, 1922-04-12

- "OoA0 OO " uhv0 MIBW QI3l0
pour. Nina leaped obediently up the
steps, with a Hopping of thick braids
and the scrape of sturdy shoes, and
the sweet summer world was in silence
again.
Isabelle sat on. stroking the hound.
her soul filed with perplexity. An
thongs eloquent back gave her sudden
understanding of his fury. "Ah, please.
Tony" she pleaded, what can 1 do?'
Nothing" he answered. suddenly
plant. Nothing, of course" And
he turned to her a boyish lace stern
with pain. "Of course you n do
nothing, Cherie. I'm not such a-such
a fool" his voice broke angrily-
shat l can't see hat Come on. wen
go up and have tea-with the Bel
lamys. And I'm be going tonight.
I'll say good-by to you ow-an per-
haps you'll be good enough to make
my good-bys to the others"
The youthfulness of 1t did not rob
1t of real dignity. Isabelle. wretched-
ly mounting the steps beside him, felt
her heart contract with real pain. He
would go away-it would all he over
ohu AOl6OAlGh III a lew HcthS"uuQ
yet, how she longed to comfort him,
to make him happy againl
She looked obliquely at his set face,
and what she saw there made her
feel ashamed.
On h bright level of the upper ter
race tea vas merrily in progress. Miss
Field had duly come down to preside,
n all was well. Isabelle, as she
dropped into a chair, gave a sigh II re-
lief; everyone was amused and alb
sorbed and happy. Everyone, that is.
except the magnificent and sharp-eyed
old lady who sat. regally throned.
near her, and favored her Immediately
with a dissatisfied look. Old Madame
Carter had her own good reasons for
being angry, and she never spared any
available from participation In her
mood.
She was remarkably handsome, even
at s~eventy-flve; with a crown of pulled
white hair, gold-rimmed eyeglasses.
n an erect and finely preserved fig
ure. Her voice was Electrically deep
and clear. and her manner vigorous
and impressive.
swell. my dear. your friends were
naturally wondering what important
matter kept their hostess away from
her guests" she began. Isabelle
shrugged and smiled carelessly, with
an Indifferent glance at the group.
Harriet is managing very nicely"
she said. c%ontentedly. as Tony, with a
somber fac and averted eyes, brought
her her tea.
80 Ward seems to think" observed
Wards grandmother with acidify. Isa-
belle laughed indifferently. Her son,
slender and tall, and with something
of her own eagerness and fire in his
sunburned young face. was beside Miss
Field. who talked to him in a quiet
aside while she busted herself with
cups and spoons.
Perfectly safe there" Isabelle
said.
IT should hope so I" old Madame Car
ter remarked, pointedly. AT least II
there's any of our blood In his veins
but. of course, he's all Slocum. They
used to say of my Aunt Georgina that
she never married because the only
man she ever loved was beneath her
socially
Isabelle knew all about Aunt Georg-
ina. and she looked YEARLY away. THE
Bellamys are coming In for awhile"
she observed, with deliberate irrelev-
ance, land 1 hope they'll bring their
Swami-or whatever he is, with them.
He must be a queer creature"
Hes not a Swami, he's an artist"
Tony said, drawn into a casual CONVEX
sation much against his will. "Blon-
din-I've met him. l can't bear him,
he makes me sick!'
He relapsed into gloomy silence, and
Isabelle put into her laugh something
affectionate and soothing.
"He evidently lives by his Wits" she
suggested, (which is something you
have never had to dor"
Tony scowled again. 1t was part
of his charm for her that he was the
spoiled darling of fortune. Handsome
and young, and with nc family ties to
restrain him, he had recently come
into his own enormous fortune. His
manner with servants. his ready check
book, his easy French, n his unruf-
fed self-confidence In any imaginable
contingency, coupled with his youth.
had strong attraction for a woman
conscious Of the financial restrictions
of her own early years and the limita-
tons Of her public-school education.
why don't you go to the club and
dress now, and come back and dine
with us7" she said, In an undertone-
do you want mel" he asked.