The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-02-04

)utT And each night she sought her
Louis XVI bed convinced that there
wasn't. Perhaps If there had been
40 Billy i'm the background, it would
nave been easier, although she felt
hat she could never have loved Court
1ey.
Only, II she couldn't have Billy,
Courtney did as well as any other.
He was older than she, but she had
always known him. A few years ago
ne had been engaged to a woman who
1ad quite suddenly and inexplicably
married somebody else. And Virginia
fancied that, on the whole, he cared
40 more for her than she did for him.
1t was evidently for them both just a
suitable marriage"
Three days before the wedding, Vir-
ginia begged respite from dinner
dances and bridal luncheons, pleading
the need for rest to look her best on
the great day. Aunt Julia finally
yielded and packed Virginia off to a
quiet little inn in the Berkshires with
the elderly woman who acted as maid.
She even agreed not to tell Courtney
Of her niece's "hiding place." figuring
perhaps, that 1t was girlish within
more easy to crafty than most.
Quiet the inn In the Berkshires GER
tainly was at that time Of the season
but not so utterly fOrsaken that
| occasional motoring parties did not
roll up the winding, graveled drive for
quiet chicken dinners in its famous
grill.
Such a party arrived one day as
Virginia came down the stairs. Face
| to face, she met them-COurtney and
the woman to whom he had once been
engaged-and the tender regard Of the
glance which Virginia interrupted,
left no doubt of the feeling he still
| entertained.
Virginia stood stock still. For a
minute the silence Numbered. Then,
with an unuttered but heartfelt
''Thank heavenw on her lips, the girl
turned away, her head high.
Three months later the Gardner
limousine drove slowly out Of the ivy
| covered gateway of the Gardner resi-
dence on Ridgely road. Severely erect
on the cushioned seat sat an uncom-
promising figure who looked askance
through the window as the scenery
unrolled-first elm-shaded drives, then
pavements, then a succession Of IT.
regular streets blocked out with nom
descript houses.
In front Of one Of these the machine
came slowly to stop. II shall be
here only few minutes" the lady
said as she alighted. Then you may
drive to Mime. Pritchard's."
She walked up the irregular path
marked with borders Of candytuft.
Love in cottage!" she shifted.
AT that instant the door was flung
open. "Auntie! !" cried radiant Vir-
ginia with no air Of penitence what
ever. "Oh, Billy w-this to depths
within. AUNT Julia has come to see
us!"
Under the jubilant welcome Of the
tall, smiling-eyed man and the effer-
vescing. chattering Virginia, Aunt Ju-
liza thawed a bit. How we'll the girl
was looking.
"And this is our Kitchen" cried Vir-
ginia, who was doing the honors, "at
least, we call 1t kitchen because It
has sink. And this is the den and
very important because it is where
Billy practices the wonderful editor
ials he is going to write some day.
Isn't it so, Billy? You know he isn't
with the Courier now. He's got s.
much better position with the Star
And now you must have some tea.
Get the lemon in the ice box, dear,
and slice il thin"
An hour later, Mrs. Julia Gardner
again sat back in her richly uphOl-
stored car. She had missed her fit
ting and the meeting Of the Juvenile
Uplift Committee. But there was still
time for Mrs. Delabarres musicale
and moment at the Cargill tea. Then
home and dinner and the opera and
after all, what did she do with life
but go On-and on-and on
She leaned forward to the speak
Ing tube, YEARLY. "H1ne, James,"
he