Evening star., 1923-03-07
Isas. D. Appleton b o..

for timidity, she couldn't help feeling
ride had taken sand" and to Cherry
sand" in a man was more to be
| chosen than great riches or any per-
sonal qualities that he could possess;
for the talk of deeds of valor had
been in the very air that she had
breathed. go,
She dressed slowly. and then with
a rush at the end of her toilet went
down to greet her guests. VINO were
already arriving. Dinner at the MO-
Of formaiity, for Alicia Mohun had
discovered that the easiest way 10
lose desirable acquaintance was 10
give tedious dinners and that tne
path to their hearts lay through their
desire not to be bored by unnecessary
stodginess.
To Alicia Mohun. as indeed to most
Of the matrons of her set, Sunday was
merely day for social speci alton.
Hence the :sternoon at ,saS nome ON -,ier LOT
tic ambitions. Surely fate was WIN
her in this. And where was the harm
In having people in to dinner. proVlo-
ing one foreswore "auction r,,-,,
dressed was the first of a series TO be
given to groups Of debutantes VINO
(, were to be her associates in the COM
ing winter campaign. And the merry
crowd which filled the large drawing
room gave every evidence OF shar1ns m
Cherry's Iiveliest propensities. The
! friendships OF most of them had been
| inherited from school and college
days and they all called one anotner
by their Christian names.
! Cherry meanwhile. was engaged IN
! spirited conversation with Dicky Will
berforce. who was telling her anout
| the new Eerville racing plane. and IN
her interest in her Forthcoming flight
was completely obvious of her sur
roundings. But a reckoning with her
brother Bob. who sat In his fathers
place at the head of the table. awaited
! her. and 1t came with suddenness
which surprised her.
| For Eugenia Armitage. the mis-
attract her attention by calling her
name across the table, at last sue
ceeded by the simple and effective
expedient of throwing piece OF bis
cult which struck Cherry's bare shoul-
der
Cherry she cried sleefully. you
shall notice me-"
"oh. Genie. do behave" laughed
Cherry. Cant you see that there are
gentlemen present.
And then-"For the love OF Mike,
Cherry, do tell me who was that freak
on the gray horse you were riding
with this afternoon"
"Sh--!." said Cherry with warn
ing glance. Nobody" and turned
again to her companion.
But | insist. He wore white socks
his garters were blue and he seemed
very drunk
| please. Genie
NO. I'm resolved. Was ii a race:
And if so. why? ! saw him cut in
from the wood road to the field with
YOU after him. Why should you be
| chasing a drunken man in white
socks and blue garters? And what
did you do with him when you caught
him?"
1T was just a firend-a-a-frien nc
of-of mothers" said Cherry, with
any riding clothes"
ed silence had fallen upon the table
She was also aware OF her brother:
questioning glance.
How exciting" came Violet
Everard's thin. timid voice. do tel
us. Cherry, darling"
There's nothing to tell. You're
odious. Genie.
oh you might. Cherry"
Il won't. Do shut up. Genie
"Oh. / say, Cherry" her brother
Bob put in. "a gray horse-Sou can't
mean that you had him up on Cent?
pede?"
Cherry nodded frigidly. "She needed
! exercise she said. 81 mean Cent?
pede. 1t didn't hurt her. DR.. Sangree
rides-er-very we'll" And then, with
an instinct to escape her dilemma