Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-05-05
CHAPTER TWO-Continued.

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Its a fact Susan told me. Mr..
Baker doesn't know the truth yet and
she doesn't dare to tell him. She's
scared stiff. Pauline went over to
HazeImead last week to visit Emma
Stacy against his wishes. She met the
young man at dance. Susan got
letter from Pauline last night making
a clean breast of the matter. They
are married and stopping at a hotel in
New York"
MY lord I should think she would
be scared stiff" said Mrs. Bing.
Il think there is good reason for
the stiffness of Susan" said Mrs. Sin
gletOn, the wife OF the Congregational
minister. eve all know that Mr.. Ba-
ker objected to these modern dances
and the way that Pauline dressed. He
used to say that it was walking on the
edge of precipice."
There was a breath of silence in
which one could hear only faint rus
tie like the stir Of some invisible
spirit.
Mrs. Bling sighed. "He may be all
right" she said in a low, calm voice.
But the indications are not favor
able" Mrs. Singleton remarked.
The gossip ceased abruptly, for the
girls were coming from the palm
room.
The next morning Mrs. Bing went
to see Susan Baker to offer sympathy
and a helping hand. Mamie Bing was,
after all, gOod-hearted woman. By
this time, Mr.. Baker had been told.
He had kicked a hole in the long look
ing-glass in Pauline's bedroom and
flung a pot of rouge through the win
dow and scattered talcum powder all
over the place and torn new silk
gown into rags and burned it in the
kitchen stove and left the house slam
ming the door behind him. Susan had
gone to bed and he had probably gone
to the club or somewhere Perhaps
he would commit suicide. OF all this,
1t Is enough to say that for some hours
there was abundant occupation for the
tender sympathieS of Mrs. J. Patterson
Bing. Before she left, Mr. Baker had
returned for lupsheon and seemed
to be quite calm and sef-pOssessed
when he greeted her in the hall below
stairs.
On entering her home about Que
O'Clock, Mrs. Bng received a letter
from the hand of Martha.
"PhyIlis told me to give you this as
soon as you returned" said the girl.
what does this mean?" Mrs. Bing
whispered to herself, as she tore open
the envelope.
Her face grew pale and her hands
trembled as she read the letter.
Dearest Mamma" it began, 81 am
going to HaZelmead for luncheon with
Gordon King. | couldn't ask you be-
cause ] didn't know where you WERE
We have waited an hour. | am sure
you wouldn't want me to miss having
lovely time. ! shall he home before
five. Don't tell father He hates
Gordon 50.
"Phyllis."
"The boy who insulted her! My
GOdn Mrs. Bing exclaimed in a whis-
per. She hurried to the door of the
buffers pantry. Indignation was in
the sound of her footsteps.
"Martha!" she called.
Martha came.
Tell James to bring the big car at
once. I'm going to Hazelmead."
without luncheOnW the girl asked.
Just give me sandwich and I'll
eat it in my hand"
81 want you to hurry" she said to
James as she entered the glowing
limousine with the sandwich half CON
Sumed.
They drove at top speed over the
smooth, state road to the mill city. At
half past two, Mrs. Bling alighted at
the fashionable Gray Goose inn where
the best people had their luncheon
parties. She found Phyllis and Cor
don in a coy alcove, slipping cognac
and smoking cigarettes, with an ice
tub and champagne bottle beside
them. To tell the whole truth. it was
a timely arrival Phyllis, with no no
ton Of the peril Of it, was indeed hav-
ing "a lovely time"-the time of her
young life, in fact. For half an hour,
she had been hanging on the edge of
the giddy preclpce Of clopement. She