Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-14
oLD-FASHIoNED IDEAS
CHAPTER XVI

y T was with sigh of relief that
Charlotte saw the last guest
leave and turned with a little
sigh toward her room. She
had stood by Mrs. Hartman a pa
thetically tired little figure in a sill
! yer gown holding d feather fan
against her slender bare neck to
| hide somewhat the expanse OF neck
that the generous cut revealed and
as her mother-in-law looked down
at her she could think of nothing
| but the fact that Charlotte looked
! like Il Wilted flower.
Tony and Edith Comstock had
carried on a rather eager conversa-
| ton while the guests were leaving.
Edith had come down the wide curV-
ing, stairs in huge white fur cape,
| looking as fresh and animated as she
| had all evening. Her dark head
showed satin smooth under the lights
and Tony had bounced on her eager
| ly. Charlotte looking on from a
distance that prevented her from
hearing what they said.
Now as she turned to go upstairs,
J she heard Mrs. Hartman say ca
gerly:
81 hope you and Edith are going
to keep up your riding"
She saw Tony's face light up, and
she did not wait to hear what he
said, but climbed YEARLY upstairs.
| w IlGH ne IlHdtly IdllS III dlLCL SIOp~
ping for a goodnight smoke he found
Charlotte curled up in bed. She
was very different Charlotte from
the girl who had slept in the little
bed at the farm. Above the rose
and blue satin of the comforter, her
colorless face. Her blue eyes met
his unsmilingly, she knew that he
was displeased with her.
well" he said, sitting down on
the bed. Did you have a good timer
She forced a smile: We'll. you
your friends found me rather stupid.
You see, Tony, I didn't know any
one and it was hard to talk"
Nonsense" he returned quickly,
ANY one can talk
but [ didn't know anything to
talk about. l haven't read any of the
books they have, and I don't know
plays"
"And you showed that you weren't
interested. That's the one thing a
woman can never afford to do with
a man. She must be interested or
Pretend that she is. You didn't
even try to listen, because 1 watched
you"
II felt SO uncomfortable in that
dress. 1t made me feel SO naked
And she shuddered.
That's absurd. All the girls wore
low necked dresses and nd, great great deal deal
fix up little. too? You looked as
white as ghost tonight"
ooh. Tony, don't ask me to rouge.
can't do that. jamie wanted to
put some on my cheeks tonight, and
wouldn't let her"
He got up abruptly and went into
his dressing room, when heS re-
| turned muffled up in his big white
bathrobe, he looked like a boy. Char
lotte, watching him, felt her heart
yearn toward him and it was then
that she remembered Edith Com
stock.
..Tony: she began timidly.
Are you going to ride with Edith
Comstock? 1 heard your mother ask
you"
He turned toward her. "Why. yes.
We used to ride every morning in
the park, and, of course, there's no
reason why we should stop
Charlotte had it on the tip of her
tongue to cry out. But you're mar
ried now" only she kept the words
! back.
you'll have to take riding les
sons and come with u.s." Tony said,
that?'
"Oh, no." she said shrinking. I'm
| terrified of horses; I could't ride.
( "Terrified of horses and you a
country girl?" his tone was soothing.
But am. I always have been. I
don't mind driving behind them, but
could never ride"
We'll, we won't worry about it
tonight" Tony said kindly, and
when he stopped and kissed her, his
kiss was the platonic caress that a
brother might have given his sister.