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Show , I ( ; I JI J The Th lie e Fourtli FourtL Fourth Lovely L LBy Lady LadyBr By Br THERESE BENSON . , WNU Bon-lcG Bon lcG - < Tho Dobbs 'MelTl11 MelTl11 ' ComPfny ) CHAPTER VIII-Continued VIII Continued VIII - Continued Continued"She VIIIContinued9 -9- 9 - 9"She 9"She - "She She " doesn't doesnt ' like llh.e llhe . Carols Carola MasonHowever Ma Mason Masonhowever on onHowever However , , if she gets out of going gomg to toEurope toEurope toEurope Europe , she cnn can t expect to hive b'1.H b1.H b1H be ' . ? every every- every everyw w - thing everything her own way wa wn ; . " "Why Why " not ask asL . Mrs Mason to stav stay stavj . J I with Pam [ In n Sutton plice pl'1ce pl1ce price ' until thew the w - ' ' children chUdren s schools close ? ' "I I " thought thollght you \ would auld bo bl bP > wltb with wltbPnm withPam withf wltbt t Pnm- Pnm Pam- Pam Pam - " Pnm"No Pam"No ; : A- A A"No " - "No No " , " bmlf bmll Smif spoke con conclusIvelT conclusively .luslvelv luslvelv < . " , ' "When When " Cintra Clntrn Clntra married , , I promised promlced ; m myself mv my " - " . eelf IcU self ) never ne'er neer ' agiln ng'lln nglln ng'iln ngiln ' ' to shoulder the responsibillty re : sponsibilltv sponslblllt sponsibillty ) of a young girl As yousay you youBay . Bay say , I'am Iam Pam ' muet must mii ; t he prepared to makesome make ma1.e ma1e . ' ' some conce concession conce.slon conceslon . slon Send her to me If Ifshe Ifshe Ifshe she objects objecte ; too , . seriously erlollsly .eriously eriously and I II U talh talk talhber talkher talkher ber her Into ' ' , agl agiecing agteeing eelng This , after seveial se\elal se elal sesetal \ conferentes conferences was wasthe wasthe wasthe the final arrangement arMngement Susan SUs.1n SUs1n . anrl and anrlCharles andCharles andCharles Charles sailed I'am Iam Pam ' and nnd Mrs . . . Mason MasonsettJed Masonsettled Masonsettled settJed settled Into a state of armed neutr11 neutral neutr11lH neutralits neutnlItv lH its Stone cime C1me c'tme ctme ' and nnd went "ent ent sent " Smif Smlf sawlittle saw sawlittle saw1ittle little 1ittle of her sisters , excusing e'tcuslng etcuslng ' hersetr herself hersetrfrom herselffrom herselffrom from family dinners dmners on the tbe score of ofher ofher ofher her banting basting , an e\cuse e cuse c\cuse c excuse \ ' they accepted acceptedrcadtlv acceptedreadily acceptedrcadllv rcadtlv readily although hopeless of a n ch3n change changefor changefor E > for the better in m her appearance As n a nmatter amatter amatter matter of fact she was losing loslns losln "eIght eIght weight "eIghtmore weightmore n " eightmore more npldly r'1pldly r1pldly ripldly ' now . , ' ind 1nd and Docton lanton Blanton lantonseemed Blantonseemed Blantonseemed seemed to think It ad\ ad ndi advls-ible advls ible ad1C1blE \ 1C1blE gable ; - > to keep heep n a nclose aclose aclose close ss \ witch \ 1tch atch over herMadame herMadame her herMadame Madame Georgette Georgettc had been obliged obligedto to alter filter lter her ber clothes several times , and andthe andthe andthe the Imprm Improvement improsement ement [ In n her looks 1001.s 1001s . was al