New Britain herald., 1926-05-28
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CHAPTER XI

lis late.
 (NOW GO ON WITH THE STORYD l CHAPTER NJ It was half past nine before Syl- Ivia heard the low familiar rumble iof Ranny's car in the street below. The Nest. Its white headlights flash ed as it swept under the windows and fairly jumped into the driveway.
 'Whew! He must have turned that corner on one wheel!" she said to herself. He seems 10 be in an awful hurry to get here, all of a sud den."
 She switched on all the lamps with their canary-colored silk shades and stood in the doorway of the liv- ling room for a second, looking at it Ihappily-how cozy and cheerful and comfortable il was With its cush- tions its fresh flowers, its deep chairs and wide book shclyes-iust the sort of place for tired man to forget his troubles at the close of the hec- tic day.
 Sylvia bent down and pushed Ran ,ny's house-slippers q little closer tG the tiny wood fire that burned in the grate, before she hurried out to the kitchen to take one last look at the dinner she had cooked more than Ithree hours ago.
 She groancd as she looked at it it was ruined utterly. The lamb chops were hard and dried up in the greasy pan, the new peas had turn ed hard and gray. and the head lettuce was willing under the French dressing.
 Sylvia almost cried as she surveyed the meal she had been so proud Of. It looks like the wreck of the Hes lperus." she walled silently, and l did so want this first dinner to be so perfect for him"
 Then with a little shrug of her shoulders she bracod up and blinkcd back her tears-oh. what if the din- ner was spoiled? Did it really mat ter so much? She just wouldn't let 1t spoil her joy in the first evening together in their own Nest-the first of many, many happy evening in the long happy years that she knew were ahead of her and Fanny. She ran to the door of The Nest and threw it open as she heard the grating of Rannys key in the door downstairs. There came 8 rush Of feet and Q furry of laughter on the steps.
 Who in the world can it be-" Sylvia wondered. "Ranny's brought someone home with himV'
 And on the first night. of ali times. On this night that was 10 have belonged to just the two of ,thcm-to her and Ranny. How could he have asked anyone to come homo with him,
 Hello. Bride" called coarse. cheerful voice, and Eddie Carter came puffng around the turn of the stairs. He took both of Sylyia's hands in his soft fat ones and bumped them up and down by way lof greeting.
 "Well, hows the blushing bride? 'IIow's the old married woman?' he asked and laughed as if he had said something very, very funny.
 Sylvia laughed too. with her lips; but her grave eyes looked past Ed die at Ranny-and past Ranny, at Fay Shirley! Fay, coming up the stairs and smiling with her green .cyes, as she waved a shining flask with one hand and held tight to Fanny Phelps coat sleeve with the other.
 Hello, Lovey!" she said 10 Sylvia, and took her in her arms, kissing her on both of her flushed cheeks,
 Hello. Darling. We thought wed come mp and celebrate the wedding 2 li'l bit" Her high pitched voice
 was the least bit shaky. Every now and then Fay Shirley looked pretty, and this was one of
 the times. Her bme-green eyes were
 like water with sun on it, and her
 lips and cheeks were brilliant with
 color. Her satin hat was the exact shade of her red hair, and it was lined with green.
 "Don't ask me to take off my
 hat" she said 10 Sylvia when the two Of them were alone in the little
 bedroom. its so becomin'. Fanny
 and Eddie have been tellin' me all evening how pretty l am--and ] jus love it--I jus love anyone to s tell me how pretty l am." r She sat down before Sylvia's , dressing table and began to rub Syl- , via's toilet water all over her face , and neck.
 q know it's not true! l know I'm . as homely as a mud fence, but jus the same l love people to tell me Tn pretty," she went on thickly, as sh'
 held the bottle Of scent up to hel ', nostrils.
 . .Violet," she said, "I used to ust ', violet a while ago when ] was go '. ing around with Fanny" She broke off and set the bottle ;, down on the dressing table with f bang.
 U "I don't use violet any more," sh' . added. and swayed uncertainty tt II her feet. "Come on out in the othe Il room and let's see what the boys ar . doing"
 v Ranny and Eddie Carter were sit V ting side by side on the davenpor U against the background of gay sill ', cushions Sylvia had made, all h.
 hand. and Eddie had one of them
 yellow one. on the floor under hi
 feet He had one hand full of salt $ ed peatnuts and with the other h Q was throwing them into his moutt " one by one.
 y say, got anything to eat?' Il :, asked Sylvia, "Tm starVing.' ' .S Eddie was always starving, ,, sylvia had never seen him in he I. life when he wasn't just dying to ,r food. He always had something