Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-24
CHAPTER XVII
Misery

AS SOON as I gave the operator my
"A number. / had a moment of mis-
giving. but I resolutely crushed 1t back.
After all. why shouldn't call up Her
bert Livingston? We were old friends,
and there was no reason why VIC
shouldn't continue our friendship. But
when his voice came to me across the
wire / felt pnnicky. 1t was difficult
for me to talk as I had planned ia
talk. as I knew Alice would manage
It, and the more Of an effort made
to be cordial and friendly, the more
certain | was that I sounded gushy
and that Herbert would think me a
fool.
My excuse that I was in town shop
ping sounded pitiful in my. own ears.
but Herbert was reassuringly eager.
Had I lunched? Perhaps would
lunch with him. He had been too busy
| to leave the Office earlier.
II had lunch before l left Hilton v
was my resDonse. and then to my
amazement Herbert suggested tea. It
I seemed so incongruous to think" Of Her
bert taking any one to tea. Never
once during our friendship had we ever
gone out to tea together, hut gathered
my wits about me and said ns casually
us could that II would make me late
getting back to Hilton, but / would
chance It.
The time and the place Of meeting
decided upon. I rang off and stepped
| out of the telephone booth. felt
| flushed and warm and as I continued
on my way out Of the station the weight
Of the engagement began to press upon
me.
Why had done such thing?
I knew now that I had been wrong to
yield to such an impulse. 1t wasn't
like me: / didn't want to 60. / had
no desire to keep up my personal friend.
ship with Herbert. and 1t was hardly
fair to use him to make Norman jealous
and to retalinte for his Irritation with
Alice Wilson.
Left with nearly two hours time on
my hands l wandered through several OF
the shops. bought some small purchases.
and worried MS the time drew near for
me to meet Herbert. When at 4 :3C
hotels was thoroughly miserable. II
It hadn't been so tragic it would have
been funny to think Of myself keeping
an appointment for tea with man who
was - my husband. BY rights
should have felt a thrill Of excitement
at meeting an old lover. Instead
could think of nothing but Norman
What would he think IL he reached
home on the train before mine, and
how could explain about having tea
with Herbert without saying that
had called him up. unless I told lit
and said had happened to meet him
1t was n CHASTITY effort to smile al
Herbert as he rose from one of thu
leather couches to greet me. And
seated at one of the tiny alcove table!
in the tea room with Herbert opposite
I could think of only one thing. ant
that was how badly he was cut out t.
play the role of the other man In {
domestic triangle.
He was kind and considerate, bu
too heavy. too business like. too effl
cicnt. His manner toward me was to-
anxiously solicitous. I felt that an!
minute would burst into hysterica
laughter. for expected him to ask mi
il I were in any kind of trouble. or 1
I needed his advice. It was painful,
funny! And what fool was!
had deluded myself into thinking tha
I could use Alice's weapons. that
could laugh and be alluring and forge
my troubles in the excitement Of light
filtration. And all the time I wa
thinking Of Norman and my duty Il
him. Even IL Herbert had been fas
cnating, think should have fell
exactly the same about our engage
ment. I was that kind of woman
and nothing in the world would max,
me any different.
| ITO Re Continuedl