The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-12
CHAPTER VI ALONE IN LONDON


 Meanwhile. on the plea of meeting friends-devised in order to escape the lynx-eyed chaperonage of Mrs. Arnold Miss Shirley was deposited at the entrance to the Carlton. and her modest hand luggage borne away in Mrs. Ar holds car to Waterloo.
 Whey! Glad that visits. overi' Miss Shirley drew long. deep breath of sheer relief. She stepped into the foyer of the big hotel "Only l don't like fabricating fibs|
 Her hostess had intended that the two of them should spend an evening tete-a-tete
 But such wish was doomed ot dis apointment. For Shirley. after the amazing circumstances of the after noon. when her rendezvous with Jim Dalton out in-Kensington Gardens had been so abruptly terminated by the arrival of Burke and the cable, de- cided that she wasn't in a fit frame of mind to hear Burkes praises sung particularly by his adoring, match making sister,
 Hence her excuse of meeting friends.
 But you'll come back and stay the night?' Mrs. Arnold had suggested.
 "Oh. no; I must get home." Shirley had said. decidedly "Grandmamma hasn't been so awful1y well Of late' and she worries when I stay away
 You're a good little creature, Shir- leyp' came the patronizing comment ''Davidll be 8 lucky man if he wins you."
 Mrs. Arnold had insisted on know ing the wherea bouts of this rendez- vous with friends In desperation. Shirley had named fn har mind.
 The Carlton? I hardly like you going to such a big place all alone. I'd better go with. you," Poor Shirley felt the net closing about her again. Those hypothetical friends =. 1t would be too awful if Mrs. Arnold should discover that she had recourse to fibs in order to es- cape.
 Please don't bother" Through her raised lorgnette Mrs. Arnold stared critically at Shirley Was it possible that. after all, this young woman was becoming much too independent? Where was David any how, tonight? And why wasn't he looking after her? "Oh, very well-Pll send you in the car. James can drop you out at the carlton and take your luggage on fo Waterloo"
 At 6:30 that night. then-just as David Burke was leading Lucille De- range into the Cafe del Ricardo Shir- ley found herself alone in the foyer of the Carlton. without thing to do. Her conscience-hyper-s sensitive be- gan to trouble her over the small de- ception she had carried through. But I couldn't have stood any more of Mrs. -Arnolds good advice-kind and well meaning as she isl" Shirley l oI h chi n mirror in the lounge. All dressed ! up and no place to go" she added. smiling rather bitterly.
 If only she had some friends in Lon- don! How extraordinarily lonely this great town could be.
 The train for Surrey didn't sleaye | till nearly 9 o'clock. How on, earth could she fill in the intervening time?
 she could go to a movie" anyhow.
 She fumbfed in her vanity bag to l find her purse.
 It was then that Lucille's letter caught her eye-the short note writ (ten from the village inn. Lucille had Ygiven Shirley her London address and asked that damsel to come and see ! her any time she was in town-a curi- ous, rather misspelt letter. yet with genuine ring about 1t.
 Shirley read the note through twice. In spite. of all that had occurred she | COulunL nate l4uC1llt- LII WOi il ol ups and downs Lucille had come off l badly, getting the hardest deals. She was alone in the world-without any real friends--or talent to make ca reer for herself. Last nights show" mad proved the latter fact.
 Of course, a meeting with Lucille would reopen Shirleys trouble. For, naturally, thev would talk of Jim.
 Shirley hesitated. She hated pain. And yet the little flav In Soho seemed to draw her. irresistibly. She decided she weua& 70.
 she stopped before mirror in the veatibule. fixed her becoming little haI IT. s more jaunty angle. fluffed curl or two coquettisnly in place then stepped out into Regent street and set eff rssolutaIy towards Picadilly.
 aSha wasn't going to let fate worst Ter that was foolish and, aft- c Hll. the Y orld held other things than . love. Granted she had been let down ladiy, why. she must simply face the thing.
 She would face 1t smiling. tool
 With pretty head held up and pink