| Show h C t e 1 i I I I I I THE STORY Tp TO DATE fi Mildred Sutton button an n accomplished d beau gf nil J. J Very young OUS Southern girl marries Hammond j a tt Northern man young but considerably older than she Almost before their theft honeymoon abroad is over Hammond seemingly tires Ures of his bis young wife They have bave no interests no Pleasures In common To her sensitive temperament every Indifference Is magni Lied e into neglect Slights fare hie imagined even where they are not Intended Mr They e make mako their home In n the North Mildred e has no friends S Her baby Is born Jorn B But ts be before this t event veJer H Hammond oi becomes more mere neglectful Remains late at club le etc c. c Mildred weeps Is sometimes hysterical ys a it This angers Hammond who dubs her cry baby etc After a a. terrible scene she declares he will never see her cry again While she is still very ill before the e doctor has allowed her to see the baby i y he leaves her to go on oil a a. fishing trip rIp Isis His abandonment of her at this time for r his i sel selfish Ish pleasure leasure crushes her love f for fh h him Mr and Mrs Franklyn a young c couple suddenly sweep Mildred Into a a. current of life are e fresh and new to her She sometimes annoys Hammond by her curiosity as his friends Where he spends his time She opens a a. l letter by mistake Finds he o often ten visits a young widow he knew be before be- be fore h his s marriage He too remains late CHAPTER LI LI A Surprise We Ve had nearly finished our dinner when I heard Muriel gasp I turned In the direction she was looking looking- and there Just coming in in was Clifford with two ladles ladies I I. I had n never ver seen either of them I before I felt myself grow pale pate and cold then thena I a fierce wave of indignation swept over me and my cheeks burned like fire Clifford evidently had not seen us He piloted the ladles ladies to a a. table some distance distance dis dis- tance lance away on the other side aide of ot the room a table for four which had been reserved As they se seated ted themselves Cliffords Clifford's back backs was toward us but both women were where I could see them They were 1 I I women women- of about 30 or 35 years as aa far as asI asI I could Judge Both were exquisitely dressed and wore wonderful Jewels ewels One I I of them was medium in coloring and I had a ao gown of midnight blue tulle I I with a hat to match The oth other r one was very dark almost gypsy like a I ing log creature in flame color with an Immense immense Im- Im ImI im- I mense bla black k hat but worn so that it did not hide the masses of her hair the hair the blackest hair I had ever seen Clifford was in evening in evening CI clothes and looked oh Td Kf ans iS so distinguished d and h handsome s My foolish heart swelled with pride Ide even though I was so 80 distressed MR FRANKLYN IS EMBARRASSED After sundry nods and grimaces from Muriel when she thought I 1 was not looking look look- lug ing Mr Franklyns Franklyn's attention was gained and and she f motioned Z St toward Clifford Shall I ask Mr Hammond and his party to i Join us he turned to me That is very thoughtful of you I 1 returned by an effort keeping my voice steady but I would rather not not Just as IS you say he replied but heI he I mowed his embarrassment so plainly embarrassment for me that me-that that 1 I determined determined determined deter deter- mined not to allow the contretemps to sP spoil No o their Indeed e evening It f would be bo a a. pity to o add t to our party and I J flattered myself that I 1 laughed quite naturally Mr Hammond had probably made up his hla I his Invitation before party party party-or or accepted he knew I Was Nas coming coming coming- I stopped suddenly Did he know I was there II He Ho must havo have gone home to dress M Mandy Mindy had forgotten to give hIm the note I left teft He Ire will be as surprised to see me as I X I Xam Iam am to see him 1 I thought then l bl as I realized how lame any explanation explanation explanation ex ex- ex- ex I could make matte would sound I Clifford naturally would ask Mandy where I was and that would remind her of the I message It was too complicated for me When I 1 again looked at Clifford the fourth chair nt at the table was occupied by a man about Clifford Cliffords age and type although I did not think him as good looking as my husband nd Who Vho is the other man man I asked Burton Durton Bur Dur- ton I 1 felt that a safe question Oh that tha t Is Hal Lockwood a millionaire millionaire million million- aire alre bachelor I am surprised you haven't met him J m. m He's Hes keen to know every pretty pretty LEONARD BROOKE JOINS THEM Thank you I 1 bowed mockingly Just Justas as Muriel exclaimed This is nice of you jou I. I Leonard onard I had given you up Muriel had said sold nothing about expecting expect ing tag Leonard BO so after alter greeting him hm I 1 re remarked remarked re- re marked This I M is a wart err u unexpected pleasure re i ee dg To mo me also he returned gravely l Iwas I Iwas was out when Muriel