Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-01-05
XII (contlnuedl

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weeks of almost girlish pleasure in
what was to her a novel society,
had vanished forever on the night
Of her dinner. Scornful and indif-
ferent she might be, but although
they could not kill her youth. they
drove home to her what she had
guessed in the beginning, that the
society and the mpanionship OF
young people - fashionable young
people, at least-were not for her.
Their conversations, interests, shall
low mental attitude to life, bored
her That curious brief period OF
mental rejuvenescence had been
due to the novelty and excitement
of being in love again, after long
and arid years.
And now, Judge Trent had told
her that she would be free to leave
in a fortnight. She had walked the
three miles from Broad Street with
a buoyant step and she had vowed
that never, not for any considera-
ton whatever, would she set foot
in America again Vienna was the
city of her heart as well as of her
future exploits She would buy the
old Zattiany palace from her wild
owed niece in-law and make it the
most famous Rendezvous in Europe.
But Of all this nothing to ClaveTiGg
until they were in the Dolomites.
Sh, tong for her maih and ex-
changed her tweed walking sui, for
q tea gown of violet velvet and
snow white chiffon. with stockings
ana slippers to match. She expect
cd no one but ii was always a de.
Light to her to be exquisitely and
hecomingly dressed Even in the
seclusion of her Hungarian estate
She had arrayCd herself as appro-
Tr.ately Tor outdoors, and as fas-
tid'0usly for the house, as if she
had been under the critical eye of
her world, for daintiness and lux.
ury were as ingrained as ordinary
cleanliness and refinement During
the war she had not rebelled at her
hard and unremitting labors, but
she had often INDUCED in a feeting
regret for the frequent luxury Of
the bath, the soft caress of delicate
underwear, for charming toilettes:
and she had sometimes scowled at
her white cotton stockings with
feeling of positive hatred.
Judge Trent while she was still
in Austria, had sent her a check
for forty thousand dollars. She
had given half of it to relief organ
!zations in Vienna, and then gone
to Paris and INDUCED in an orgy Of
clothes. She looked back upon that
wholly feminine reversion. when
she had avoided every one she had
ever known, as one of the COM
pletely satisfactory episodes of her
life. Even with uhrestored youth
and beauty, and a soberer choice Of
costumes she would still have ex-
perenced" a certain degree Of ex-
cited pleasure in adjoining herself.
She had always liked the light
freshness Of chintz in her bedroom,
leaving luxury to her boudoil, but
here she had furnished no boudoir;
her stay was to be short, and her
bedroom was as large as two ordi-
nary rooms. She spent many hours
in it, when its violet and white sim
plicities appealed to her mood To-
day it was redolent of the lilacs
ClaVering had sent her and through
the open windows came the singing
of birds in the few trees still left in
the old street.
She loved comfort as much as
she loved exercise, and after her
careful toilette was finished and
her maid had gone, she settled her
self luxuriously in a deep chair be-
fore her desk and opened one of
the drawers. The European mail
had arrived yesterday and she had
only glanced through half of it.
But she must read all of those let
tiers today and answer some Of
them before the sailings on Satur-
day.
The telephone on little stand at
her elbow rang, and she took the
receiver from its spreading violet
skirts and raised 1t to her ear. As
she had expected, 1t was Clavering.
He told her that he had promised
Cora Dwight the evening before to
ask her permission to announce
their engagement.
For a moment she stared into
the instrument Then she said hur-
riedly, almost breathlessly: No
Id rather not. I hate the vulgarity
Of congratulations-publicity of my
private affairs. I've always said
that when one marries a second
time the decent thing to do is to
marry first and tell afterward."
But they guess it, you know"
That is quite different" 1t was
Madame Zattiany who spoke now
and her tones were deliberate and
final Quite a different thing from
being congratulated, and tormented
by newspapers" She dismissed the
subject. Il shall be free two weeks
from today. What do you think Of
hat?" Her voice was both gay and
tender. Judge Trent will see at
once about engaging my stateroom.
Don't tell me that that play OF
ours will prevent you from follow
ng shortly after"
Not bit Of it. We shall only
10 CONN fuO mantle and avar 20