The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-18

~ peal of laughter.
"Now, Teddy, you know what
everybody thinks when you're
around" she declared. you must
really make up an answer some
time" Turning to Joanna she in
formed her: Hes not always sc
bad-mannered, you know. I fancy
you'll get along famously. I'll pre-
sent him as Lord Dorminster, but
you must just call him Teddy-it
fits him better" To the man, who
struck Joanna as something Of an
overgrown youth, she added: '"This
is my new protege, one I'm going to
be very fond of-Miss Manners.
After awhile you'll be calling her
Joanna"
Lord Teddy was all embarrassment
and contrition. "Oh, say" he
fumbled, 81 thought it would be
some one who-ah-you were having
to sing, or dance, or do something
like that, you know, tomorrow night,
perhaps! Didn't know she was a
friend. Sorry. terribly!
Joanna, who had scant ideas of
what one does at a meeting with a
lord, even a Teddy sort Of one, scram-
bled desperately for what she would
have termed, concisely, the right
comeback. She was disturbed, too,
by that apology for supposing her
as one who had come to sing, or to
dance, cor something like that" 1t
implied something she didn't know
what, but something, about her that
wasn't as it should be. Yvonne shot
a frown at Dorminster and went to
her rescue.
Run along, now, Teddy" she
commanded. There's tea or alco-
hol, whichever you prefer, in the
garden. You know everybody in
there. Miss Manners will remem-
Der, anyhow, that you were perfectly
in earnest, despite your rudeness."
He wanted to add something to
his apology, to straighten it out, but
Yvonne hustled him off unceremo-
niously. To Joanna she said:
Hes a dear, is Teddy. He fol-
lows me around the world. He says
wherever I am some husbands wife
needs consolation and it his duty to
be on hand. And he declares he's
perfectly sincere about it."
She talked on, saying things that
were meaningless to Joanna, the
obvious things that had to do with
the beginnings of a new friendship,
and the prospects Of a Jolly" time
for the girl in a new life. A trim,
lace-aproned and white headdressed
maid answered Yvonne's summons
and replied to her mistress's ques-
ton that Miss Manners apartment
was in order
1--WE a little bedroom and a cozy
sitting room for you, not too far
from my own" Yvonne explained"
'I hope you will be no end COM
Portable"
al T A finger touch a gold panel
IAI in the wall Of the reception
E-=J hall slid back, disclosing a
tiny gilt elevator Of the kind that
is automatic. The maid followed
them into the lift and pushed the
buttons that sent it climbing to an
upper floor. Joanna was strangely
tremulous. She wanted to say bright
things to the older woman who was
ushering her into these new and
luxuriant surroundings, but her
mind was in an uneasy turmoil.
why was everything happening as
it was? SO naturally, so swiftly, so
smoothly? Should she trust herself
to Yvonne Coutant?"
She stole a glance at the woman
who stood so close to her, and COM
ton, the hair that was as black as
vulcanite, the magnolia-white face
contrasting sharply with the two
luminous black eyes, and the lips
that were full and red without the
exaggerations of lip stick contours.
The fear that vibrated through her
at times with Brandon the in.
dubitable fear that seemed so un-
reasonable, gripped her for second
Then her thoughts flashed to what
Teddy Dorminster had said in the
room downstairs: "A singer, or a
dancer, or something like that?"
What was there wrong about her;
She had put on her grey tailleur and
the mink coat. And her smart, gray
cloche hat was from a famous ave
nue. shop. Did she still remind one
Of the silk counter? And If she did
what Of it? Weren't the limitations
of the silk counter all right? Ger
tainly there had been no girl in hel
merry, go.as-fast-as-you-can-without
skidding crowd, who could profess
to cause mems wives to need con