Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-09
CHAPTER xxx
An Exciting Invitation

~ ORALIE returned from her honeymoon
1 and took possession of her new apart
ment in a whirl of happiness Ii she
had looked radiant on her departure, she
looked still more so now, and she was
amazed to find Lorry SO pale and white.
Darling, you don't look as If you ate
enough, and you have the most pathetic,
scared lcok in your eyes. What does Court
ney mean by going away and leaving you
alone just now, when you need hfm?"
ooh; he had to go! 1t was important bust
ness" Lorry said, quickly. Mother was to
have stayed with me, but Aunt Helen is i'll,
and that's why I'm alone. Oh, Coral1e, I'm
SO glad you're back. do believe I've missed
you frantically. I had such let-down after
the excitement of your engagement and mar
rage"
care you thrilled about the baby?"
Coralie asked, a sudden deeper pink in her
cheeks. "You don't know how excited ! was
when / had your letter. But you mustn't let
yourself go to seed, Lorry. You must get out
and see people and keep your thoughts off
yourself" Coralie was rafting on the same
irresponsible way asking questions and not
waiting for an answer, so excited about her
own Importance, and the wonder of being
Mrs. James Martin Ford that she could
hardly think about anything or any one
else.
''You must come to my dinner party next
Tuesday night" Coralie insisted, land sleep
in my lovely new guest room. Now don t
shake your head; you're going to do I
say: 1t will do you good"
"But I can't" Lorry expostulated.
"Give me one good reason why
81 get tired so easily"
"That's no reason. If you get tired after
dinner I'll put you to bed myself Now
you're coming. Well consider it settled
And, as usual, COralie had her way.
Having given in, Lorry began to look for
ward to the dinner party. 1t would be fun
n rot O1t ta1 tO in
inasmuch Courtney was not to be there,
she would be free to laugh and talk as she
liked without the fear of looking up sud-
denly and meeting his eyes.
1t would be fun, to stay all night with
Coralie, and surely Courtney couldn't OBJ
ject to her absence from the apartment just
one night she was entitled to some fun,
and she intended to make the most of her
freedom
The night of the affair found Lorry slip
ping into her bridesmaid frock of lemon
colored satin. The color suited her, and eX-
citment had made her cheeks flame, and
had turned her eyes unusually dark. The
faint purple shadows beneath them seemed
to enhance their size, and Lorry looking in
to her mirror with a critical glance felt
little surge of exaltation sweep over her. Oh.
1t was good to be going, even if one weren't
happy. But tonight she would be happy, she
would forget Courtney, and not for a mo.
meE+ would she let any thought of the flu
ture prevent her from having a good time
Tonight was hers, all hers, and she gave
herself up to wondering who would be her
dinner partner, and what one of her lovely
trousseau frocks Coralie would wear
But I mustn't let myself watch CoraIie
and Jim Lorry admonished herself as she
was whizzed across town in a taxi. "Theyll
be sure to make love to each other with
their eyes. and I couldn't bear that | do
hope my dinner partner will keep me inter
ested. Oh, I mustn't think tonight; I must
be happy; I have such little time left"
And yet, if Lorry had known who was to
sit next to her at dinner, even il the face
of all her joyous expectancy, wouldn't she
have turned back to the solitude of her
apartment in preference to facing the ordeal
ahead Of her?
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