The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-12
XVI (continued)


Society together. Now only he
somewhat cynical sense of anticip'
ton mitigated utter boredom at tn
thought OF meeting them again. @
the other six she had still vague
memories. although she recalle
having heard that the beauty of he
own last season. Lily Armstrong
had married one Of the Tracys
She also was to be at the luncheon
What on earth was she to talk t,
them about At the table? Sh,
could hardly tell them the stor!
, they expected before the servants
That would be for the later hour IL
the drawing.room-or would It b
in that absurd old room of Jane.
upstairs?
She recalled Elinor Tracy Good
rich) and her enthusiastic admira
ton. which she had accepted az &
matter.of-course, and given little
beyond amiable tolerance In return
As she had told Clavering, she was
not a woman's woman. She hoped
Nelly had outgrown "sush." For
some ten years after her marriage
she had met her from time to time
abroad. but she had not seen her
for SO long that she doubted IL she
would recognize her II they passed
on the street. The only one Of her
old friends for whom she retained
either interest or affection was
Jane Oglethorpe. who. ten years
older than herself, with q com.
handing personality unfolding rap
Idly at the dawn of their intimacy,
had attracted deeply but subtly her
own untried force Of character and
ruthless will. Embarrassment over,
she had enjoyed their long hour to.
gether, and was glad to renew their
Intimacy. to find that her old
friends warm affection had lost
nothing with years. And she had
found her more interesting than in
her youth.
She sighed little. as she looked
back on her long hours of almost
solitude in this old house.
She had been comparatively happy.
at first-a blessed interval of rest
and peace In this marvelously
wealthy and prosperous city where
he poor were kept out Of sight, at
east, where all the men were whole
and where one never saw a gaunt
voman's appealing eyes. or enact
ed ragged children. Those un-
troubled hours had fed for ever
and astonishment, impotent fury,
and dire mental conflict had fol.
lowed. but nevertheless she had
reamed-dreamed-and been glad
II her freedom from social and all
'ther duties. Now. probably these
women and many more would
swarm here.
Her mouth twisted as her maid
Helped her into the soft gray coat
trimmed with blue fox. Ordeal!
That would come ON Saturday
aight. No wonder she was merely
amused and totally Indifferent to-
lay!
When she arrived at the house In
3ramercy Park. purpose1y late. to
give her. entrance the effect Mrs.
0glethorpe had, commanded, she
'eard an excited buzz OF voices in
he drawing.room as she was being
relieved OF her wrap. AS she en-.
tered it ceased abruptly and she
heard several hardly perceptible
sasps. But the pause, before they
iii crowded about her. was too
brief to be noticeable. and they
shook her. hand heartily or kissed
her warmly. II their eyes were
perhaps too studiously expression
ess. their words and manner might
have been those Of old friends wei.
coming back one who had been
ong absent and nothing more. Con.
aicting emotions. born Of undying
'emininity. were not evident for the
moment. Mrs. Goodrich cried out
It once how wonderfully we'll she
ooked. Mrs. Lawrence asked II she
lad stopped In Paris for her
aid Mrs. vane II she found
New York much changed. Nothing
;ould have gone OF better.
Mrs. oglethorpe. in old.pile black
velvet as usual, with q front and
1igh-boned collar Of yellow rose.
'oint lace. stood in the background
the comedy with a frank
'ardonic grin. II her guests had
been faithless to the traditions in
which they had been bred, she
would have felt angry and ashamed,
'ut the automatic. manner In which
hey rose to the occasion and took
he blow standing tMrs. Oglethorpe
,ften INDUCED in the vernacular of J
Ter son, her Janet, and her Lee)
made her rock with silent mirth.
'he knew exactly how they felt!
They were 4 fins-lookins set OF
women and Handsomely dressed.
mt they indisputably belonged to
he old regime, and even Mrs. Ira.
y, the youngest Of them. had some,
hing Of what Mary Zattiany called
hat hiailEain lonl NNha,, x,a.> 49,