Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-18

a word with Beatrice dinner was an
nounced, and Mrs. Robbins said;
Mr. Maynard, will you please take
my husbands niece, Miss Spaulding,
out TO dinner? And. John" turning to
Mr. Robbins, please give Mrs. Minor
your arm and put her at your right
hand at table" And, as the party
started toward the dining room, she
whispered into the astounded woman's
ear:
You see, dear, I'm giving you the
place Of honor by my John and l shall
seat dear Uncle Henry the other side
of you He is not much of a talker,
but he loves to listen to bright WON
an. l meant to put Robert Maynard
there. but when | saw how the sug
gestion annoyed you the other day, and
chat you did not fancy him, l altered
my plans"
With which electrifying statement
she swept into the dining room and di-
rected the guests to their various
chairs
Beatrice's face showed no signs of
her inward disappointment and resent
ment Her thoughts worked rapidly,
and Helen Robbins had not exagger-
ated when she had suggested that she
was a clever woman, for her wits did
not fail her in this exigency If her
hostess had meant to annoy her, she
would find her guest too proud TO no
tice it; if Helen had simply been tact
less, it would be rude to seem to see
her mistake.
Therefore. by the time the company
We're seated Beatrice Minor, her heart
beating heavily with regret and chagrin.
was chatting brightly with her host on
one hand and with her hostess bache-
lor uncle on the other And Helen
Robbins, watching keenly from her
end of the table, saw from Robert
Maynard's wandering eyes that he
thought the widow seated at the other
side of the board more attractive than
the dainty little girl assigned to him.
But by the time that Beatrice glanced
in his direction he had looked away
and was listening with apparent inter-
est to what his companion was saying.
The repast went off pleasantly. and
when the ladies adjourned to the draw
ing room, leaving the men to their ci
CARS in the dining room, Beatrice sought
out little Miss Spauldng and conversed
with her so charmingly that as the
men appeared upon the scene the young
girl FASTENED to inform Mr.. Maynard of
what "a lovely woman" Mrs Minor
was, but. when she turned to draw her
into the conversation, she found that
Beatrice had slipped away and was al
ready talking again animatedly with the
old bachelor who had sat by her dur
ing dinner.
Helen. also noting this. remembered
Uncle Henrys" money. and had an
uneasy doubt as to whether her move
in separating Robert Maynard from
Helen had been quite as wise as she
had thought it when she planned it.
She could not know that in her heart
Beatrice was still resentful. and that
she found Uncle Henry" very stupid.
Frightened Him OF.
Yet. when relief in the shape of Rob
ert Maynard appeared at her side. her
manner was so forbidding that he did
not venture to suggest that ne accom-
pany her home In fact, he had talk
ed with her for hardly more than
minute when she asked her hostess's
permission to telephone for a taxi. as
it was getting late" She had not
intended to do this, but her pride made
her forget her purse. AS she left the
room. she heard Robert Maynard ask
little Maude Spaulding if he might es
cort her to her nearby house The fact
that Uncle Henry" saw Beatrice to
her cab and asked if she were not
afraid to ride home alone did not COM
pensate the widow for her disappoint-
ment
Perhaps. however, she would have
been less depressed If she had known
that her hostess. noting the elderly
mans unusual attentions to his fair
guest. hoped inwardly that Uncle Hen
ry, at his age. was not going to make
a fool Of himself"