Show 1 Mad Marriage By LAURA LOU BROOKMAN Author of Heart Hungry BEGIN HERE TODAY O Gypsy McBride year old meets the boat on which Alan Crosby re returns returns returns re- re turns from a 11 year ear and a half haIr studying studyIng study- study Ing Ins art in Paris They arc not engaged engaged en en- but there has hns been an understanding un cm between them Gypsy sees a beautiful woman on the pier whom Crosby Identifies as Mrs Langley a ships ship's acquaintance Two nights later he breaks an en engagement en- en with Gypsy on a a. plea of business She goes to the theater alone anti encounters him with Mrs Langley There is a n. sc scene ne Mrs frs Langley who is 34 and a divorcee dl drives awa away alone Gypsy and Crosby go home In a cab quarreling aUthe all aU the way way- Next Net day Gypsy Gyps Is miser miser- able She hurries hurrie home from the theoffice theoffice office determined to apologize to Crosby In the interview following he makes It plain his ills affection for Gypsy is ended Next day Gypsy is reprimanded for some careless work ork and anti In a petulant mood resigns She accepts an invitation from her wealthy cousin Anne Trowbridge to take the place of ot a dinner guest who cannot appear NOW GO ON WITH THE TiE STORY CHAPTER CHAPER IX I Phil Phi stood with his back toward towar them as a Anne and Gypsy entered the living room He was offering a cocktail to t a pretty girl wh whose e blond curls and frothy white lace gown made mae her resemble a figure on a French Fench miniature The girl was smiling A look passed be between between be- be tween them and Trowbridge turned Across Acro the tile room an a elderly man with wih gray gry hair was In conversation con with wih a woman in in black black A fat youngish man with wih a a. small smal mustache mustache mus mus- tache stood sto beside them Anne Ane went forward Mrs Mr Lucas she said in the tone of voice oice re reserved reserved re- re served for such occasions I want to t present my cousin Miss Mis McBride Gypsy Gypsy Mis Lucas Luca That was wa the beginning of oC the introductions There was a a. successIon succession sion slon of them including so o many names and faces that an au were a con con- fused Jumble to t Gypsy Other Oilier gueits arrived ed Immediate immediately She discovered the man with wih the gray gy hair was Mr Montgomery and the pretty little blond was wa his wile wife wie She Silo noted Mrs Mrs Montgomery Montgomery paid scant attention to her husband and generally there were at least two men beside her Trowbridge stopped to compliment Gypsy Say girl what have you been doing to yourself I thought you were Greta Garbo when you ou came in What That have you been doing to your eyesight Gypsy retorted Dont you YOl know a blond from a brunet Minor detail detal he told her Anyhow you ou are a knockout I Gypsy smiled She knew kew Phil Phi was wa I trying trIng to be kind and she was wa grate grate- ful Ui It was pleasant ant to t know tow that she looked well well Anne came for her and there ther were ere more introductions Gypsy shook shok hands smiled the mechanical smile mUe she was rapidly acquiring and then found herself hersel beside Mrs Luc Lucas the woman in black Are Arc you ou stopping with Mrs Tr Trowbridge Trow Trow- bridge the older woman asked No No I NoI I live lve in New York Oh do you Anne must bring you to t tea some time tie Youre You're very like each other Otiler arent aren't you ou Id I'd Id al almost almost almost al- al most say you were sisters Gypsy was wa relieved The conversation conversation conver conver- took tok a welcome turn tur toward a musical event of the past week Gypsy knew nothing about It I but she could nod no and smie smile at the proper Intervals That was what what the others other did She had been so s afraid Mrs Mr Lucas was going to ask goig her address adre Wouldn't it sound well to Annes Anne's wel wealthy friends Ancs Anc's The maid entered with more cock cock- tails tais AH All Al of the guests gest had hail arrived Dinner was announced o o a Youre to go in with Horace Page Anne Annc had t told ld Gypsy Horce Page had been bee one of the last to t arrive and at one glance Gypsy resigned hersel Ito o a dull dul evening He was as the type of middle aged bachelor frequently encountered at dnn dinner r I I parties partes given by such hostesses as a Anne Trowbridge Slim but not tall tail tal Horace Horac Page wore rimmed rimed spectacles attached to t a gold chain His eyes bel behind nd the lenses were vaguely gray ay He had ha sharp features pink cheeks and ad thinning thinning- thinning hair hai cheek They went into Int the elaborately appointed ap ap- ap I ap-I never pointed dining room rm G Gypsy sy had ha seen anything as a elegant as the long Jong table with wit its a wit It covering of heavy lace the brilliant brilant sheen of ruby crystal gleaming sliver silver and soft candle light sJ er ad I Anne Ane at the far end of the room was looking charming The flame rom fe of her gown reflected on her cheeks It was wa a a. a proud moment for tor the hostess te The dinner diner party was one of or the most ambitious entertainments young Mrs Mr Trowbridge had under under- uder- uder taken The guest list represented sest weeks eek of cultivation and tireless teles ef ef- ef fort That was why Gypsy's arrival to take the place of the injured Miss Mis Lane was so important Anne Ane Trowbridge for tor all al her frivolity took tk one subject seriously She was ing lug with tact wih diligence and a surprising sur sur- sur- sur amount of insight for the social position to t which she aspired It was her wifely duty thus thu to aid Phil Phi so she told him hm by t enter enter- tabling the right people It was also a form tonn of competition which wa held feverish attraction for Anne Tonight marked a triumph Seated at Phils Phil's right at the thc opposite end of the table was Mrs Charles Lit Lit- tieton teton Fox THe Fox Fox TI THE Mrs Mr Fox whose columns name was Voa and so s whose well wel known picture in social olal never ne appeared even en in the most con