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Show fl BORROWED HUSBANDS MILDRED Kf BARBOUR CV AN "EM ANT TEKRIBIiE" fCopyrlg-ht.. 1 921. bjr the Wheeler Syn I dlcatc Inc.) I Dr. Langwell dropped Nancy at hei I own apartment. She beard him give an address to the driver. It was the address of Miss Blair s apartment p1""" "111 keep In touch with tho ho?- 1 pltal this evening and I'll ring you up about eleven," ho pronounced. "I dan pay you 11 he home by then." "I couldn't think oi going .inywher? tonight with Connie like this'" de- eland Nancy, Indignantly. "I couldn't possibly be gay " "Some nice man will call and you'll hange your mind Lucky beggar:" 11 Nancy pputed. F I don t see why you should say that. You didn't ark for an engagement." engage-ment." Naturally not," ho returned, coolly. ! "Two evenings In succession are no pare of my system. Womn apprc-1 apprc-1 late a man more when they can't otint on him To be nt a woman's beck and call Is also to be at her feet for her to step on." He got back Into the cab, waving her a farewell. Nancy went slowly up to her apartment. apart-ment. She was very tired. Ileactlon had set in after the excitement she had been through all day. Sh longed desperately for a quiet room, a com-tortable com-tortable couch and a negligee Shf-1 wanted the. solace of her own apartment apart-ment as it had been before Gerry had oiio nwaj. She almoin prayed that 1 lie Hardlngs would he out for the! evening. I Her heart sank as she approached her own doorway. Ken through tho heavy mahogany; panels of the entrance door, came the -'.-irieks of a child at play and the pat-ter pat-ter of littlo feet over the parquetry floor. hho opened the door with her Iritr-h-key, and attempted to slip into her sitting sit-ting room unseen '.1 h. Mrs liurrard! Mrs. Burrard!' The hlch-pitched voice of Mrs . Harding stopped her. Calling down a malediction In hei . heart upon the entire Harding family, , but outwardly manaKlnu a gracious smile, she trailed wearily down the hall to the drawing room. Tou must Join us for tea," gushed Mrs. Harding from behind Nancy's ' on n little tea table-To table-To Nancy, her ample proportions ujlblo above the fragile lace-covere'd table, made her look ridiculously Ilk I , large frog seated on a tray Several people rose at Nancy's en-trartce. en-trartce. Do meet my guest.-. Mrs. Barrard' Tin is aire Crosby Sir Newton Mr Burrard, Mr Crosby and my son you already know." Nancy took Philip Hardmgs extended ex-tended hand and murmured something conventional. She had forgotten his existence. "It's a great pleasure to ee you (again Mrs. Burrard," he said "I rang you up several times today vvlth-i vvlth-i out success, so I decided to call on l.my family on the mere chance of find-I find-I inp you at home." "Peggy will be here directly," his Another reminded him, tactlessly, The other guests exchanged glances but Harding, interrupting them, said suavely: Thnt will be pleasant My former wife and I are th best of friends" "Probably much better friends than you were when you were married eh. Hardin7" said the man who had been Introduced as Newion, "))i undoubtedly." agreed Harding. "Hao you met my son, Mrs. Burrard' Conm here. Phil " He made a dive for the small boy tn rompers who, shrieking shrilly, dashed through tho doorway. "No! Won't'" , "Philip, corns here. I say'" Thm was parental sternness in Harding's tons. The child stuck out his tongue "Won t' Go to th" debble"' |