Show The Sin of Innocence By Claire Pomeroy CHAPTER Bring your pet Insect along Llda Lida at the te telephone phone wis wished ed she could slap John I Lyal yal at theother theother the theother other end of the line Une He Ho had telephoned her and Invited her to dinner and she had Just informed him of a a previous' previous with Anyone else going to be there she asked Why yes yes Lyal replied I may ask a friend of ot mine to Joint me Well We'll drive out to Arrowhead Inn All right Im I'm on agreed Lida Llda Come and get us when youre you're r ready ady The friend turned out to be Kitty Noble and anel she occupied tho the front Seat feat beside Lyal Lya who drove with an air all of at obvious proprietorship proprietorship proprietor proprietor- ship that galled Lid Llda a although she would n never ver have admitted this So o nice you ou could come comee along company dont don't sometimes don't dont we wc She sent Lyal a a. melting glance gance that bro brought the color to the ro roots ts of oJ his hair hall When she laid a a. hand n arm arm he swore swore silently but buthe buthe buthe he was determined to stand stand It all aU because of of Lida Lyal Lya anted wanted to make that stub stubborn orn young woman woman woman wom wom- an suffer or a n little or or a a. lot If he I Ico co could Sometimes he he- agreed ed with a grin We realize and appreciate the compliment ment said Llda Lida Well We do dothe dothe dothe the same for you some time Xon t we Tarleton said Llda Lida Sometime Sometime Some Sometime time when we dont don't want to be alone wriggled led with with pleasure plea pleasure sure Indeed we will he lie piped Of L course pursued Lida Llda those times will be rather rare rare rare- we wont won't be in fn that mood very often will wm we T Tarleton 1 th that t Times when we dont don't w want nt r tobe to tobe tobe be r alone she said pat patiently Well usually want to to be lone alone wont won't ont we Tarleton n nearly fell feU out of the car car- with delight I Dear ear girl he murmured fa fa- fa Well always awas awa's want to be alone But of ot c course urse one has to consider ones one's social obligations m Hm yes yes ono one really must y you u know Of course agreed Llda LIlIa smiling her best smile at him Lyal ground Ms his te teeth th an and 1 longed to throttle throttle- the man in fn the back backseat s seat t. t Dear me me- me rem remarked Kitty How domestic they sound John dont don't you Just feel teel as though they'd rather be alone this minute Lyal Lya shrugged and made no re re- Ply I I know you OU must be terribly happy Llda Lida and anI all aU that sort of ot thing Tarleton's ns n's such a dear a a. prize really Isn't he Llda Lida returned ily lIy Ben lUley's Eiley's Arrowhead Inn I before them at the crest ofa of a 1 green hill and Lyal was latent intent with Cho b of n no n tho Ch many sharp cu curves e that tha-t-b tha brought them to the t top With a curt nod he hI turned the iho cir car over to a II liveried attendant and the four young people peo- peo people peo pIe made their way through the tle spacious corridor of a n medieval castle In one of the great dining rooms two orchestras alternately al alternately ul- ul and the wall wail of t negro negro music a a. weeping saxophone a crying violin and modern modulations modula- modula on the piano thrust out with savage rhythm an old favorite the St. St Louis Louts Blues r In comfortable wicker chairs pulled un to round tables were Ya Va a cant eye men and women Flabby abb faced women women divorcees divorcees living on alimony young young- women front from the middle west vest come come cometo to New York roH to stu study y art or iv to break Into a beauty chorus a and uril t see lifo life and finding Ita it a ita a a. sad disappointment Heavy moody eyed eed wives wivis of cloak and suit uit manufacturers whose husbands husband were were- were dutifully taking the e wife out for tor an ev enter enter- Tomorrow night they have on one of the young women from the the- middle wes west who had br broken ken into a bea beauty ch chorus rus or maybe a model from the showrooms of the firm Sun t tanned nned youths youths' in fn go golf knickers and clear