Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-05
CHAPTER xxx


THE attitude that Laurel n. sa. suUssa ssa
VIE I'd her husband the first day she
- w., ofter the birth Of the baby
saw A., "' standard for her attitude toward
~ ~ V" .t,oruard. In an incredibly snort
nl'n M y. was once more in her place
uny -. ~ hood Of the house, more beauti-
!" y, y. ,hon ever. and totally absorbed In
~. y, con, Although she did not neglect
Dc, .,Sirs I about the machinery of the
..h,i,bment, although she was the
~ ,.., hostess, although her gowns
pv, ., ,ovelcr than ever, toward her hus-
,.,d she maintained an attitude tha'
1. could not futhom. 1t WASH inali =,
- ..oo Il was too subtle for that, but
q was vaguely impersonal, and where
bs would not have noticed any
,sinr wrong, he found himself thinking
.sor, his wife at times when he should
,,,e been absorbed in his work.
orco more the family moved down. to
a. Tedars. and Laurel persuaded. her
". .s,ber 10 wait and 60 down with them.
~. Stone was In her element. To
MirL that Laurel, whom at one time
nod wanted to marry off to George
s,.ddard. the bankers son, was now
q. mistress Of country and town
lna her own limousine and every
sV%s' M;rs money could buy. It seemed in :
u.s;.lo and Mrs. Stone enjoyed
.,.rythins with the naivete of a child.
* tbe Cedars, Laurel had the suite
az ~ her own. which had been Gran
& ,N,s's done over for the baby and his
nurse.
gym won't mind if I move you to
No rose rooms down the hall, Will
,m,Y'' she had asked Granville on one
n tbe days when they had motored
Sovn and we're making final arrange
m.nts. "You see / must have the baby
ritb me. ! want to be where / can
Ne within call IL anything happens
And. of course, Granville had ac-
,,ded, but he wondered ut his own
A rluctance. On the way back to the
Edty Laurel's veil had blown across his
|lf,ce, and she had caught it back with
little laugh. The scent Of 1t fingered
With him uncannily.
Once settled at the Cedars, Laurel
was happier than she had been in a
lopg time. Her life was very full and.
although the baby had n competent
nurse, Laurel spent great deal of
| the time in personally supervising his
care. As soon as she had things run
| ming smoothly she began to go out to
various affairs, and to spend delicious
afternoons at the country club. She
learned to play tennis well, and the
younger set adored her, at least the
linen did, and the girls were too clever
10 show their jealousy.
Granville often went directly from
The station to the club for tennis or
koli before going home. The country
Ehb was a white stucco building. set
h emerald green surroundings. Care
ully tended flower beds made a blaze
u color all season round. The veran-
Ids ran around three sides, and there
we're comfortable chairs and tables,
olored awnings aud cool things to
brink One was always sure TO meet
BONE one there. Granville often came
upon Laurel these days, slipping an icy
drink from tall glass in which ice
crackled delciously. She would smile
hp OF him from under the brim of u
Power. crowned hat, her eyes that sea-
blue color that was so indefnable, but
the smile would have nothing personal
IN It. II was delicately calculated to
ve exactly the right impression to
hose about, but there was no warmth
the smile, no signal in the fact that
helr eyes met, no glad realization at
eelng each other here where there were
pthers, and knowing that soon they
would be going home to something they
shared together.
Most OF the women Laurel knew
were the casual society type, not over
mouonal, satisfied il their homes were
ooeautiiul enough to suit them, and if
aeir husbands did not pay obvious at
satOn TO another woman. 1t wasn't
nat they were particularly Jealous,
out simply that they liked to hold
70 what was their own. OF course,
aere We're other women. There was
isty Lowell. who was actually in love
nn her husband. She and Laurel had
aned q genuine liking for each other.
au, although Mary felt that she could
lever get very close to Laurel through
UInaances, she felt. nevertheless. a
Il. iohdness for her and n sincere ad-
u'a''On Tor everything she did.