at allast atlast atlast last perceptible even e\"en e "en en \ " to herself , while whilethe whilethe the Irishvoman Irish \ woman \voman voman " was "as as loud In her e epressions e\ e epressions ' \ . -pressions pressions --pressions presslons - : - - - of admiritlon admlr'1tlon admlr1tlon admlrttlnn ' as sheet she cet : < ; et pins pinsto pinsto pinsto to Indicate the line she wlsliedStone \ wished wlslied Ished / ; Stone had gone back bac1 . to Virgfnii Vlrginl1 Virginia ten tend'1 tend'iys tendivs d'iys diys d'1 d1 ' ' s before and Smif Smlf Srnif Smifas Smlfag \\as as \\ag ag ssas \ \ surprised to tofind tofind tofind find how much she missed nlle"ed nlleed ; " both him himnnd himand himand nnd and the dogs As compinmns comp'lmtlns complmtlns comp'int'tns compinttns ' ' ' . , the thedogs thedogs thedogs dogs Ind h1d hid taken precedence over allother a11 all a11other allother other breeds and were first amon amen amnns : the thethln thethings thetilings thln things s she promised promlced ; her her&elf herelf herself & elr for Love Lovelyle'1 Lovelylea LoveIvlei lyle'1 lyle1 lylea ' back bach at ( dusk dusl lush . along the rlfth fifth fifthavenue rlftha Fifthavenue avenue a , enue boundiry bound1ry boundary of Centril Centr11 Central pirk p'1rh p1rh park ' a aman aman aman man fir f1r far down the street slipped a le1sb leash leashand le1sbnnd leishand nnd and two dogs dog : . > camp carnE > nung r'1ung r1ung rasing ' toward to\\nrd to nrd \ \ her herto herto herto to Ieip le'1p le1p leap ' upon her with enthuslacm"They enthusiasm"They enthusiasm enthuslacm enthusiasm"They ; "They They " hneyou knew hne\\ hne \ you befOl befoic before e I dish did dill . , ' Stone Stoneexplained Stoneexplained Stoneexplained explained when he be came up to her'They her _ _ They 'They ' nearly pulled me off olT mv my feet"Then feetThen feet feetThen ' - " -Then Then Then . , as ns If It tlie the comment was wati wa . , forced forcedCrom forcedfrom forcedfrom Crom from him "Jove Jove " . , you are like my mygreat mygreat myCroat great grandmother grandmothers I ! ' "I I " certainly certmnly am nm " Smif SnHf Sniff agreed nreed ; , "I I "Ishould "I"ihould Iihould " 1 " - - - _ " -should should should think thml . you would find yourself yourselfcaling yourselfcalling yourselfcalling caling calling ! me 'grandmother/ 'grandmother grandmother 'gf3ndmother gf3ndmother 'grandmotherHow's ' / : , ' 110\\ 110 How's Hows 110's \ ' 's s ' Lo Lot Love Lovely , e- e - e1 e 1 lylea ly lei le1 ' " " , ' "Perfect Perfect " , " Stone replied repIled "I I "Its Its " neigh neighbors neighbors neighbors bors are Its only drawbick drawb'1ch drawb1ch drawback ' One Jt of Jtthem ofthem ofthem them caught my train todly tod'1Y tod1Y today ' " "Honestly Honestly " ? ' Smif Smlf asked nsked Then In Inrecognltlon inrecognition inrecognition recognltlon recognition of an affirmative affirmath atiirmatlt e a nod nod'Such nodSuch . , Such 'Such ' singleness of ot purpose deserves deservessome desen deservessome es essome some reward re\\ard re ard \ . . , . , What brings yon you yonhere youhere yonherey yonherey"Sime here ? " " "Sime Sime "S1me S1me "Same Same " thing thit th1t that brought