Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-13
CHAPTER XIV.

rant of the misunderstanding crowd.
Lazare's was the newest restaurant,
with the newest orchestra and the
newest dancing favorites to patron
ize their dance hall. A new style
had made last seasons dresses
grotesque. a new lace-brim hat was
the magnet of all feminine eyes.
! About them the conversation ran on
the new plays, the new books, the
newest pianist. and the newest
scandal. Nothing could SURVIVE six
months in the forcing heat OF this
social dollhouse, where every luxury
of the body was Haunted, where every
sensation had to have novelty, where
a brilliant, driven, pleasure-drugged
society met in its search for the ex-
traordinary. for the bizarre-for the
thing that astounded, And she, Amy
Forester, had become one of them,
as he had prophesied. How strange
that Monte Bracken should bob up
in her life at that moment She was
superstitious, as all women are in
misfortune. There was something
unnatural in this reminder Of the
pasta sign and warningl Per-
haps, after ALL she was wrong-all
wrong. From time to time, as he
continued his bantering attack with
Irma and Gladys his glance rested
on her with growing curiosity. What
was he thinking? Did he remem-
Der? Once he spoke her name
slurring it-she was not sure but
that he had called her Mrs. Fos-
ter" If he remembered, there must
be a touch of malice behind the
amusement in his eyes.
IF woman's unhappy she's lazy"
said Fiji, closing the subject in her
downright way She rose with
glance at her watch.
Il agree, and ! escape on the
word" he said, laughing at Kitty's
militant expression. He turned de-
liberately to Amy, holding out his
hand.
Il see you have just remembered
me-" she said.
mot quite that-readjusted my
memories" he said, smiling. And
then, with that assumption of init
macy which never offended in him,
he added, Are you going to ask
me to CALI"
"Please-soon."
She watched his as he made his
adieux. He had not changed much
if any. He had gained in authority
"a trihe thinner in the face and
under the cheek bones. He had
the same easy bearing toward life,
the same tolerant amusement in his
keen eyes; and yet there was new
note which arrested her attention
a note of sadness, or if not quite
that, of restlessness, of being un-
attached to life-a seeking for some
intangible help, which she detected
for the first timer
Whats this stuff about our being
lazy?" said Kitty, who had been puz-
zled by the intricacies Of the con-
versation.
"Now that we are alone" said
Irma, laughing, "let's tell the truth
"What-do you mean to say a
clever woman can do what she
pleases-that is, of course-you
know what I mean"
The other burst out laughing.
"Flirt to your hearts content?
Certainly" said Irma. Eff has hit
tive are just simply lazy. We take
husbands for granted. If we'd give
one-tenth the time to managing them
that we do to playing around-if we
showed Just as much cleverness with
cur husbands as with other men
there would be no divorces.
Trina. you're nice one to talkE
My dear, when Rudy flies into a
tantrum, blame myself Let's
whisper the truth; any woman can
DO what she wants and keep her
husband, If she isn't too lazy to try"
Not always" said Gladys, but,
even then, with a little attention"
"My Lord, must be the limit then
II certainly can't do It'll" said Kitty
naively. II tried, but it was an awful
bore. Who. wants husband around
all the time, tripping over your
sl1irts2 Just because you're married,
you don't have to treat all men as
though they were lepersI
At this moment, a boy approached
with a telephone slip for Mrs. Chal-
loner, who took it, glanced at it.
smiled, and rose to answer.
Il suppose you call that being
clever" said Kitty instantly. GLADYS
gets me. The number of men she
can keep going without snarling the
threads beats mel!
Several younger men came IN and
Joined their table--Laracy, Pardee,
Young Fortescue, and, finally, Tody
Dawson, who drew up his chair at
Amy's side and looked unutterably
melancholy and submissive, refusing
to ioin the chorus Of raillery which
always centered about Kitty Light
5odv's incursions into philosophy
AMY withdrew, too, from the CONVEX
sation. a prey to her thoughts. The
discussion left her heavy-hearted.
Was it true that she, too, was COM
ing to this Eight acceptance OF mar
rage? She felt like crying out:
wait let me think it overl Give
RE time-everything is rushing SO.
Ii isn't fair-everything is being
thrust upon me all at once!
'Lord sakes, Amy, if you're pining
for your husband as bad as that,
said Kitty Lightbody suddenly, fly
to him! You're worse than girl
when she's engaged"
She reused herself hastily. defend
ing herself with spirit against the
laugh which followed.
Speaking of engagements" said
Laracy. heard the latest9 Fiji and
Monte Bracken.
"Fih?" said Gladys scornfully.
Eff doesn't count Men propose to
her out Of politeness. Fits collect
ing engagement rings"
Trna and Amy looked at each 9th