eyed girls in fn sweaters and and white skirts their skirts their conversation mostly about tennis and golf golt These hese young people w were e efrom from neighboring Westchester Dark skinned L fiery eyed eager passionate settling the affairs of at the word literature literature art p as f if it were a private affair In spite 0 of the breezes that blew In f from om the open French windows and ln spite of the hugeness of the room the the air all was thick k with smoke smoke and heavy with the drunken breath of open mouths And most amazing of all aU was th the fact that there were so many of them them and where did they thu all from come the from the women Hy Hoyi young young some of them were were wele John Lyal yal was thinking of this this' as he lie overheard a a- pitifully a-pitifully p young thIng thins at the next nest t table ble speaking in fn a shrill childish voice Oh Oh yes I went in for the tomboy tomboy tomboy tom tom- boy stuff for awhile too How Iio p perfectly putrid it was And o of course I was was a a. flapper flapper who who hasn't been 1 The girl Flappers ers Are positively Victorian mid now now The newest thing VI Vf Is la to be a a demimondaine and nd Im I'm thinking o of taking it up In September Im I'm not riot exactly sure how to go go about being one being one one but I suppose se Jt it'll iJ more or less JeSs take care of itself Lyal Lal groaned to himself What a shame What are you worrying ng about about John Johns Jolin dear dear dear- inquired Kitty so solicitously so- so I r I was Just thinking what hat hata a a. darned shame it is that they abolished abol abol- the s stocks he said dismally Stocks chorused Lida Llda and Kitty Yes In Inv Inthe the old aId d days ys they put men and women in fn h the stocks for punishment and it It was' was a a. mighty good thing At least half of the menn this room ought to tobe be there and all the women Why the men Ia said d Kitty Its the womans woman's fault Isn't it They lead the men on or so so Ive I've al alwa's always always al- al ways was heard Laden L a ad fern em on murmured Lida Well maybe maYb you OU do do Kitty Kilty 1 dont They're way ahead of me most pf of tl the f time Holding emback em emback back lack Is more like It t. t Where do do you think you'll beat beat be beat at 30 asked Lyal looking lIe He was was' s' s feeling very old arid and superior Married l divorced and dead deall most likely Llda Lida studied hers herself In fn a little round mirror In hervan ity case Oh I I s say protested Js Is that fair Divorces es ar are allright all aU allright right In fn their their place know w. w The cinema folk tolk couldn't do without them diem ant and there ther are even Sven instances s When really excellent people go goin goi fn for that sort ort of thing but but but- Oh Oh Tarl Tarleton ton Interrupted Llda Lida Dont be tiresome coine Come on oh on letb etl dance She danced half the dance with and then they exchanged partners and Kitty and Bych stet finished the dance half halt heartedly while Llda LMa glided off oft in fn the arms of ot John Johh Lyal Kittys n n. good sort isn't she This from John Yes It if youre you're fond of cats Hda Llda replied They were sll silent nt a l king g moment Im going to say goodbye to you ou tonight Llda Lida said John gruffly Llda Lida raised rallied her eyes to his stern face you going Does it matter to you you where wh I Igo Igo go Llda Lida His His' voice was husk husky I why I why yes John But youre you're going to marry that dreas dressed d up numbskull th the youth countered Arent you Yr Yee Then Lida Llda Its It's goodbye It If J change your mind about me me I no I-no no dont don't let Jet me know It'll be toolate too late lie Me swung her away from froma a threat threatened ned collision with two en- en I dancers I wish you success success Llda Lida leaving Thanks When are you leav leaving eav- eav ing Soon The drive home was a crucifixion to Llda Lilla Kitty Itty Nobles Noble's head hrad rested on John Lyals Lyal's shoulder an an a nettled nestled close to him hint an marl mur things Into his hla ear ear- that couldn't hear Lid Lda Lida Br Bi was very unhappy To be continued Copyright 1927 John F F. Dill |