Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-20
CHAPTER XVII

CHAPTERS ANh
II. SENSE of not knowing what to DO
"A .oxt swept over Laurel and she
.ntoJ neA before giving Pierre direc-
neel.oT @ Then quite suddenly, with "A
uons; Glance at her wrist watch, she
euIiidd e,uulided To drop in on Granville. The
declueu rt the color to her cheeks and
loes ber heart beat faster. Delicious
inr;IIs maSI gave her a feeling of adventure.
Drive to Mr.. Burton's ONCE,
p;erre." she said.
Che began to have misgivings before
,,sy reached the tall Office building:
,4yIo NM ~ would she do after she reached
,sarop Wasn't this an utterly mad
.a,s r. do? 1t was the first time she
Sad LIE entered the sacred precincts of the
riooo rnu since her interview, with one ex-
eeption. 49,; tho INV
-, street and it was too late to ~
u", ~, now, A moment later she was
.oinc mn in the elevator.
sOMHii Miss Rhodes sat in the outer office
,oi;sbing her nails on the palm Of one
sl;m hand. She raised perfectly mar
enr,od hrows when she saw Laurel. Even
sOr utterly Indifferent attitude was
.haten for a moment when Laurel came
.nsr r. her desk and asked with that
.,de smile of hers that was so char
.ntoristic if Mr.. Burton were in.
Miss Rhodes smiled back. Yes, he's
tn = She said quickly. rising. IN tell
h;m. Mrs. Burton. 1t is Mrs. Burton,
- Laurel flushed.
Wishing vaguely that she hadn't come
Miss Rhodes came back in a minute.
"C;o right in" she assured Laurel COR
Slallv. and Laurel rose and went
through the door into the inner office:
Burton was standing before his desk.
Even the heat had no power to touch
the virility that always surrounded him
with certain strength. He looked ut,
terly fit, a man in perfect health and
Laurel raised her eyes to his as she
came forward.
well, he said easily, "this is a
surprise" =
aowr by his desk. It was the very seat
she had had that spring day few
months back when she had sat balanc-
ipr her notebook on her knee.
hWhatever brought you into the city
en a day like this?" he said in his
matter of fact tone. ,.
She flung out her hands with little
gesture that was charming and utterly
Rer own, "Oh, dor't know. I was
restless. thought I'd like to see Win
ona and the old crowd"
"And did you?" his voice was en-
tirely dispassionate.
"Winona was out, saw some Of the
others. Gran, take me out to lunch. '"
She did not stoop to begy she gave an
erder to save her pride.
"I'd like to-" he said smoothly, But
I have a conference IN aDout half an
hour. I won't be able to leave here
until after that. You go to some
cool place and get something to eat and
then drive back home. It's too hot for
you to be in town a day like this
Laurel laughed. "You forget that
I've been newspaper woman. Gran.
I'm not fragile flower who will bend
under the heat, you know. I've been
on assignments in weather worse than
this"
He looked at her as she sat there.
II was hard for him to imagine that
she had ever worked. A sense of pride
swept over him at the thought that she
was his, but the feeling was no more
than he would have felt if he had sud
denly realized himself the possessor of
anything rare. Laurel rose.
II shouldn't have bothered you" and
there was little mocking note iu her
voice. at was just foolish impulse" ."
He rose courteously and with a gay
httle nod she went out. proud head
held high Blase Miss Rhodes thought
she was the loveliest thing she had ever
seen as Laurel smiled at her from under
the gcntian fringed hat.
Laurel never repeated her visit to
Granyille's Office. She remained in his
home, where she knew he wanted her,
and certainly he had never been so ut
tsrly contented and satisfied in his life.
Che was quite perfect in every way, she
wore her clothes like a queen, she moved
about the house in perfect accordance
with the smooth wheels which were kept
going by her own efforts. The children
adored her, and she was a perfect
mother. As a wife Laurel was every
thing in the world that Granville Bur-
ton had wanted.
(Tnn1 1nFrnu-A Elry o,I ., uss;&%r