The Washington times., 1922-08-05
By Rex Beach
WHEN A GIRL MARRIES
AN ABSORBING SERIAL OF EARLY Welded LIFE
Virginia Meets Anne in the Little Tea
Room and Tells Her What She Has to
Say Is Between Them Alone.

to think of what I chose. was
this:
"I'm meeting Virginia tomor-
row for lunch. After snubbing
me numerically, she has sought
me at last. / wanted to go TO
her-for Jim's sake-but she
came to me first"
My appointment with Virginia
was for one-thirty, but ] hurried
to the tearoom via taxi in order
to be first. / wanted to locate
myself at a table under one OF
the friendly red umbrellas out in
the pebbled garden Of the tea
room. Then when. Virginia came
planned to look up casually,
wave my hand lightly and greet
her from the vantage point Of
my established position.
My cab drove up to the little
brick entrance to the tea room.
had the fare ready, and a. I
reached through the window to
give II to the driver saw Vir-
ginia step from a cab ahead.
Perhaps she'd also planned to
use the advantage Of arriving
first.
How do. you do. Amer" she
cyied, swinging around with q
smile which took q bit Of the for.
manty from her stiff little greet
ing.
Every well. How DO you dof" I
said, smiling in turn. Then some-
thing impish deep in me boiled TO
the surface and ignoring the fact
that II was to the snobbish Vir-
ginia spoke, burst out with a
confession:
What I'd like to reply, like a
little street gamin' with mouth
dropping at one corner. is: Fine.
How's yourself?"
Virginia held out her hand and,
with complete sobberness, said the
most incongruous thing I've ever
heard issue from her well-cut lips:
Great. Put 1t here"
without a culver, Of facial
muscles or a twinge from my sense
OF humor I returned her clasp.
We shook hands solemnly.
AT a moment like this, haven't
you a mind above such mundane
things as food?" I demanded.
II have not. Not Mrs. Patrick
Dalton nee Harrison. Mer' parod.
led Virginia gayly. Lead on. I
love your local-colorish, little tea
room. And II II purveys a de-
licious crisp salad and some brac-
ing coffee, I'll curl down and purr."
"Purr like q contented witty, II
you like. That's pleasant noise.
Just so you don't bay at the
moon." I flung back as I led the
way through the antique shop to
the quiet and reposefule little peb-
bled garden where the city is shut
out
When we had found places un.
der a red umbrella, Virginia look.
ed around with an air Of belong
ing.
How charming" she said. Like
a bit of old Paris. Pat will love
It. Thank you for coming-thank
you for-letting nue come"
Virginia leaned forward. her
hands clasped 30 tightly on the
edge Of the painted green table
that her knuckles stood out
whitley.
There's one demand you
mustn't make" she said almost
grimly. You and I are meeting
To-Day Tor jim because were the
two women in his life who really
count. We're here because we
can't let an outsider see how far
from sanity Jim's wife and sister
have been capable Of drifting
We've met because it's high time
we should find each other. This
Is between you and me. Anne.
For us-and Jim. No one else
enters in"
I hesitated. For someone else
did enter in. There was also
Phoebe needing Virginia's love
and understanding-an lacking
even her federation. Virginia's
lips set srimly, wondered 10 she
were reading my mind as she said
inexorably:
This Is between US. Anne. Be
tween you and me alone"
To Re Continued Tuesday,