her-to her to hertosee hertosee her - tosec see you , " Stone assured her ber "I"e "I I " 1 \ " ve \"e "e e ye bad had bada hada hada a reil re11 real Inspiration . . Why don't dont ' YOIJ you YOIJcome youcome youcome come and piy P1Y pay me a visit ? You'd Youd ' Ul"p Ulp like Ul"pto liketo " llkpto to see Lovelylea agiin ag'1in ag1in again ' , . wouidu wouldut ouldu t you youIt ? It certainly deserves deser\"es deser "es es \ " Its mine n1me name In earlv early earlvsummer earlysummer earlvcummer summer ' Like Li1.e Li1e . to see . Lovelylea I.o\"elylea I.oelylea I.o Io "elylea elylea \ " again ? ' " It Itseemed Itseemed Itseemed seemed to Smif Smlt as if the muscles mlls'les mllsles ( ' ofr ofs of or . - r s 11 ? "It It " Would Be Terrible to SuspectHer Suspect SuspectHer SuspectHer Her . She's Shes ' My Own Cousin " . her chest tightenul tightenld tightened around her hearl heart heartat heart.at heartat . at the > mere thought ; ; hut hul but she sht ' shonl shook shookher shookher , her held he'1d he1d head ' in the ne negative negatise dthe Nol Aot 1\0 1 0 \ Nolel : ) \el el \ et et1 way wayshe \\1 1 \ " wisshe ' " she ready to go hick b h ick ltlt to Irglnia Irginia Sirginla SirginlaThey \ IrginiaThey IrglniaThey They " walked "alL.ed alL.ed alLed . on for some moments momentsIn momentsin momentsIn In silence 5l1encc . . . - "Mercy'11 Mercy11 \lercy'll lercy'll lercyll "Mercy'll Mercyll " 5l1encclercy'll : \ ' be do\\ do down don \ \ n on you bTl bright ht and andearly andearly andearly early tomorrow ; , " Stone \ vvirned warned \ 1rned her at atlength atlength atlength length 'Shed Shed ' She d hive h\ve h ve ' \ been after you youtonight youtonight ou outonight tonight If she'd shed ' known I.non Lnown I.no\\ I.no . \ \ n \ where here you YOU ou live liveI've liveI've liveI've liveIve I've Ive ' ' ' never told her your mmc n1me name isn isa tMadame t tMadame tMadame Madame Saitou Saltou ' Don t ; . , ' said Smif "It's Its " ' ' none of ot her herbusiness herbusiness herbusiness business as long as I 1 don t . know L.now Lnow h her hersocialls hersociillv < > r rsochlh " " sochlh socialls . "Smif Smif "Smlf Smlf "Srnif Srnif " , dear dc.ar dcar . . , I'm Im ' afraid you don t treally lreally reallv really like mv my futm futuie future e wife tsife \ \ Ife " . S Smif 1f bolted halted as abruptly nbrnptiy as If tf tho the thof thotrRfllC thetraffic tintranic f trRfllC traffic signils slgn'1ls slgn1ls signals ' \ ivere were \ ere against her . , "Hive Hive "ll'1ve ll1ve "llave llave " ' vou you tied yourself up withthit wIlli with wIllitht withthat th\t th t that thtorn'1n ' \ ' womin \orn'1n orn'1n orn1n soma \ ' ? she "he he " ac asked ; I . ed , tight lipped , ' Didn't Didnt Dldu't Dldut ' you ) vou lU ( advise me to"r tor to " Stone StoneadoIllpd Stoneadopted StoneadoptPd adoIllpd adopted an Injured air'I air 'I I ' I never ne\cr ne cr \ advise ndlse ahlse , anybody anhody anyhody ) . , ' Smlf Smif Smifavered Smifnvcrcd 1\ 1 \ 1vered avered vered ' averedVell 'Well Well ' \ Well \Vell Vell , well weU , " Stone looked at her herslde hersides herstdewlse slde\\ slde sides sldeIse \ \ Ise . . . * ' I evidently misunderstood misunderstoodyou