The Washington times., 1923-10-10
|. deep tones. The word was:

p0tny ana understanding petWGeu
IN. knew without his saying an
other word that he understood my
hesItancy the hesitancy which
always takes possession Of me 81
the thought Of going anywhere
without Jim. But ! rot the Inn
preston that there was sone-
thing bic enough afoot to over
ride my personal feelings IN the
next moment. realized how
worthwhile II would Be X Betty
could Be persuaded to forget her
tragedy and take her place N the
social world again - she had
taken It IN the world Of business.
So I smiled down the table ii
Betty's direction and tried quickly
to bridge the second Of silence that
had served to make me grasp the
situation = Ralph Lacy saw It.
Let's 60. i've this new dress
to show of ana It would be f1n
70 have : dance or two. I'd love
IT,"
Aren't we nice. aniable folks,
commented Peter Stanley easily.
we play together prettily ana
can see that we're going to work
together just a. wen. though We
haven't done much Of that to-
night"
Lets keep on vacationing this
evening, : suggested Ralph. we.
are all set to 50. aren't We,
giris7"
There was ! GREATNESS mo-
ment Of waiting. Then Betty
leaned forward smiling % sweetly
that ! felt sure she saw through
our subterfuge and loved Us FOR
1t.
Want very much to go. chill.
dren?" she asked.
We chorused our delight &c the
idea Of going of to dance. And
Betty rose with q gracious ges-
ture.
I'VE two viii so back and get
our hats" she said. II you're 20
set on dancing. / wish there were
enough Of us girls to so round.
IF you like, TIL telephone my
sister" said Peter Stanley easily.
''Lorraine'a always game for any.
thing. And even IL she's having
some people in, she'll leave them
for an hour. I've told her about
old Rafe here and she's keen TO
meet him. And I'll wager that
you and she viii be on the oest
of terIne inside OF ten minutes,
Mrs. Harrison.
''Oh, do get Lorrainer' Betty
exclaimed. warming into actual
enthusiasm. 'tAnne, she's the
most beautiful thing in the world.
I've always said the one real arts
tocrat I've ever known IL Lor-
raine Thurlow.'
And a. Betty spoke the name Of
the acknowledged society leader Of
our city, had a sudden sharp
awareness that I was meeting
people OF consequence in their
world, even as Ruth Gregory was
in hers.
wondered IL it would make
any difference to Jeanne ana Jim.
Betty, Ralph Lacy, Park and
went ahead to make sure of a
table at the roof garden where we
were adjourning from Betty's i'm.
promptu dinner party. And Mr..
. Stanley went over to the snartess
section Of the East Side to can for
his sister, Mrs. Lorraine Thurlow.
the beautiful society leader who il
as well known for her charities as
for her leadership of the most en-
elusive set in town.
When we got to the roof, Park
secured an excellent table from
which we could watch the dancers
while enjoying q wonderful breeze.
AT near table noticed the Count
Sidiski and Gracia MacAvoy.
There were two empty places.
With pounding heart, I wonder
ed II when the dancers tlisep-
tangled themselves from the great,
whirling mass on the floor thoss
two places would be occupied by
Jim and Ruth Gregory.
Betty. noticing that I was dis
trait, claimed my attention.
Anne, dear" she said, ST won.
der II you realize what a compn.
ment it is to you and Ralph that
Peter Stanley's putting himself /.
out like this to have you met
Lorraine Thurlow. She never
goes to hotels. She has always
worn gray and mauve and laveu-
der since her boy sweetheart died
six months after her marriage.