Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-18
CHAPTER xxx

floor, where a dresser was waiting
for him with his costume. A dozer
times during the evening he had sale
to himself rebelliously that he woulC
not return, that he would send fol
his valise and catch TIE midnight
express, pretending sudden bust
ness summons. For undisciplinet
in the social arts of concealment hi
looked forward to the evening a.
one of exquisite torture. In the enc
he comprehended that this liberty
of action no longer existed, that nc
matter what the suffering, the god:
of etiquette must be served. He
dressed and as his body was wei
formed and his legs gracefully turn.
ed, he made a striking figure. Yet
he was i'll at ease. He felt ridiculous.
ly undressed. This was his first
masquerade, and the compliments Of
the dresser only aroused his suspi-
cions.
Trying to work me for tip, Of
course" he thought, with shrug 81
his shoulder. We'll, now for it."
He went down to the second floor
Already the gallery that opened on
the great stairway was alive with
guests, a black arriving stream
streaking through the brilliant
throng which descended from the
dressing rooms. He joined it, and il
was not until he had crossed the first
salon that an acquaintance recog-
nized and spoke to him. In the furth-
err salon, at the foot of the great
carved-stone freplace-loot of i'm
poverished Italy-Amy was stand
ing. At first glance he cried invol-
unfairly,
Good God, how beautiful she can
be-"
Her dress was a bewildering swirl
of royal blue brocade, glowing as
the first break of azure through a
clearing storm-a subtle, winding
profusion which wrapped her deli
cate body about so airily that she
seemed, by some deft improvisation,
to have been entangled in the flow
ing draperies as a fragile butterfly
is caught in a silken net. The curled
and powdered hair, piling up in a
white cloud, turned in dainty ringlets
about her clear temples, and, wind
ing down the dainty neck, slipped
across one bare shoulder meeting
a jeweled vine of starry eglantine
which climbed up to the perfumed
lattice of her tresses and hid itself
in the mysteries of her head-dress.
The daintily turned arms and wrists
came whitley out from the dark blue
shadow of luxurant folds, while her
sensitive nose, her gay lips, her live
ly eyes under the quaint and pointed
eyebrows, gave to the dainty oval a
fragile aristocracy. All-poise, ges-
ture, yelled glance and scented smile
held the incompatible seduction
that once was Woman.
He crossed gravely to take his
place by her side. Some one caught
him by the arm, 1t was Steingall,
picturesque in the costume of Lar
gilleriere-Steingall, triumphant in
the success of his hostess, which
was his success.
Wonderful, Ell, Mr.. Forrester"
he cried with glowing eyes.
"She must be painted like that,
said the artist, with his head on one
side. by Jove, what blues"
"Of course" he answered laconic-
ally, and continued on his way
through the buzz of whispered
praises that surrounded his wife.
Amy had grown restless at his
delay, but this furtive anxiety only
added liveliness to her expression.
For the Andrew Forester who had
now emerged was incomprehensible
to her. She resisted him; she sought
to conciliate him, while she watched
him with growing apprehension. The
moment he was there, she forgot
everything but. the intoxication of
her personal triumph. She put out
her hand eagerly and drew him to
her, slipping her arm through his
to associate him with her own sue
cess and thus reclaim him.
She was in a dangerous mood.
Nothing educates woman so much
as the first touch of sorrow. Before
she had been an inconsequent child,
distributing happiness and suffering
with the same Inconsistencies, new
err stopping to consider the result OF
an impulse, never comprehending
her responsibilities later. But this
sense of being protected and adored
was now torn from her. A mental
transformation had come. She stood
alone, feeling that she must defend
herself, fight her own battles, find
herself her final security, She did
not quite see what she should do,
but she knew that another life, COM
plicated and uncertain, was begin
ming. And as the obscurity ahead
frightened her, her instinct strove to
return to old landmarks. An hour
before, she had revolted against her
husband with all the strength of her
nature. The explanation he sought
had ended only in a quarrel. But,
aghast before the unknown, she felt
surprised herself at the impulse
which flung her back to him. She
wished TO conquer him, to dazzle him
more than anyone else, for it Scent
ed to her that if she could establish
the supremacy of her charm and
beauty over him, that all might yet
be repaired. --
"Andrew-why you are superb"
she whispered to him in a moment
of freedom, and her hands pressed
his with quick, impulsive pres
sure. Il am very, very proud"
You are very beautiful" he said
carefully, but without enthusiasm,
for he said to himself, "She is afraid
lit is only fear of the future that
brings her to me-"
In this he was wrong. Amy had
not for one moment taken seriously
his talk of economy. She saw in it
only a whip to brandish over her,
che eorE of AL-a,A b..L.,d. II