| Show Jert 1 fh i LOU L O Q s t BEGIN 5 HERE ToD TODAY Y Adventure enter enters th the 11 ure III f or Sr- rCella r- r Cell Celia Mitchell 17 17 w when en she sho J learns arn th the th Either ther bs h ha supposed dead ded It v And wealthy She lese her bel unpretentious homo home In tora lor or a hoMa In n New Nework NewYork York ork with ith her father fatherS John Mitchell and her Rogers O Cells Celias grandmother fl n mother er o di divorced Mitchell and ana ane and Is 1 Isnow Isnow now a a. widow B Barney 7 Shields Shield young j r newspaper the lh ra and before e h 1 I with Celia Cell to t be loyal to Ills his love She Is I. lonely hill ne new horn Mitchell Evelyn Eveln Parsons Parson beautiful widow to to Introduce the tb girl to t yoong ople Mrs lire p Parson Olla Celia a a. means mean to win Mitchell's Mitchells lI affection and a sirs rees She Shel invites the iii girl IAn rl to her Ix iong n Jalal stand home for tor n n. week end atilt acid there Cells Celia meets meet Tod Toe Jordan Jurdan but butof butof butof of dubious ch character Mrs airs Parsons encourages en en- cO the lb match Cells Celia treats Jordan coolly at first but buts Is I. s won br by lit III hIs lo ti he is has hai her from drowning Mil Duncan n social prominent becomes Cell Cella's Cellas loyal loal friend With lh Mrs lr Parsons Parsons' assistance an elaborate party parly in hoper honor of his hi daughters daughter's eighteenth eight birthday The party Is I. a a. dinner Jordan persuades Celia to leave earl early earl CHAPTER Celias Celia's heart was pounding as she sheran ran up the st stOps steps ps of th the old ld stone l house It must be e very y late ide SuppOSe Suppose Suppose Sup Sup- Sup Sup- pose her father was angry even after Evelyn Eveln bad had explained Sh She tried to open tho door It would not move mono For a R. minute the girl stood terrified She had bad been locked out Helplessly she looked up and down the street Th There re was none to o tell her wh vh what t to do But then how low could there thero be This was her tome horn She must fl find d n a way vay to arouse someone Inside In Then she shere re realized that lint she h was acting The boll bell of at course She pressed It If firmly Someone was coming coining She could hear lear the footsteps The lock was turning now Celia Cella John Mitchell stood In the hallway hallway hallway hall hall- way looking out at her The girl tried to muster a a. smile She held her velvet cloak cloak about about her nervously Im sorry lather fattier she ehe beganI began worried about I 1 hope you haven't me inc Mra Mrs Pa Parsons sons promised promised- Celia come I Mitchells Mitchell's voice was harsh and his manner monner coldly formal Ho stepped a aside de so tho the girl could en en- en ter The atmosphere told her at once that something was wrong Celia Celli hesitated Her Mer father went vent ahead into tho the drawing room and she sh followed Do you you know what time it Is the man d demanded Ho was as angry Celia could tell that from the way he ho walked the way he ho snapped the words o out t Her eyes ces darted to the clock on the tho mantel Two Two tho was what tho the dial saidI said I didn't know v she answered I didn't know it v was was' as so late Didn't Mrs Parsons tell you ou I was corn com home lag ng Mrs Parsons Dont Don't try to bring her Into this A nice nice- time for fora a a. young oung girl to be getting home Celia I cant can't understand this I never expected such a athing thinS thing could happen I 1 thought th this ev evening I 1 Iwas Iwas was doing something to please you Why do you you suppose I 1 gave that party at the hotel And your birthday birthday birth birth- day present the present the ring Is this the way vay y u show gratitude The girl was alm almost sl crying But father tather sho she b begged Wont you listen Usten to me mc I 1 didn't mean to tobe tobo toe bo be e ungrateful I oh I-oh oh I 1 dont don't know what I 1 can enn say Mrs Parsons said Baid It t would be all aU right I didn't know you'd feel like this Celia Cella Mitchell lItchen said sternly I 01 1 warn you not to falsify Mrs ParIs ParSons Parsons Par Par- Is sons ns had nothing to do with this I know that very well and I warn you not to tr try to deceive me But Im I'm not Im I'm not trying to deceive you I told Mrs rs Parsons I was leaving and and she said aid it ft would be all an right right U Stop I Ill I'll not listen to anything anything anything any any- thing of or the sort Will you OU please tell me me young lady where youve you've been for the last two hours Celia Cella was crying now no The Thc dainty handkerchief of at chiffon and lace lac ace was a limp wad She tried to brush the tears awa away but they would not stop One velvet cuff cuC was as moist and spotted Stop crying her father Insisted Insist insist- ed and tell me where youve you've been I Im I'm Im I'm trying to Mitchell waited unmoved by her tears At last st the tho girl dried her rimmed red-rimmed eyes eyes and controlled her voice enough to talk I came camo home with Tod Jordan Jordan Jordan Jor Jor- dan dan dan- Who is ho her 1 father demanded de de- de- de He he Hc he was at tho party part lIes He's the one who saved my life Ufe at the Boat Bont club Humph What was he doing at this party l Ir Parsons invited him I 1 asked her to I see sec And how does it happen that you OU come home with this young young- man and arrive an hour and anda a half hate after I sot got here here after after leavIng leaving leav leav- eav- eav ing lag Evelyn