could be strange in new forkl she exclaimed her eyelids fluttered and tell fell beneath ills his gaze but lie he held her hand closely and said nothing the senator coughed 1 I had no idea you two were friends brian laughed and the tension was broken 41 1 I can only claim a day in mrs life linda saw she must explain she found it difficult to control her voice little waves naves of excitement raced through her as brians hand touched tiers hers and coupled with this was something cold and sodden like a manacle upon her wrist mr bir anstey was on my train when it was delayed in the snow she said bald briefly he was kind and helped me through on unpleasant situation the young man flushed bushed please mrs thoth 11 but linda took look straight at converse and explained cruelly it satis fled some inner urge of sit shame a me to bare her shame before this satyr satir who hall bought as much as he could of her and paid so small a price some of us spent the night at a little country hotel when they told us its that tile the train could not go on until next day I 1 went with the others because I 1 thought it would be more comfortable coin for table hut but it was really horrid and then in the morning when we were all hurrying to get back I 1 found that I 1 had come away without my purse I 1 had bad nothing to pay the hotel and the other women were not nice not the sort you could ask favors of so I 1 hadbo had to borrow from sir air anstey she paused brian anstey was puzzled by her expression her eyes eves were cold and mocking and her lips were drawn into a thin red line she looked as it if she were torturing somebody converse wits was turning his familiar shade of purple you spent a night at some godforsaken hole and anstey was therel here I 1 lie he cried in ills his wheezing y voice ofee ills his face wits was alive with suspicion as lie he watched their faces you hiven t heard the worst linda went on smoothly when we finally got buck back to the car nod and I 1 looked for my poor forgotten purse I 1 found it on the floor quite empty except for my ticket check and a few letters not n penny to buy a bun and already in debt to a stranger ht ranger for board and lod lodging ing could you imagine anything more tragic her flippancy struck converse like a w whiplash ile ie knew if tile other train man rold not what lay behind her w words ile he had find forgotten that anstey was present mv alv G dl di linda P he stammered but slie site silenced him hi by turning the hard fiord brilliance of tier iier eyes awny away brians party was sending ampa dent glances from their table opposite there was n pretty blond girl and it bercil couple who wanted to dinne dance but could not leave the girl allone I 1 11 1 must go said brian in a low vo voice lee but bill you ou will let me see you iou I 1 tomorrow tomo irow wont you surely lv she assented lazily 1 I have not forgotten foi gotten my debt arid and all tile thanksgiving lvang I 1 owe you ou you may telephone nip tit at eleven the senator contributed a gr grumble to the conventional good bys and then he and linda were alone again TO BE CONTINUED |