misunderstoodyou " you- you - - ' you- you - _ youtlIt's you"It's "It's Its tlIt's tlIts " ' because of or the tile do dogs s . , " Sml Smit Smif ! went on a n trifle incoherently IncoherenUy "I'm Im " ' ' ' afraid afraidshe afraidshe afraidshe she wouldn wonldn woulin ( t mil m11 e a them hl1ppv-1 hl1ppv 1 happy-i happy i happv - I m matl maft mafi atl aft lid tld tid she doesn't doesnt ' rcilly re11ly really underst\nd underst nd underst'tnd understtnd understndhuJdogs underst'tndbulldogs understindbulldogs ' \ ' huJdogs bulldogs ] Wlien When you're youre ' married , , ) you 'oU oU ' d dhetter dbetter dbetter hetter better give them to me Stone " "And And " how about abont making maltmg me hnppy happy happy'Stone happyStone ? ' ' ' Stone demindcd dcm'1.nded dcm1.nded dcm1nded demanded ' . "I I " 1 keep asking aslcing you youthat youthat youthat that Isn't Isnt ' thit th'1t th1t that ' worthy of conslder'1 conslder1 considers conslder'1tion considerslion considention ' tion lion ? " Of Ot a sudden Smif Smlf doubted the au an authentlclty anthentlclty aurhenticlty thentlclty of hls his hl > news news"I "I I " 1 don't dont ' ' believe you're youre ' < > cngiged engaged n 1ged ' to toMercy toMercy toMercy Mercy at all . , she said tn trying trsing Ing to con conLeal conteal conceal Leal teal the relief the thought gave rnve ; her her"I her"I herI "I I " 1 don't dont ' ' belIeveou believe ) - you -ou ou have the nerve ner\'e ner 'e e \ ' to topropoce topropose topropose propoce propose ; to her When the time > comee comes comesI'll comesI'll comesIll ; I'll Ill ' ' probably prohlbly : hive h'1.ve h1.ve h1ve ' . to ( do (1o 1o It for you youYou youYou youYou You d be afrild ar'1ld ar1ld afraid ( ' " . "Of Of " course ' I'd Id ' be afr'1.lrl-nfr'1ld afr1.lrlnfr1ld afr'1.lrl afr1lrl nfr'1ld nfr1ld afr'iirl-afrald afr'iirl afriirl afrald afr'1.lrlnfr'1ldshe'd afr'iirlafraldshe'd afrild ' . ' - afrildshe'd afrildshed ' she'd shed ' accept me . . Looking Loohln on It as herlast her herInst herlast Inst last chance , perhaps while whsle you"e you \"e "e e ye "ebeen yebeen \ " vebeen been banting bantmg basting she's shes ' been stufhng tllthng sttsfhng her herself herself herself self Indul Indulging ln In a perfect orgy of ofrich ofrich ofrich rich food Walt Wnlt till tm you see her ber I 1 I11t ' 'Wait Wait ' \ ' Wilt \\11t 11t till t11l : ' she che 'the the sees met me I I prophes\ prophes propltess prophesthat propltessthat prophesythat \ that she shell 11 rush ru"h ruh " to the telephone anll and anllmahe andmake andmake mahe make an Immedlite Immedl'tte Immedltte immediate ' appointment appolntmf'nt appolntmfnt ' with withDoctor withDoctor withDoctor Doctor Blanton Rlanton And " when whin lum he b'1 b1 lrsa lrsabrought hisbrought ' :1 1 < : :1bronght bronght brought her hick b1ck to her former 10\ 10 10IInecs lose loseIlne lovpllness \ < > IInecs Ilne ; s rou "ou ou you , " 11 I ) sine sing sin . ; a ( different iifferent tuneto tune to " to'IndeE 'IndeE IndeE ' Indeed7 'Indeed Indeed > d ? ' Stone tone stired st'1red st1red stared ' at nt her hE > r curl curlously curlously curlously ously "I I " m Interested Intereeted ; to know Inow , what whatm'1l.es whatmales