| Show GIVEN GWEN IN uN N MARRIAGE By ADELE GARRISON Avis Agrees to Keep Out of Marital Picture When Under Pressure Again a warning rang deep in my myc c consciousness ri c cl at the little speech of oC Avis Avis' Arlen concerning her Uncle Phils Phil's being so set upon her being a bridesmaid for Mary When Philip n had exacted the th promise from Noel and Mary that Avis should be a bride bridesmaid maid as a favor to him in exchange for tor his agreement to change the elaborate honeymoon plans he had made for tor them he had said that the girl never had had the opportunity opportunity opportunity to serve as a br bridesmaid but was wild to be one Yet from his speech I 1 could conclude I brought myself up with a round turn Whatever lay behind that re request re- re quest by b Philip it was now impossible of oC fulfillment I knew thano that tha n no coris consideration n of ot offending his fa father father Ia- Ia ther or 01 of or anything else in the world would sway Noel in what I was sure would be an iron resolve to keep Avis from being any an part o of the wedding wedding wed wed- ding dine p picture REAL PROBLEM IRonLE If It indeed there were any wedding picture For a 3 second secondI I f remembered the scene I had left in my study with Mary defiant and re resentful resentful resentful re- re saying she was not so 30 sure sure that she meant to change her last name name upon the morrow My present problem I saw clearly was to manage this bridesmaid thing so that Philip would have no chance to blame Noel and Mar Mary Marj for Cor the sudden withdrawal of ot Avis I gave Avis credit f for r cunning enough to realize e lize that she had no possible possible pos pos- pos pos-I sible chance now to appear in the wedding procession and to shift bases ses 30 so rapidly and adroitly as to make make it appear to the farm household that her bel failing tailing to appear was var her own choice not the irate mandate of oC NoelI Noel I gathered my wits' wits together anc and Save gave her an assurance I was f far lr from feeling I am sure he wont won't be angry if ir he thinks you ou do not care much about it it I said As I understand it it his for or wishing you jou ou to be a part of the procession was that you never had been a bridesmaid She hesitated for an instant then answered glib glibly Yes yes CS of course he is always alwa's so 50 thoughtful Uncle Phil But Bu I dont don't feel Ceel as if Jf I could tell him the real reason about tonight Again intuition warned me that her speech was not entirely sincere but butI I hastened to agree with her You surely would not wish anyone anyone anyone any any- one even your mother to know pi of that scene in the study tonight I said smoothly And yet if Mr finds out about it from you he you he cannot cannot cannot can can- not possibly know from anyone elseI else else- I 1 shall have to take back my promise to you Avis and let every single person person person per per- son in this house kno know v every detail of that scene in the stud study She sat up suddenly her face Clam flam in ing uld not be despicable despicable despicable des des- Surely yo c so she cried Under ordinary circumstances your adjective would be the only one oneto oneto oneto to describe such an action I told her But in this case my voice hardened I must fight fire with fire Take your choice Avis Make some plausible excuse to Mr Ver about not wishing to Join the wedding procession procession procession pro pro- cession and I w will keep your secret Tell him the truth which you realize as well as I that I-that that Noel would not now permit you ou to walk in it and it-and and I Itell Itell tell teU everyone what happened tonight What is your answer She was silent for several Ion long minutes min mm- utes then she spoke slowly sullenly I have no choice I must do as you say I will not tell Uncle Uncle- Phil the truth But what excuse can I give him My answer ver was ready I Iliad had been conning it in the back of my brain for Cor several minutes Tell him you couldn't wear that unbecoming bridesmaids bridesmaid's gown f r said and that ve we could not let you wear the green and silver one Continued tomorrow S Copyright 1933 1033 K F. F S. S S. S Inc |