con- conI conservative of ot journals Mrs Foxs Fox's I presence nt at the din din- ner ncr was wa distinctly a social triumph Charles Charles Fox sat st beside Anne Ane He made no pretense of the fact that horses and race track gossip were tat the only ony things which interested him If I there was no one about abut to dEs dis cuss cu the Whitney Whiney year 2 showIng show- show big Ing In the tha south ig or to make predictions pre pre- pre pre- dictions about the Preakness Charlie Fox subsided into grumpy silence He was silent Elent now 10 but not gump grumpy grumpy-a a a concession owing to 10 t the th fact that his ht hostess was wa so s young oung and pretty Two of Phil Phi Trowbridge's business busi bust ness nc associates were included In the One of the these was the group gup wa gray gy haired Montgomery Montgomer with wih his young wife There was a Miss Matthews and her brother both middle aged who had been friends friend of ot Annes Anne's mother They had ha social sial register r rating rating and nd little monc money They Tey had been extremely useful to Anne o Q G G 0 Most of the others were recent ac acquaintances ac ac- of ot the Trow TO bridges sy supposed they must have prominence or wealth probably both All Al of ot them them impressed the thc girl as being bIng tiresome and esting Anne was a the prettiest woman oman In ir Inthe inthe 1 the room rom Gypsy reflected Some Sonic of or course might prefer the blond I preer Mrs Montgomery who wore ore low lour bracelets mostly diamonds and r a I diamond pendant pendant- but tittered constantly con con- in Jh a high childish voice O Gypsy had hat taken a a dislike to Mrs Montgomery Now a butler bute was wa bringing the thi soup There had never nc been a butler butler but but- ler ir in 1 the household be be- be fore Anne was wa clearly clearly outdoing herself hersel Horace Horco Page was asking if Gj ps t had seen the latest Guild Gud play ii It I I Iwas was on the tip Up of the girls girl's tongue tonge to reply truthfully that she had ha tried trIed to get tickets but no balcony scats ats were available Instead she said I she se had hart not gotten around to to it ud hit the wrong tempo Page t told her Altogether the tin wrong wong tempo Tempo Gypsy had supposed I they were ere talking about abut a a. play Of tot course the symbolism Is dominant dom darn the man ma continued and it its it's S Impressive Oriental Orient thing you yot OU 1 know Very Ver colorful But But there I is S Sno no excuse really for tor misplacing the tin I tempo One doesn't e expect ct that o. o of at f the Guld Guild Gypsy thought she must have mis mi- mi understood Its the new play Lynn I Fontannes Fontanne's Fontanes Fontane's in you mean isn't it she asked aked Page nodded bringing the tile bald baic I spot into ito prominence Overrated actress he said sd briskly brisk There Tere followed a ten minute minute tn-minute monolog monolog monolog mono- mono log on on what hat was wa wrong wong with Miss MIs S Fontanne's Fontannes dramatic portrayals Horace Page advanced Horce the in th Ifo I- I fo formation maton that he heas was as secretary o of a little Ite theater group He deplored red the commercial theater and the publics public's pub pub- lic's Hc's failure to appreciate true art art But were we're reaching them I Page declared with feeling Were reach reach- reah- reah lug ing iUt them Why Gypsy asked herself herrl had bad she ever given up the peace ac and quiet of oC her room rom This was a hundred times worse She moved restlessly tried tred again to fasten her attention t on what Page was saying Down at the te end of or the table she caught a a. glimpse of ot Mrs lIs rox x Her aristocratic chin chi was elevated but her table manners maners the girl thought might have b been n Improved Poor Por Phil Phi striving to t entertain the guest gest of or honor looked hard pre pressed ed AU All around aroud the table were women wearing expensive gowns and lavI lavish h Jewelry The names of ot the tha men represented represent social position and wealth Gypsy studied their faces face and decided she had never s seen n so dismal a group r O 9 u uAn O OAn An evening of gal gaiety tr She had come out because she wanted to t forget forget for tor- get and every moment was making her more miserable How long must this ordeal last Now Page had h progressed from the theater to art Something was wa wrong with wih art as well wel as a the thea ter When he paused the girl sIr murmured murmured mur mur- Inured inaudibly Try T as a she would she could not keep Alan Crosby's face tace from appearing before her I r wont won't think about abut him Gypsy Gj 5 t told ld herself hersl firmly I r wont won't Yet in spite sIt of ot herself hersel the vision returned She saw sw Alan la smiling smiling- Alan tossing his hair back bak with that familiar falar shake of the head never Would end this th abominable dinner diner It seemed hours before the cheese and ad wafers came And at last last- lat heaven be b praised praised Anne Anne Tro T. T bridge was rising from her chair The guests straggled into it the th liv living lviS ill lv- lv big ing iS room rom Coffee CoHee was wa served by the I meticulous butler buter and then the tte bridge bridle tables app appeared aed But Anne Gypsy protested c You know I dont don't play I r know kow dear Neither will vil L LIs LI's Its It's going gIng to make mae three the even cven tables I In I the confusion of ot selecting part and getting seated at the bridge tables table Gypsy slipped sUpped from the te room rom She made her way to t Annes Anne's Anes Ane's bed bd d. d room She would leave a note sad and ad escape With Wih one hand on the door do of or the U. U room the girl hesitated d. d What was 3 that noise across the hall hail hal She heard It a a. second time tie It I was a a scraping sound sud and It caret caine cle from behind th the door dor at the Ie left C. C Gypsy hesitated d. d Slowly ste e pushed the door dor open switched on Cil 0 the light Facing her in the half hl opened opened window she saw a man To be continued |