The midland journal., 1917-08-24
Cseyrighf. By Hhr7v o Br''AAS

Cne guests UauC1ng 10 Lne strains OF
giant orchestrion built into the mu-
sic room. Hayman promptly seized
upon Lorelei and whirled' her away,
but not before she saw the Wyeth
blonde making for Bob as an eagle
makes for its prey.
Guests continued to arrive from
time to time; some from Westchester
and the Connecticut shore, others
from neighboring estates. One couple
in riding clothes, out for gallop, dis
mounted and stayed for a trot. The
huge tiled terrace began to resemble
a Broadway the dansant.
There was more freedom, more vi
vacity than Lorelei was accustomed to,
even in the gayest downtown resorts;
the fun was swift and hilarious, there
was a great deal of drinking. Bob.
after a manful struggle against his
desires and a frightened resistance
to the advances Of Miss Wysth, had
fed to the billiard room.
Lorelei became interested in watch
ing Miss Courtenay, the girl in the rid
ing habit, one of the seasons debu-
tantes, who, 1t seemed, was especially
susceptible to the influence Of liquor.
Lorelei was glad when it came time
| to dress for dinner. AS she went to
her room Mrs. Fennell stopped her on
the stairs to say:
"My dear, Elizabeth Courtenay was
frantically jealous Of you."
"Of me? don't understand"
"She and Bert are great friends
and he's gone perfectly daft over you.
Why, he's telling everybody" Lorelei
| flushed, to the evident amusement Of
her hostess, who ran on: "Oh, Bert
means it! I never heard him rave so.
Quite compliment, my dearw With a
playful pat she went on her way, leav-
ing the young wife weak with dismay.
When Bob came in he betrayed an
elation only too familiar.
"You've been drinkingw cried Lore
lei.
II had to; 1 ran fifteen three times.
MY abstinence is the marvel Of the
whole party"
"I'm afraid"
"Say! You can't help sneezing when
you have a cold. What's a fellow go
ing to do in a crowd like this? But
don't worry. know when to quit"
In truth he did seem better able to
take care Of himself than most Of the
men Lorelei had seen, so she said no
more.
AS he throttled himself with his eve
ming tie Bob gasped: Having good
timer
"Ye-esw Lorelei could not summon
courage for negative answer; she
could not confess that her dream had
turned out wretchedly, and that what
Bob seemed to consider simply the
usual thing impressed her as abnormal
and wanton.
"Well. that's good" he said. "I'm
not strong for these weekend slaugh-
ters, but it's something you'll have to
do"
"Is all society like-thisT' she in
quired.
"Um-m, yes and no! Society is like
layer cake"
Because it's made of dough?"
Bob laughed. "Partly! Anyhow. the
upper crust is icy, and while the lower
layer is just as rich as those above,
it's more indigestible. There's the
heavy, soggy layers in between, too.
don't know any of that crowd.
They're mostly Dodos-the kind that
endow colleges. This younger set
keeps the whole cake from getting
tasteless.'
After a while Lorelei ventured: "I'm
still a little nervous. wish you'd
stay close to me this evening"
"Can't be done," Bob declared. "It's
rule at Fennellcourt that husbands
must ignore their wives. Betty doesn't
invite many married couples, and
wife-lover is considered pest. When
in Rome do as the tourists do"
L0relei finished dressing in silence.
Dinner was quite different to any
thing Bob's wife had ever experienced,
and If the afternoon had been embar-
RAISING to her the evening was trial.
AS the cocktails were served, Harden
Fennell distinguished himself by los
ing his balance and falling backward.
to the great amusement of his guests.
No one went to his assistance; he re-
gained his feet by climbing a high
backed chair, hand over hand, and dur
ing the dinner he sat for the most part
in comatose state, his eyes bleared
and staring. his tongue unresponsive.
Lorelei had little opportunity of watch
ing him, since Bert Hayman monopo-
lized her attention. The latter made
love openly, violently now. and 1t
added to her general disgust to see
that Bob had again fallen into the
clutches of Miss Wyeth. who made no
secret of her fondness for him.
Lorelei was not the only one to take
special note of the blonde girls infatu-
ation.. /. Mrs. Thompson-B Bellaire was
equally observant and at length made
her disapproval patent by remark