Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-13
Chapter XXIV.
Weetbread Asparagus Loaf.
Lettuce Salad.
MILDRED HAS A VISITOR.

|
My heart beat fast as | opened
the drawlng-room door. | was t,
receive the first man caller since
had been married. What would
Clifford say?
Thank you for seeing me-" he
sad, after ! had greeted him.
"1'hank You for coming! | wa,
doomed to a lonely evening, as un.
fortunately Mr.. Hammond is out
| apologi2eG,
THAT is too bad; | had antici-
pated meeting him." but he neither
looked nor acted sorry, ana soor
we were chattering away like old
friends. About half-pasu nine ]
felt hungry and excused myself
for a moment | gave Kate the
order and she soon served a nice
little supper in the library. 1t was
more coy there than in the formal
! drawing room.
\ Delightful Luncheon.
We both ate heartily, we laughed
and chatted and told stories. once
I heard a step in the hail and saw
( Mandy's face back of the portieres
fairly beaming her approval. She
caught my eye then shufflcd off
upstairs.
/ was enjoying myself, conse-
!. quently she was happy.
Mr.. Brooke remained until II
o'clock. After the door closed on
him and his promise TO come again
| soon and meet Clifford, | decided
it had been the happiest evening /
| had spent since | came to Glen
! dale | had told Kate not to sit
up, and Mandy, | knew, would be
asleep. SO | gathered up the sup
per things and took them into the
| kitchen. then went into the nur-
tsery to kiss my darling baby good
night. AS | knelt by the little bed
| a thought came to me unhidden,
one that startled me:
"Why couldn't L have married a
man like Leonard Brooke young
man who would make me and my
baby happy
Shocked that such an idea
! should enter my mind, ! resoIuteiy
| but Mr.. brooke and all thoughts of
| our pleasant evening from me. !
felt guilty as if in a way 7 had
| been untrue to Clifford | found
book | thought would interest
me, and settled myself to read until
! Clifford came in.
With a woman's capacity for
self-torture began to wonder
where Clifford was, what he was
, doing? Perhaps Mrs. Horton had
been am old sweetheart of his and
he was willing to have things as
thew were before he was married.
Their elimination of me looked
that way at least.
found ! was getting nervous.
I couldn't read and called myself
silly" and "fanciful.' Clifford
would be home in a little while.
TTc had probably only told the
truth when he said their parties
were too gay for me. | was very
little used to, much hilarity. and
was perhaps little prudish, as
MANY very young women are apt
10 be, without having the tact to
dissimulate.
At last | flung the book on the
table IT was impossible TO fix my
mind on anything. / would go to
bed and try to get some rest, even
II | couldn't sleep.
Clifford Is Late.
IT was after 10 o'clock when |
laid down. doZed off g. several
times, but had not slept soundly
heard the clock each time it
struck the hour. Finally, at four
o'clock, l could endure it no long
er. I slipped ont of bed and put
on n dressing gown. ! wont down
TO the library. The telephone on
the desk gave me an idea | was
sure something dreadful had hap
pened to clifford. He had never
remained out all night before. Per-
haps he had been robbed, or even
killed, while | had been comfort
ably in bed
In an agony Of fear I took the
book under the light and looked