New Britain herald., 1926-07-02

to do. I'm going to see this Delanc woman mad talk to her. This thing has gone far enough. It's time put a stop 10 it.
 As she spoke Barnes drove tho car around to the front of the house and got out to hold the dool open.
 'No. There's no use in your go- ing, Mother Phelps," Sylvia said with a wan little smile. "Babs De lano isn't there any more. She's left her flat. I was just there, and T think that Ranny's gone with her"
 She dii not cry, but dry sobs be- gan 10 shake her. Mother Phelps took her firmly by the shoulder and marched her into thea house and upstairs 10 her own cheerful bed room.
 "Now! Now! Now" she scolded her. This is no time to go to pieces. What makes you think that Fanny and she have gone away to- gether? Why, he wouldn't do such thing, Ranny may be foolish, but he's not common"
 Sylvia told her story
 Then you don't really know that they went 10 the Union station, do you? You just think they did. " Mother Phelps summed it all up when she had finished. "But I don't. I think that this Dclano woman is just moving to a new fiat some where in town. and Ranny was probably helping her with her lug gage.
 She picked Up the extension tele- phone that stood on the table be- side her bed and called the Auters hotel.
 You see. she said triumphantly to Sylvia, when she Was through talking, Fanny hasn't checked out of the hotel. His luggage is still there in Room AIS. My dear. you've been letting your imagination run away with you."
 Chapter INT
 Outside car stopped in the crunchinr gravel of the drive. Someone rang the front door-bclI. A quick short ring. Could it, by any "iId chan, ., by Fanny? SIyyias heart missed beat.
 That's Lolly." Mother Phelps jumped up from her chair and hid her hat and cloak and beaded bag in the clothcs-cIoset Now, then. Sylvia, not a word of all this 10 her. The less lid the sooner mended, remember"
 But she might have saved her breath.
 For Lolly had her own ways of finding ont everything she wanted to know. And she had just found out about Ranny from Thomas, her hus- band.
 Hello. MotLcr," She came into the big bright room with her eyes aligllt. Hello, you, Sylvia!"
 She kissed them both with lips that were vclvety with youth and fragrant with French perfume,
 "I hear that you're q deserted wife, she said Eaily 10 Sylvia, as the three women sat down 10 lunch. And I demand to know the low down on it. Are you?"
 Mother Phelps froWncd magnif- Cenlly. ''Iolly." she said, in q ter ribl, voice; but Lolly only griuncd at her w.,h lips as red as sealing wax.
 Lolly belonged 10 this Age of Brass. when nothing is too sacred to be talked about-not even the suffering of the human heart.
 Flow did Rarny happen 10 leave you?" she asked, calmly pulling an artichoko apart with her fork. "Is it becaNse of this Dclano girl. or is he jealous of Peter Wilk again?"
 q olly!" said Mother Phelps once more; but this time her tone was not so seyere. Ii was plain that she wanted Lolly 10 go on with what she had to say about Peter Wilk.
 And Lclly did. Trust Lolly.
 "Wcll." she said, turning 10 her mother. "Tm only talking about herself, She knows Ranny's jeal- ous of poor old Peter"
 Sylvia felt herself blushing; but sine didn't say word, and Lolly went on:
 Everybody who's ever seen Peter and Sylvia together knows that he's wild about hcr. Why he never takes his eyes off her face when hes with her"
 Sylvia felt her mother-in-law's searching eyes on her, and she look cd mp at her brayely.
 You know I've never done any thing to make Ranny jealous of me, don't you, Mother Pbclps?' she ask ed buntly
 Mother Phelps answer came slow ly: "N-no. I'm sure you haven't in- tended to. But l know that Ranny was jealous of Peter WiIk."
 She paused and looked down at her plate for q moment, thought fully. "You young people. nowa- days, are quite beyond me. The wonder to me is that any of you stay mari d for any length of time. with your wild parties and your Tasks, and your painted women. Lollv, for goodness sake, wipe somo of that lipstick off your mouth. It's sickening,'
 Lolly laughed and rubbed her handkerchief across her lips But the carmine on them did moi come off. "Its waterproof kissproof she said, with q silyery giegle and tossed her h,.d with ifs hoyish bob
 Then she threw her handkerchief across the ta' le to Sylvia. Take a whiff of that" she said, and Sylvia raised the little perfumcd bit of lin. cn 10 her nostrils.
 Isn't that a lovely odor? I blend. ed it myself from two Babani per. fumes" Lolly caid, serious for the first time that day. She was never l.. I.