The Pensacola journal., 1917-08-16
tCopyright, f's- by he Mcclure Newspaper
jicate)
THEY'RE ate ,his afternoon"

Yes. think they might be or
time. wish they had made the
appointment in a quieter place.
What do you care. Anita? Prob.
ably somebody else is doing the same
thing somewhere else. What's sauce
for the gander is sauce for the goose
Il know he has treated me like a
dog, Alice. but"
There was just q trace of a catch
In the voice OF the second woman al
she broke off the remark and left IL
unfinished.
Constance Dunlap had caught tn,
words unintentionally above the hun
Of conversation and the snatches OF
tuneful music waited from the large
dining-room where day was beins
turned into night.
She had dropped into the fashionable
new Vanderveer Hotel, not to meet any
one. but because she liked to watch
the people in Peacock Alley" as the
corridor of the hotel was often pop
ularly called.
somehow, as she sat inconspicuously
in a deep chair in an angle. she felt
that very few of the gaiIy chatting
couples or of the waiting men and
women about her were quite what
they seemed on the surface.
The conversation from around the
angle confirmed her opinion. Here
apparently at least. were two young
married women with a grievance. and
1t was not for those against whom
they had the grievance real or imag-
ined' that they were waiting so
anxiously.
Constance leaned forward to see
them better. The woman nearest her
was trifle the elder Of the two. a
very attractive-looking woman, taste
fully gowned and carefully rroomed
The younger. who had been the first
speaker. was, perhaps. the more dash
ing. Certainly she appeared to be the
more sophisticated. Ana as Constance
caught her eye she invoIuntari1v
thought of the old proverb, Never
trust man who doesn't look you in
the eye or a woman who does"
Two men sauntered down the Ione
corridor, on the way from a visit tc
the bar. AS they caught sight Of the
two ladies. there was smile Of
recognition. an exchange of remarks
between. each pair, and the men hur-
ried in the direction of the corner.
They greeted the two ladies in low
bantering, familiar terms-"Mr Smith. -
Mrs Jones'" Mr. White" and Mrs
Brown"
You got my card" asked one OF
the men of the woman nearest Con
stance. Sorry were late. but a busi.
ness friend ran into us as we were
coming in and I had to shunt him
off in the other direction"
He nodded toward the opposite end
Of the corridor with a laugh.
You've been bad boys" pouted the
other woman, but we forgive you
this time"
Perhaps we may hope to be rein
stated after a little-er-tea-and a
dance" suggested the other man.
The four were all moving in the
direction OF the dining and the
gay music.
about the door before Constance
noticed that the woman who had beer
sitting nearest her had dropped ar
envelope. She picked il up. 1t wa.
on the stationery of another fash.
ionable hotel evidently written by one
of those who lounge in and on the
strength of a small bill in the cafe
use the writing room. In a man,
hand was the name Mrs. Anits
Douglas, The MelCombe Apartments
City"
Before she realized it, Constance
had pulled out the card inside anC
glanced at it. 1t read:
My Dearest A.:
Can you meet us in the Vanderveel
tomorrow afternoon at four? BRING
along your little friend.
With many
Mechanically Constance crumpIeC
the card and the envelope in heI
hand and held them as she regarded
the passing throng. intending to throw
them away when she passed a scraI
basket on the way out.
Still. it was a fascinating scene
this of the comedy and tragedy o
much longer than she had intended
One by one the people had either gont
to dinner in the main dining-room o.
elsewhere and Constance had nearly
decided on going, too.
She was looking down the corrido
toward the desk when she saw some
thing that caused her TO change he
mind. There was the young lady wht
had been talking so flippantly to tht
woman with a grievance. and she wal
now talking, of all people. to Drum
mond!
Constance shrank back into he
wicker chair in the protecting angle
What did it mean? If Drummond haC
anything to do with it. even remotely
it boded no good. at least
Suddenly possible explanation
crossed her mind. Was 1t side
light upon that peculiar industry o
divorce as practiced in no place ex
cept New York?
II was not only that Constanc,
longed for, lived by excitement. Sh,
felt a sense of curiosity as to wha
the detective was up to now. And
somehow. she felt a duty In the case
She determined to return the envelop,
and card. and meet the woman. An,
the more she thouEht of il the NOR,