Show I 1 A by Y evelyn campbell HU copyright by evelyn campbelll CHAPTER X continued i 16 6 her fan her little lie picked up op she tin spa party S bag giving a last look at mirror what wits was in the r r face fear unrest apil hind ind those eyes at but with tier her first question it she saw herself na as she as s gone cone touchingly beautiful with the per s tion tion of maturity in the body or of uth with a sweep of pis pip ste she st e rew ew out her arms to tier her own image ap was tier her right site she form it camp came in whatever te e it now itliong could hold it back from her ben ien she made a little prayer 0 10 t me be happy I 1 she was standing thero there when the ock came upon her door low how strange to see her own face ilten baiten and whiten to see her own es widen and grow dark with fear ear ar that had been at her elbow rough this hour lurking beyond her the corners of the room unnamed d or ir that her inner self had known of nd d tried to warn her of but which e would not heed it was strange watch her own face like this mark 9 the change of its emotions as one watch a strangers face come in she bile said the door was not locked through e mirror that she still faced she w it slowly open and saw a man anding on the threshold of her room e was a short stocky man without e and without memorable features xi u pass twenty like him uny any after oon ion without seeing one of them yet here ere wits a look of strength of re stance istance about him that dint made itself it through his unremarkable per in allty As he advanced closing the or behind him film she retreated her rm m touched the mass masi of gardenias lid id the contact released if a burden ol of avy perfume she heard tier her name olcen and murmured yes yea I 1 am linda roth 11 brian was waiting for tier her at the of the ballroom as she knew e would be lie he looked at tier her ans asly as if aware of some vague we al ration in her features this was not eternal for her cheeks were dell abely colored and tier her 03 eyes es softer and tore lore brilliant than ever she smiled ut lit there was vas a coldness in tier her smile nit repelled the warm eagerness of Is greeting ile he had waited a long time and either men nor lovers like to wait you are late linda her white shoulder moved with an imperceptible shrug 1 I found that I 1 as tired of dancing I 1 was in halt half mind not to come down the puzzlement of his eyes deep tied ned that afternoon site she tind prom sed cd to meet him here it was ar urged as if they had passed hours n i the planning and now this with int hat faint incomprehensible smile smiles she hp albed with him through the length f the room to the group where the hostess was to he be found it was one of those odd gatherings here anyone who asks property properly for or n invitation may find a welcome he lady whose name appeared on tie he card was a shy benilde bewildered red bersot n i a frock that had seemed very tine t home but was quite lust lost and effaced efface k along the frocks of guests who whose st arnesani arne sand and faces were equally stran strange 9 ai 0 tier her people kept condit and gong while she smiled mechanically he did not know who mrs loth both was waa r how she lie came to be there but she welcomed her with the rest 7 inda s saw aw a dozen faces that ahe new and smiled sallied at each of then liem in ID urn a smile as ley icy and impersonal the hospitality shared the than ll 11 roni rom the lie blur of moving angures sh chrt aw w converse hla his face distinct in its ita aple urple outline over the lie enormous bite expanse of linen spread 1 upon Is a breast like a 11 shield As their Ks es met his own sent a shaft or of slice to meet tier calm ia smiled desda disdainfully in fully re should not naw even now that slie bile was then the music caught them anti and ne he was moving avay in brians firms or r the last time she thought dream ly Y threading through gli the crowd of f appy bored unexcited unedited couples who nde ade their way joyously about th berfect fl floor or to the rhythm of a per act it orches ache i bolaris Br lAris arm rapheld ackt euk e 11 uk ea lad remembered beret it so belll vell longed for 1 dignin I 1 Y what INba have I 1 do done behe he asked she withdrew herself ever r so lie he stopped abruptly they ear r ft a ifred aulm iante ante boom room and he rew tier inside 31 with wh an unexpected 1 extermination S atlon ehni strolled trolled troll ed her lulled def defiance lahce ns this il was a nw new brian wal cited ted 1115 how alie wt would 0 what hn fie had to dd 16 feces ft ry 0 to o be rude rude she murmured the e rdo loolu ni wa a small rith rith ith oozy cozy place low chairs ind and adeo a diep de o divan meldee melded led carefully aub with nd the he inevitable tubs of indoor shrubs which so BO delight the the of hotels and the givers of balls almost as they entered a B ninn man passed the door glancing in at them in a casual 8 sort ort of way lie ile was a plain unimportant P octant person whose expression remained unni unmoved oved even when his ti incurious eyes met lindas there was another door just behind the davau where she and brinn tot sat and site she imagined that she huiard it open through a surge of drowning music out but she was avna playing with the pearls colling coiling them through her long blunder fingers and she ltd lid not turn her head brians strong profile etched against the thick green background the boy ashness Islin so much a purl part of him had vanished suddenly and in its plue was something new and disturbing beneath Ilene nth the dull ditche in her breast fear began to stir it if lie he would not take tier for what site she played and kol gol memory leaped from some soine still aln 6 to remind her of that flint tinie time when she had find lain in hir arms and lie he would not ot release tier cpr in spite of till nil tier her silly fri fright git tf if site she out give herself ti to those warm arms now it if she could shield herself against agalli st the strength of him I 1 of what was she elle thinking silo sho thrust these imaginings from tier her in terror that way lay a n flanger danger of which site she dared not think for silo she what he would do and in no doubt of if lie knew the truth sit she e wits was to be empted emited emp ted lie he took tier her hands and would have drawn her closer to him film but bill that she resl resisted sted what alint has hag come between us since sinca this afternoon theres always somebody a crowd I 1 cant get a word with you alone tie he bent hla his eyes deeply into hers and she lowered hers quickly to hide what lie might read there she managed a laugh an unreal sound that Is what one must expect in washington she said lightly it Is the life you have chosen dont tell me that you are tired already she L the door was not locked was overacting over acting but ills bewilderment saved her from rom failure ills his eyes were a little more than she could stand that Is what washington Is for crowds she said why else would one come not you he said earnestly you did not come for that eliat reason that gave tier the opening she was looking for why nise her tone was so insolent that he flushed darkly but he was bravo brav enough to go on you came because you loved me his words poured over her in a flood she bent her head so that it was tin im possible to see her face linda dont let us take refuge in evasions pretenses bowl now I 1 I 1 linie have been so BO happy my aly G d I 1 I 1 have been happy knowing that you cared 1 I have seen it in your eyes at first that night we were together in the snow you seemed as far away as aa the stars and as cold but since then you aba have been in my arniel arms I 1 know that thai you are a woman that you live sha managed to say you sou are trying to tell me that I 1 followed you hero hem TO BE CONTINUED |