Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-11
a BUDDING ROMANCE
CHAPTER 95

C1aFIEIt 70
A snort time after Mr.. and Mrs.
s0yce had come back from their
southern trip, and after Clara had
gone home, a little Welcome Home"
party was planned. Alice and her
mother were, of course, invited. And
iince many of the friends had small
children and no nursemaids. n room
pm the third floor Of the Joyce's big
house was fixed up as a temporary
nursery, with an obliging hired girl
in charge. There Berenice was put
10 sleep. and Alice and her mother
vent downstairs to the party" with
Tree minds.
Clara had told them to come early.
'Tve been so busy since mother
n father came back l haven't had
4 chance to see you snd I've missed
you awfully,' she said, kissing them
10th a~ffectionately when they ar
rived.
II would never know YOU" Mrs.
Joyce remarked with her usual
trankness when she saw Alice. Child
what have you lone to yourself?"
Alice laughed. To her. this was
the greatest possible compliment
that n who had known her in the
old days would recognize the change
ln her nowl
Turn around her hostess COM
manded, and Alice obediently turned
round n round for inspection.
Cheerfully conscious OF her new
salary and the fact that some OF II
could be spared. Alice had bought
some soft blue taffeta the week be
fore, and she and her mother made
st up after a design that Clara had
made for them before she left. The
soft blue suited Alice ~splendidly. 1t
made her eyes deep and unusually
Expressive. Mrs. Fairbanks had found
ANON har nnEGaGginnE Soma coarse
mesh f1let lace hat had been hers
when she was a young girl. Clara
had sad this was to form an apron
over the dress. and a little was to
make a bib on the waist-a new
Fashion of the spring. not yet gener-
ally seen in the little town of Farm
ington. And Alice was feminine
enough to be very pleased with her
self In this odd new frock.
Then, too, she dressed her hair as
Christine taught her, waving 1t slight
tIy. and she had manicured her nails
with great care, removing almost all
the ain recently acquired by gar
dening.
you certainly are stunning. I
never knew you wers pretty before
Mrs. Joyce remarked. And Alice
laughed at the compliment and its
frankness.
"The dress is Clara's idea" she
Mastered 10 give Her lrleiu SoHhe VI
the credit. Unconsciously they turn
ID to look for clara. But she had
slipped out. 90,
remarked idly.
"Oh. 1 guess she and Lawrence are
hobnobbing somewhere In a corner
Mr.. Joyce put In.
Mrs. joyce, always the more tact
ful of the two, in spite of her occa-
sional bluntness, turned to frown at
her husband.
Alice stared a little. SO they called
him Lawrence! And they were
scarcely settled at home from their
trip! Was Lawrence that intimate
so soon2
She did not know whether she was
pleased or not. Although she was
honestly not I'm love with Lawrence,
there was a certain halo of romance
that gathered about him when con-
sidered as her respondent lover.
Lawrence already falling In o with
another girl was much less roman
But, after all. wasn't she pleased
81 the idea. She turned TO go into
the room. There they were-the
other guests had not arrived yeti
alone and talking with animated
smiles.
Lawrence rose to greet Alice. He
was as handsome as ever. He alwaysl
looked well In his dress suit.
They shook hands cordially. Alice
felt rewarded for all the time h had
spent watching other people and lis
tening to Christine's kindly lectures.
For she was perfectly at ease In what
might have been an embarrassing
situation.
Clara left them alone. Alice watch
ed her go to greet some new guests
then turned to Lawrence with q
Question in her eyes. And Lawrence
smiled back al her.
You know l told you several times
you had spoiled me for ordinary girls.
Alice" he said. but Clara isn't an
ordinary girl"
I'm glad-Im glad you like her."
Alice replied.
Next to you, I think she's the
finest girl in the world" he said.
Alice watched them with great In
terest the rest OF the evening. She
had never seen Clara so lovely
Clara, who. in the old days, was so
sweet as to be insipid, who was pal
Idly pretty but never good looking
enough to attract attention. Clara
was I'm love with Lawrence, that was
plain enough TO her-would Law
renee fall in love with Clara? Clara
was transformed by her love. Alice
knew the magic power 1t had, and
sympathized.
Lawrence came up to her late In
the evening.
I'm coming around to see you
soon" he announced. And Alice re-