Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-04
"VIRTUOUS WIVES
Owen JOhnOn's Sparkling Society Novel;
which . making such hit in the movies.
iats. nv tteB Col

=eANAANp 8AN"H - 49,
lation. murmured something maud
bic amid the laugh which arose al
his expense, while Mrs. Challonei
examined Amy with more care
recognizing an ability to defend her
self
Tiernan's. where they next en-.
tered as the clock was striking 3
finally satisfied their craving foi
Bohemia, with its hilarity, its banks
of acrid smoke, its explosive laugh
ter, and its flashing beauties.
Don't you just adore it9" said
Kitty excitedly. Did you ever see
such peoplel Oh, Lord, what good
times men do haveP
Freed from the censorship OF
social eyes and little excited, she
began to grow kittenish. in a. deter
mined effort to rival the formidable
youth of Amy Forester. Mrs. Chal-
Toner, with her impenetrable, smil-
ing calm, slipping her glass of cham
payne, frowned significantly.
Kitty, be carefulF
"A short life but a merry oneP
exclaimed Mrs. Lightbody reckless
ly, looking around with thirsty eyes.
She gathered in every tribute, even
to the meanest, to the slanted
glanees of the heavy-jowled dancers,
to the stares of the ratty walters,
crediting all to her personal account.
I'm just waking up. Look to your
self, GladysP
The caution did not apply to Mrs.
Challoner. At most, on the sculp-
tured white cheeks, q tongue of red
showed and in the eyes sparkle of
gathering excitement To Amy,
she was, and always remained. a
complete mystery.
She looks as though she had
just come out of the ice box" she
thought to herself. as che capable
of emotion? What. attracts men to
herr" Mrs. Challoner had a high
bred disdain of the crowd, a fastidi-
Gus air of perpetually looking down
on some one. Amy remembered
Morley's description of her former
mistress and wondered. What was
she like in her own home, when the
front door had been closed for the
night.
The sounds Of rising, laughter,
the whirling, breathless swayifg of
the dancers, the staccato music,
glances and whispers OWNED the
awakening of the primitive savage,
the spectacle of this boisterous re-
Taxation aroused in her the appetite
for movement. She danced cease
lessly, never tired, never visibly ex-
cited. Once Amy caught a glimpse
of what burned beneath the surface
"a sudden glance in her direction
when Charlie Pardee was lingering
beyond the needs of strict polite
ness. He saw it. and left her in
stantly and docilely.
IF / were a man" thought Amy,
remembering the look, Il would
never fall in love with her. ]
shouldn't darel"
She would have liked to discuss
her with Monte Bracken. Up to
now, it had amused him to acquiesce
in the attitude of indifference she
had assumed towards him.
She resented this, as she had re-
sented everything he had done or
left undone. Nevertheless, she was
always conscious of his presence,
whether she followed him in the
tangle of the dancers or caught the
of his conversation with
Irma, fragments which came to her
through the tumble of sthe strident
evening. She watched the two COW
ertly, wondering how deep his in
terest went, resenting the intimacy
of their conversation.
"E1e thinks I'm too much of a
child to put himself out" she
thought irritably. When he. should
ask her to dance, as finally he must,
she would refuse curtly, with some
sharp answer which would bring
him to realization of her displea-
sure.
He rose, at last and approached
where She sat on the fringe of the
cushing crowd. A little CLEAN came
into her eyes.
FMrs. Forreste+1" he said, bow
ing.
She turned, as though in sur
prise.
"Yes?"
May give you the opportunity
OF refusing to dance this with me"
he said, looking good-humoredly in
to her eyes.
"Why?" she said, taken back.
Because you will refuse"
She got up suddenly.
Lets danceP
He obeyed.
Continued Tomorrow.)