The Jasper weekly courier., 1916-05-19

Lydia. I'm not going TO live like .
man with a past any longer. I'm 20
ing to let the Grays meet the Lent
fileds, and then let the heavens fall
Lydia looked round their expensive
apartment. and the memories came
fiocking fast She thought OF their
struggle in New York ten years be-
fore. OF how they had resolved to sue
ceed, of her husbands position, given
him through business association with
Mr.. Lentfield, for whom he now ran a
branch OF the firm uptown. which. with
his own business. brought them in
twenty-five thousand year. And then.
perhaps because she was a real sport
at heart. she suddenly capitulated-
John" she said, I'll do it."
What, Lydia?"
I'll give a snob party. Well have
the Lentfields and the Grays. and the
O'Regans. the real estate people. and
the Dawsons, who'ye just put Up that
million-dollar bungalow on Long Island.
And we'll let them fight IL out to-
gether. And do you see the end, Jchnf~
New friends. and warmer old
friends"
"Or bankruptcy. But I'll do IL. John.
Trust mel"
And with the decision a vast relief
came to both OF them that they were to
sail under true colors at last
Millie and her mother were the first
to arrive. The girl had never looked
| so sweet, John thought. AS for Lydia,
she was sure that young Bertram Lent
field would soon forget his present en-
tanglement in her presence. Mrs.
4 Plunkett, dressed like a dowager in
stiff black silk, lent an air of refined
old age to the assemblage. John. who
watched his guests every action al
most as keenly as his wife. saw that
the Lentfields looked about them ap-
provingly And with a relic OF her
past fears, Lydia had contrived to seat
the O'Regans where they could do no
real harm.
1t was obvious from the first that
young Bertram. who had taken Millie
in TO dinner, was engrossed with her.
Everyone, in fact, noticed the mutual
interest OF the young couple. Mrs.
Lentfield. in the drawing room. opened
her heart to her hostess.
Il don't know how to thank you
enough" she said. 1T is perfectly
clear that they are fascinated with
each other And that girl is SO sweet
faced. | should like nothing better
than for him TO take to some simple.
innocent girl like that. IL he won't
have Miss Milliondecker."
Allow me to introduce you TO Mrs.
Gray" said Mrs. Stevens diplomatic
ally.
And it turned out that in girihood
Mrs. Lentfleld had lived within few
miles of the Grays-and had seen
them, too. and swung on the same
fence with Mrs. Grays elder brother.
Lydia was enraptured.
John" she said, when the men
came'up, IL never could have believed
it would be so successful. Mrs. Gray
ard Mrs Lentfeld are chatting like
old friends"
We'll, why shouldn't they" growled
John.
He watched Lentfeld's face II was
evident that the rich man was also in
terested in the process OF the very OBJ
vious Irritation. He liked Mile as
much as everyone did at first sight. In
fact, when the party broke up the
Stevens felt a sense OF triumph.
And Just as the Lentfields were
about to leave Mrs. Lentfield came
rushing back from the elevator. She
rang a wild peal at the bell. Lydia
opened it, TO see her and her husband
and the young fellow standing outside
The boy looked sheepish enough. the
father hardly less So But Mary Lent
field fell upon Lydia's neck.
You never told mel" she cried.
"What?"
That that was the girl, His father
would never let Bertram bring her 70
the house, and Just as he was asking
Bertram why he didn't look for a nice
girl like that Bertram turned on him
and said II was the same one. And
you knew! Don't tell me you didn'i
know! I'll never forget it,"
Lydia Stevens face was a study as
she went TO break the news 20 John.