whatmikes m'1l.es m1l.es m1les males ' . ) vou on otl so certain cerlaln of thit th'1.t th1.t th1t th'tt thtt ' . ' ? At h.r hr her h.rbeet herbest herbest . beet best ; .1 1 * . I "asn asn wasn " wnsnt t stuck on 'IercvVhv ' Mercv 'Iercv Iercv Mercy \ WIiv \Vhv Vhv Why ) you ou both hoth be he so sure snre I J \ will 111 he heno henos henow ' ' ' no nos " s ? ' > Smtf Smtc Smif stired st1red stared bick lJ'1c1 lJ1c1 back ' . at him her mouth mouthsllghtlv mouthslightly mouthslightly sllghtlv slightly open her whole e'tpresslClu etpresslClu evpresssou e'tpresslCluthat evpresssouthat expressionthat ' that of one transfixed transfhed by amazement amn7ement amayement . . Why indeed ? ' > 'But But ' But J sou ou smd- smd said- said smdshe saidshe said - ' she began wea1.lv"I weakly"I wcaklv wea1.lv wea1lv weakly wcaklv"I . "I I " said I 1 hited h1ted hated fat people Well Well.so Wellso . , so I do But nut ' I'm Im ' not of so loving 10lng losing , a adleposltlon adisposition adisposition dleposltlon disposition ; that I love e everybody eseryhndy ' eryhody slro slrohappens \ whohappens , ho hohappens happens to be thin And for ' ill 111 of m\ m me mMercy meMercy ( \ . , Mercy will die the an old mild m11d maid fat or orthin , orthin ) r rthIn thIn thIn'hlt ' "That That -'hlt 'hlt hlt " - ] ' : certainly cert1ml ) compllcitcs compllc1tes complicates m1t mat m1tters matters mitters ters , " Smif Smlf admittedShe admittedShe admitted admittedShe She had surprised surprlced ; herself by ber her bersudden hersudden hersudden sudden revulsion re\"u1slOn re "u1slOn u1slOn \ " of feeling feeIlng at the SU sug suggestion suggestion gestlOn gestion of his engagement to Mercvsince Mer'v Merv Mercy ( ' , since it " would "ould ould be so convenient an ar fir arrangement firrangement arrangement rangement It occurred to her th'1t th1t that thatit th'1tIt tintIt ' It " was "as as not so much that she objected objectedto to the mirriage m1rrlage marriage as that thlt : she objected objectedto to his bls succumbing voluntarllvArrived voluntarilyArrived voluntarily voluntarllv voluntarilyArrived Arrived at the Badminton , . she said saidgood saidgood saidgood good hy by to the dogs while whlle Stone ashed asked ashedif askedif askedIf if he could cou1d take t3he her out to dmner dinner dmnersomewhere dinnersomewhere dinnersomewhere somewhere . 'You You ' You forget tbit tb'1t tb1t that ' I no longer e'1.t e1.t e1t eat eit'she eitshe ' . . , ' she ; . said c.11d c11d cald with witii Jth a n smileMay smile ' , May I 1 come to see you after dmm dtnnt r rthen rthen rthen then ? Ih Hive ve a heirt he'lrt helrt heart ' . , Smif Smlf 1\ 1 I's Is ' I've Ive 1e ' \ e got to togo togo togo go somewhere SQmewhere to escape Mercy She II 11 IIbe 11be 11be be dropping droppmg in tn to see my 'sweet sweet ' little littlebachelor littlebachelor littlebachelor bachelor apirtment ap1rtment aparttnent , ' as fiS sure n a as fate " For ror [ 'or or ' a moment Sml Smif ( heslt1ted hesitated heslt1tedCome hesitatedCome hesititedCome Come , . of cour course e , . , " " slie she said smd 'Onlv Onlv 'Only Only 'OnlvDoctor 'OnlyDoctor ' "OnlvDoctor OnlvDoctor " Doctor Blinton B1'1nton B11nton |