The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-05-13
A Tea Room
Tempest
A Case Of Too Many Mirrors
By CLARISSA MAcKIE

Z Oy SLhNfOOh HAhNhAA
E>1~<N~~@~N~~
Coming out of the bright sunshine Of
winters day, Gerald blinked near
sightedly as he entered the softly light
ed tea room
"In the left hand alcove, under the
palms" Cornelia had said, and he had
fastened to this his first appointment
with her since their betrothal with
laundering speed.
There was the rosy alcove with its
background of palms, but no Cornelia.
He sat down with his back to the buzz
zing room full of beautifully gowned
women and quietly attentive men and
watched the reflection Of the animated
scene in the strip of paneled mirror on
the wall opposite.
Rosy lights beamed from out of tan
gled foliage Trim maids stepped to
and fro. There was the tinkle of fine
china and the faint ring Of silver and
glass. Gerald Clifford waited with a
pleasant sense Of anticipation mingled
with deep contentment. The girl
who would presently slip into the other
seat at his table had promised to mar
~ him. Deeply in love as he had been
for many months, he had not realized
the profound happiness that awaited
him until he had taken her in his arms
and heard her low voiced confession
of love-
The very recollection of that moment
thrilled him like some magical essence,
and for an instant the mirrored pic
ture blurred before his eyes. When it
cleared once more he was looking
straight across the width Of the room
to the opposite alcove where Cornelia
Lloyd was gazing at him with an ex-
preston of blank unconcern in her vio-
let eyes.
A rose shaded light fell on her oval
face framed in a mist Of golden hair,
and he recognized the large white
beaver hat showered with white
plumes and the fluffy white fur tossed
about her throat She was facing him,
and Gerald could see the head and
broad shoulders of a dark haired man
opposite to her. Across the room their
faces were mingled with a score Of
others sitting at the little tables that
interviewed between.
Suddenly Cornelia's eyes were hid
den by the downward tilt of her large
hat and Gerald turned his own gaze
down at the damask cloth before him.
His heart pounded jealousy, and his
hands were clinched tightly.
Had it taken him six months to WOO
Cornelia Lloyd only to discover that
she was a heartless coquette? What
was he to believe when his own eyes
testified that she had apparently
drawn him to this appointment only
to witness her Irritation with an empty
headed chap like Monty Woodruff?
Gerald recognized young Mr.. Wood
hulPs back with the unerring instinct
of jealous lover Why had Cornelia
seen fit to insult him in this manner?
Had she really been playing with him,
and had she already given her heart
to that-that-that-
Gerald's inward rage choked him
into furious submission If Cornelia
expected to see him arise and dash out
of this fairyland of light and color.
where silly women and idiotic men
gathered to consume large quantities
Of tea and mullins and cakes, she
would be nightly mistaken! He, too,
would order tea and mullins and sit
there until Cornelia herself should tire
of the game and leave with her brain
less escort.
So the maid, who had lowered anx-
iously about him, brought Mr.. Clifford
a steaming pot Of oolong and a plate
Of mullins, and he made a pretense Of
eating. By stretching his neck I'M
gracefully he could see Cornelia's
white plumed hat and occasionally the
curve of her cheek or the sweep of
her fair hair. But Monty Woodhull's
head interfered most of the time.
That restless young man craned his
neck and bobbed his head here and
there, obscuring Gerald's vision until
the latter was consumed with a bitter
jealousy that turned his happy heart
into a substance much like ice. He
would leave the tea room and go to
his apartment Later he would call
her on the telephone and ask for an
explanation.
He paid his check and arose from
his seat, noting that Monty Woodruff
was also rising from his chair Gerald
faced suddenly about and braved the
scorn Of Cornelia's eyes by gazing
across the room to assure himself that
1t was Monty Woodruff.
Cornelia arose at the same moment.
flashed a glance of unutterable Ioath-
ing at him and swept down the side
aisle and out of the door. When the
doors had greedily swallowed her fair
form Gerald turned his eyes back to
where he had seen Monty Woodruff
He stared stupidity at the table Cor
nelia had vacated, and stared again
with unbelieving eyes. There was no
Monty Woodruff there; there was no
Indication that he or any other man
had been there, for there was not even
a plate laid on that side Of the table.
and chair was tipped against the
edge of the table, as If the seat had
been reserved for somebody-somebod
who never came. for there was but
one plate and cup and saucer, and they
were the ones that Cornelia had used.
Perhaps Monty had not eaten at all,
but Gerald had distinctly recollected
that he had seen Woodhulps athletic
back; consequently he must have faced
Cornelia, and, with gesture Of dis