Parsons at her apartment apartment apartment apart apart- ment 1 The girl had to wait walt several see tec- rubbing at her eyes and coughing to clear her ler throat be before before be- be fore forc she could answer We Wo went for tor a a. little ride Just rIde Just through tho tile park I didn't think It late and so 50 many people had left the tle party ty T l' thought it would be bo all aU right The others others' were He all dancing dancing- So SQ you went went int for forsi O a. a ride In Inthe the the park Celia Mitchell MItch VI I 1 wouldn't bc believed d' d that daughter of mino could do such a a. a thing Here Ive Ie tried to introduce 6 you to to young people ople of or tho XI tho ht sOrt r Ive I've I tried to niVe you everything in the world orld a s t girl l should have and you riding with a a. young man In the park Ho turned hl hit hii back back- rand and walked away as as though the thought we were too tob much much- Suddenly h her he r circled about ou t How Bow much do you know this young man malt 1 he lie demanded Who aro are hl his people What docs he hed d do dor 7 Celia admitted between sobs that she did not know Never NeverIn in her life hr iad l she been BO so humiliated RO 60 stormed at Th There ro was WIlS a a- gre great t blotchy t tear r drop soiling the front of or her g gown wn now now No N No one onG h had d ever talked to her this way yay before belore There Thero is 13 one nel thing you you arc are to understand from now on John Mitchell said firmly You are ore not to see this Jordan again I mean mean it ItA A Ayoung young man who keeps a girl sirl out until this time of night is not the sort for tor any respectable young oung t woman wo wo- man manto to associate with There wa wan wana was a n quick answer nsw r on onTelia's Telia's Cellas tong e but she checked it Didn't her wither ther rc realize times had changed since his boyhood She thought o of tho guests at Mrs 1 Parsons Parsons' Parsons Parsons' Parsons Parsons' Par Par- sons' sons house party going for tor a sin at midnight Her father was so sure everything about Evelyn eln Parsons wits was perfect Celia Celi might have said have said Mid some of ot these Uiese things but on one gl glance nce at John Mitchell warned her argument arsu- arsu ment was wait Do you understand what Im I'm say say- to ng you he asked Y yes V yes father l. l Then go to your room Its It's nearly morning If It your our grandmother should have any idea of what youve you've done tonight Id I'd hate to picture the consequences Be quiet as you go KO KOup up the stairs stair BO so o you wont won't wake her s S S SCelia Celia went Sho was a a. pitiful little rb as she mounted the thc Softly she t turned tho knob openIng openIng open- open Ing lag the door of or her bedroom Then she closed It Jt and nd switched on the tle lights A A. sorry replica o of or herself in damaged finery greeted her from tho triple mirrors mirrors' across tho room The girl went nearer neD and surveyed eyed herself Swollen n eyes red rimmed Hair awry Her checks marked by tear stains and the front of her frock Crock soiled What hat a a. sight Her beautiful birthday party party- even the the- them rn m memory mory of or the drive with Tod Tod- Tod wag Tod-wag was as ruined now Celia Cella dropped her coat at on a a. ch chair r. r Her eyes J were smarting and filled rUled with tears so that It was hard to undo tho fasteners fasten fasten- ers which held her ller dress At last she had it off ocr She dropped to the tho bed and let th the sobs come Her shoulders rose and tell felt convulsively Finally tho tears stopped and she lay quiet Celia Cclia noticed the ring on her lier finger Inger She Sho sat up and took the tho ring ling offIt off ott It brought her misery back with a afresh afresh fresh Cresh start Her father had said that she should never again see Ted Tact Ho How could she sho ke keep p such suel a promise It did not occur to the tho girl to bl blame mo Jordan for for her unhappiness It did not occur occur to her to suspect Evelyn Parsons Parson of or treachery Celia Cella rose and dropped the ring in a box boxon on her dressing table Then she went to tho the bathroom am and bathed her eyes eyes with cold water It ea eased ed their stinging Finally the girl turned out the light and crept into bed She lay in the darkness for several minutes Then she got up again snapped on the light and went to her desk turn fum bUng through a a. drawer of or papers Sho found what she sought and re returned returned re- re turned to bed An hour later Cotta Celia dropped to sleep steep Beneath her cheek damp with tears was as the birthday letter from her mother She telephoned Evelyn Parsons a at 10 1030 30 tho the next morning Rose said her mistress mistress' was having breakfast Will you OU tell h her r its it's Miss Mitchell calling caJUns Celia persisted Tell Teil her I want to speak to herIt's her Its It's Important In a a. few Cew moments Evelyns Evelyn's dulcet tones came back over tho the wire Why Wh Celia dear good mornIng mornIng morn- morn Ing How're you feeling after tho party Celia swallowed Then she said Good morning mornings Im I'm oh lm oh Im I'm al alright all allright right thank you o Mrs Parsons I want to see you ou I I-I I I want to talk to you about something Could I come over right nW away Y Why child your child your voice olce sounds a as though something were the matter mattei O Of course cours come along alons S SC Celia Cella stopped Just long lont enough to tell her Iter grandmother she was co go- go |
