Alma record., 1921-05-05

outT And each night she sought her
Louis XVI bed convinced that there
wasn't. Perhaps IL there had been
no Billy in the background, IL would
have been easier, although she felt
that she could never have loved Court
ney.
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
he had been engaged to woman who
had quite suddenly and inexpicably
married somebody else. And Virginia
fancied that, on the whole, he cared
no more for her than she did for him.
1t was evidently for them both just
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
quiet little inn In the Berkshires with
the elderly woman who acted as maid.
She even agreed not 10 tell Courtney
of her niece's hiding place. figuring,
perhaps, that 1t was n glrlish whim
more easy to crafty than most.
Quiet the inn in the Berkshres 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 party arrived one day as
Virginia came down the stairs. Face
10 face, she met them-Courtney and
the woman 10 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 n
minute the silence Numbered. Then,
with an unuttered but heartfelt
'Thank heaven :" 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 asSance
through the window as the scenery
unrolled-frst elm-shaded drives, then
pavements, then a succession Of ir-
regular streets blocked out with non
descript houses.
In front of one Of these the machine
came slowly TO stop. "I shall be
here only n few minutes" the lady
said as she alighted. "Then you may
drive to Nine Prltchards."
She walked up the irregular path
marked with borders of candytuft.
Love in a cottage" she shifted
At that instant the door was flung
open. "Auntle ~ cried radiant vir-
ginia with no air of penltence what
ever. "Oh, Billy this to depths
within. "Aunt Julia has come TO see
u.s."
Under the jubilsnt welcome of the
tall. smiling-eyed man and the effer-
veScing. chattering Virginia, Aunt Ju-
liza thawed a bit. How well the girl
was looking.
"And this is our Kitchen" cried vir-
ginia, who was doing the honors, "at
least, we call Il a kitchen because II
has sink. And this is the den and
very important because IL is where
Billy practices the wonderful editor
ials he is going TO write some day.
Isn't II so. Billy? You know he isn't
with the Courier now. He's got "a
much better position with the star.
And now you must have some tea.
Get the lemon in the Ice box, dear,
and slice 1t 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. Delabarre's musicale
and moment at the Cargill tea. Then
home and dinner and the opera and
after all, what did she do with life
i but go on-and on-and on
She leaned forward 10 the speak
ing tube, wearily. "Home, James,"
she said.