Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-09
CHAPTER XXxu

CHAPTER XXxII
AUREL met Granville In the din.
ing room the next morning az though
nothing had happened. Her eyes were
as clear as child's, and his manner
toward her was as faultlessly correct as
IL had always been. In her short skirt
and pale blue sweater she looked ab.
surdly young. The sun came In through
the open French windows aud dropped
sparks Of gold on her hair. and her slim
myers wandering about from the fragile
coffee cups to the huge silver not and
from the low silver sugar bowl and
cream pitcher to the rack of toast
seemed briskly efficient.
The children always ate breakfast
with Miss Burke, and afterward
gathered In the nursery to see Junior
bathed. Laurel always did this her
self; she loved doing It; she had made
1t one of the personal things that crowd
awoman's life when she is mother.
Granville finished his second cup Of
cofee and rose from the table. Flo
glanced out at the dazzling sun sprayed
lawn and remarked that Il was going
to be very hot. a....
What are you going to do today?"
ne asked, coming around to her side of
tne taele. She rose and moved little
away, from him.
I'm going to drive into the city :"
she returned. IT promised Winona To
bungalow"
ITS going to be hot in tho c;tv :,
day." ivy ~
Laurel laughed. "But I'm not made
OF sugar, you know"
viii you drive in with me?"
oh, "a like to, but I simply couldn't
get ready"
"I'n wait"
She laughed lightly. "Oh but YOU
mustn't do that! Why, I shan't be
ready till II or after. I must attend
to the baby and oh, there are a hundred
things or more!' Her heart was beat.
ing fast;
where she stood by the window, and
she turned her cool cheek to bin as
usual There must be no difference in
her attitude because Of last night: every :
thing depended upon her behaving as
usual.
He stopped and touched his G,s 70
her cheek just beneath one blue eyr and
without a word, left her. She fell. sud /,
denly wildly happy and she ran up the
stairs like little girl. In the midst
OF bathing Junior, she. was summoned
to the telephone and intrusting the
baby to Dulcie's eager arms, she went
to. answer it.
Office.
II thought if you and winona did not
have any plans for lunch, might meet
you somewhere" he explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Gran, but we have"
she returned. "But IL was nice of Won
to think Of it." Teddy was planning
to take them to lunch, and perhaps Tom
Benton If he could get away.
She hung UP the receiver, wishing with
all her heart that she were going into
the city to meet Granville, but con
scious, nevertheless. that things were
better as they were. In the big cool
nursery, Junior was lying in his crib,
pink dimpled feet kicking in the air,
and Dulcie and Grace hanging over the
edge, looking adoringg at their baby
brother.
'Nurse finished him. said Dulcie.
"And I talcumed him, mother" said
Grace.
Laurel kissed them both, gave some
instructions to the nurse, middle aged
capable woman, and hurried off to
dress.
She met Winona at 12 o'clock and
they went to wicker furniture place
on Lexington avenue to shop for Gre
tonne and some inexpensive pieces of
willow. At 80 in the lobby of one of
the big hotels, they met Ted and Tom
Benton, cool, implacable and gravely
smiling.
"Of course" winona said as they
went into dining room, "a city
editor would never get away for mere
luncheon unless he had a particular Ak
to grind. We have you to thank for
this, Laurel"
They were seated at a cool table near
a window, aud Laurel drew off her long
hot gloves. She pushed up the waves
of ruddy hair under her white hat and
looked around. The first glance that
she encountered was Granville's. He
sat at the next table with two other
men.
TomorrOw-Granville meets Tom
BentOn.)