telephoned me ana and anaIt anaIt It was only by the good lck ck that r I I got her message ab about half an hour ago ago ngo Now that I r urn I h here Ill lIl have my coffee with you if I am not too late Have the new professionals danced 1 he asked after the coffee had been ordered 01 or- dered I Yes they are going to dance again I 1 replied as a stir SUI atall atah at all the tho tables drew my my attention to the couple j j Will Wilt you you dance with me me Leonard Leonard asked 4 Oh Oh not while they are arc dancing I I r want to watch them You and Muriel dance All Allright right Muriel l come along Well We'll leave Burton BUlton and Mrs Hammond to watch them them and and us he he laughingly added CHAPTER LII Dont dance at t all unless you want to to Mrs Hammond Burton said as they turned away and If It you would like Jike togo to togo togo go home do not hesitate to say so Ill I'll take you j ou then Come ome back for Muriel No thank youl I t love to dance and nd I hope hope you will ask me for the very ne next t dance a sudden thought making my I pulses beat And I surely do not want I Ito to go home I realized his motive and liked him better th than ln ever because of his thought for me But nut at the same time I made pp up my mind to be game not notto to show the white feather A favorite expression of ot fathers father's Clifford liked lilted women of poise of character so he had often otten remarked I would show him that I was not entirely entire entire- I ly lacking ng In these essentials ls He He- of or course would not be surprised to see me as he he be had been home to dress and so knew that I was somewhere In the restaurant res- res I would try the plan which hart hail occurred to me met then be guided by what he said saId and and did After I had nad made this decision I ISe turned t to Burton who was plainly dis Se Sed atsu ats d end and chatted gaily u until Muriel r rand and Leonard came back Have you gazed your fill fm at the In Incomparable Incomparable incomparable In- In comparable couple Leonard asked as th they h seated I l guess I-guess gj guess themselves so yes I stammered as 1 t realized that not once had I even glanced toward the the dancers who had so cap cap- I me I had nab been so occupied d with my thoughts so Intent on putting Burton Burton Bur- Bur ton at hU Its ease easo after his kind thought kind thought f forme for forme r me that I 1 had absolutely forgotten them Youre YOU re not ot ver Very enthusiastic he retorted re retorted re- re II t looking keenly at me JOINS THE THE DANCERS I Again the music struck up this time timea a two stop I 1 saw Clifford rise m bend toward the like gypsy woman at atthe the table She flashed him hima a dazzling smile then with a nod rose and laid her hand ort ori his arm I watched them for a moment How beautifully she danced almost as well as the professional Oh why why why- Shall t l we try this dance Leonard B Brooke lak ak asked looking curiously f J y at me mo t I I 1 wondered If It Muriel had told him of Cliffords Clifford's presence I rather hoped she had bad as is It might save explanations I 1 promised premised this one to Burton I I replied then cast an alln clan I tow toward td him I had decided d to speak to Clifford d. to force forM an art issue and it would I Ibe be easier with Burton than with Leonard Brooke Yes this is III my dance B Burton I quickly responded taking the cue Mrs MM 1111 Hammond has been gracious enough to give It to me even though I dont don't dance as well as you do As we danced I saw Clifford and the woman In the flame colored dress at every turn we made To m my Intense Burn Bur sur surprise prise prise n and a bit I to my y chagrin h ho seemed not lot ota t to see me T To have ey eyes for none b but t his haIred black partner AN IMPULSIVE ACT Then one of my impulsive moods seized me I would enjoy the dance then compel Clifford to recognize me I knew I looked well that I was perfectly perfectly pertI per per- not tI quite gowned wr the poise And the while b blase perhaps manner I e had hadnot hadnot of 1 his two women friends I was young so could not be expected to fo rival them In that particular So I laughed and chatted with Burton as If I hadn't ti iI care In the world He evidently approved for he said right Mrs Hammond enjoy I yourself Then Youre You're a little brick and without giving me time to reply or notice his remark he called my attention to someone he knew I His very evident sympathy the hearty hearty J way he Ite h had d spoken gave me courage And fh d dd really X I did enjoy n the tho remainder of 01 I the d dance and the tha h encore When at last the music stopped we were standing close to the table where I Clifford and his partner had Just seated themselves el Without h s saying a V word I t guided Burton In that t direction r. r When e I we reached Cliffor Clifford's Cliffords orda side cl Ids his is start of ff I surprise appeared genuine but It had no effect on me I did not hesitate f Monday Introductions Monday Introductions Copyright 5 by by George Matthew Adams |
