Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-09
CHAPTER XXXUL

~ ALL, standing alone, had Mrs.
Van Alstyne beckon to Gracia, and,
~ as the two stood talking, they both
looked across at her. If she had overheard
the conversati word for word she couldn't
have been more certain of what was being
said She saw Gracia's frown and she knew
what caused it. Gracia bored with her
mothers guest; she did not want the re-
sponsibility of entertaining a wallfower
A lump rose in Calls throat, and she
had a sudden wild impulse to escape She
looked around, wondering how she could
best slip out, but before she could take a
step Gracia was coming toward her with
two men.
1t was then that a certain recklessness
seized Gail, d determination to make her
self popular no matter what it cost her.
She found herself smiling up into the eyes
of her erstwhe dinner partner, with all the
allure she could summon to her aid. The
sudden change in his expression from bored
politeness to quick interest went to Calls
head like wine and gave her more conf
dence.
moment later he had asked her to
dance, and she had assented. They were
walking across the room together, and then
his arm was around her and she was out
on the floor her steps matching his per-
fectly as though they had always danced
together.
He danced we'll, but he held her too
but she gave no sign, although the color
was hot in her cheeks as she felt his lips
brush her hair. Over his shoulder she
could see other couples dancing. One girl
held her head thrown back and danced with
her eyes shut She gave herself up to the
dance with an abandon that evidently
highly appreciated by her partner and it
was with sensation of shame that Gail
resoutely turned her eyes away.
The dance over, Arch Kennerleys fingers
EDil' oil hove
you can dance!"
Gail longed to turn on him with frigid
remark, but instead she smiled up at him
through her lashes. This was what he
wanted; this was what made for popularity;
this was the method Fay Morrison had used
with George, and Gail swallowed her re-
sentiment and played the game
Yes, l can dance she flung at him
lightly. "Of course, L can't help knowing
when some one else notices them"
He glanced at. her Sideways Had he
made mistake about this girl? At dinner
he had thought her impossible, stiff, regu-
lar "dud,' but there was a charm about
her, freshness of appeal and her Wav of
looking up at him through those long, dark
lashes OF hers was provocative, to say the
least
His hot fingers frightened around her arm.
Just a minute he said, drawing her to
going down to the Already after while. |
know the head waiter and we can get any
thlng we want to drink. They never serve
much at these debutante dinners, and the
gangs getting restless. You're game to go,
aren't you?"
I'D love it," Gail said eagerly, reckless
ness urging her on.
He nodded approximately "All right,
that's settled then. L have my car here so
I'll look out for you"
as they strolled into the other room she had
sensation of triumph that more than COM
pensated for the fact that she was shamed
OF the way she had acted She didn't want
to go to the Already, and least of all did she
want to go alone with Arch Kennerley. But
from the way Grace and the other girls
were staring at her it seemed that Arch
kennerley was the lion of the evening and
any one of them would willingly have
changed places with Gail
Iuesday-"At the Already" and ~
Guilty Conscience