Evening star., 1911-08-20

and dozen large dances were still to follow.
Camilla her desk asserting and arranging the
cards of her many visitors recording engagements and
Obligations When Jeff had left for the West she had
plunged into the social whirlpool with desperation
born OF desire forget and she went out there had
come bitter pleasure in the knowledge that after all
she had been able to win her way III New York against
all odds People sought her nov not because she was
protegee of Mrs Worhngton Rurnsen, because she
the wife of the rich Mr. Wray but because she was
herself
The dangers that threatened no longer caused her any
disnay for ambition obsessed her 1t appetite
that had grown great with feeding and she let it take
her where it would There not hour of the day
when she busy. In the mornings with her notes
and her shopping, in the afternoons with luncheons,
teas, and other smart functions, night with dinners,
the theaer, or the opera and the calendared dances
There few opportunities for her to be alone and
the thought of reconciliation with her husband, which
had time seemed possible had been relegated to
her mental dustbin in company with assorted lot of
youthful ideals that she had found it necessary to dis
card
She could not remember the day when she had not
been socially ambitious Five months ago. before she
and Jeff had quarreed, there had been time when she
willing to give up the world and 60 back with him.
She had been less ambitious that moment than
before in her life. If he had taken her with him then,
there might still have been time repair their damages
and begin life a basis of real understanding For
brief time she had abhorred the life he had found
for her. had hated herself for the thing that she really
social climber, parah too good for her old ac-
quantances, good enough for her ones, crca
ture with mission of intrusion, a being neither
fish, flesh, good red herring, and yet perhaps
something of all three. But that period OF mental
probation had passed. She no longer felt that she
was climbing. There many broken rungs below
her on the social ladder but those above sound,
and her head was among clouds tinted with pink and
amber.
Such was the magic of success. She lived in at
mosphere of soft exctements and pleasurabe exhara
tions of compliments and OF fattery, OF v1oets and
roses Bridge lessons had improved her game; but she
still discovered that the amounts she could lose In
week rather appalling. Checks for large sums
came regularly from the West, and she spent them
little recklessly convinced that she obeying to the
letter her husband injunction to strengthen their social
position matter what the cost She had written to
Jeff twice in the first week after his departure asking
she could not follow him to Mesa City His replies had
been brief and unnecessarily offensive that, though
his image loomed large at times pride refused further
advances. Cortland Bent had been with her contnu-
aly and of course people talking. She heard that
from Mrs. Rumsen, who in the course of morning of
casual motherng' had spoken 10 Camilla with charac-
terstic freedom
al know there's no harm in his attentions Child she
sau "a least far you re concerned. You have al
ways struck being singuarly capable of looking
after YOURSELF and of Cort is old enough to know
what he is about But 1t does any good to be
talked about, especially woman who has her way to
make in the world There is simplicity almost rustic
in the way you two young people allow yourselves to be
discovered in public paces-which to ancient phi
osopher like myself carries complete conviction of in
nocence But others may not be so discerning. 1t you
were ugly deformed, it wouldn't make the slightest
difference what you did, but being handsome you are
on trial. and every pretty woman in society is on the
jury OF court that convicts on crcustantia evidence
alone.
Camilla thanked her preceptor for the warning aware
of an unpleasant of shock the revelation She
seemed have reached point in her mad nfatuaton
with life where warnings made impression upon her.
She had Cort Bent for several days and,
while she experienced vague of loss in his alb
sence which had not been explained she was so busy
that she had not found time even to analy it.
A BELATED cold season had set in season of snow
4 and ice, and fashionable New Workers, in brief
nerlude of uninportant engagements, ocked for the
week end to their country places enjoy few days of
old fashioned winter weather. The Billy Havilands'
farm within motoring distance of the town. 1t