San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-13

Dtloit Suuiu alillh VI NNAs
Nicholas Perry's assertion that I feel
called on to make up to him for
Jeanies detection just when he was
injured in her service, she and Lucie
Tremaine Hawley arose and crossed
the piazza tearoom on their way out.
Something in Lucie's amused and
sophisticated smile made me feel on
the defensive.
Where are you racing so fast?"
1 asked banally but with note of
challenge in my voice. Haven't you
time TO stop and say hello TO your old
neighbor, Lucie?"
Lucie halted and Jeanne stopped,
too. though with i'll grace, as she said:
"Lucie's rehearsing in her husbands
New Revue. I'm driving her to town
and she and Matt Hawley and Pat and
are dining together"
80 as chauffeur of the party you're
eager to be off" said. II know how
you feel. Ever since Jim and Nick
got a car together I've had the chauf-
feur complex, too"
have never before used Mr.. Perry's
first name in speaking Of or to him.
Above all 1 haven't even called him
by the abbreviated and chummy title
Nick" in talking of him to jim. SO
it didn't surprise me to see Jeanne
start as she asked:
"Sincc when are you folks so neigh
borly?'
sit down and I'll tell you all about
it." | replied. II hate to see Nick
standing while you two girls force him
to q show of his best table manners.
Lucie laughed lightly as she said:
You're a great one to whet curios-
ity, Anne. / can see that Jeanie is
just dying to know all about it. But
I'm not going TO risk making Matt
angry for all the neighborhood gossip
there is. Come on, jeanne, we've got
to vamoose."
II suppose we do" Jeanie said re
sretfully.
1t was easy to sec that she was fair
ly on tip-toe to know more about the
sudden intimacy between Jim and
Nick Perry. 1 could imagine her
thinking over the fact that Jim had
vastly disapproved of Nick in terms
of his friendship for her-Jim's sister.
And here was Jim's wife suddenly
driving Nick about to cozy teas in the
car which had just been advertised MS
the joint property of the artist and
her brother.
"You and your decentralization
must come over and have dinner with
Jim and Anne and me-" said Nicholas
Perry easily. And then, Madame
Jeanie, well tell you all about how
chummy we've grown. Au 'voir if you
must go-and L suppose you really
must if your friend is to make her
rehearsal"
"And if you're to finish your tete-
a-tete before you have to drive home
and join JIM" said Lucie sweetly-
too sweetly by far.
"The acidulous littlr lemon drop, 1"
laughed Nicholas Perry after they
were gone. "She was actually in
sinuating that Jim is silly to let you
90 driving about alone with me. She
little knows how much you detcst me.
She flatters me-"
I'm the way you most like to be
flattered," 1 said quietly. Il won
der, Mr.. Perry, if you understand
yourself as well as l understand you.
$50 you understand me. fair one.
laughed Mr.. Perry. II thought you
did few moments since when you
inadvertently called me Nick BY
the way, was it inadvertent?"
II don't know" / replied honestly.
did you do it to show Jamie"
began Mr.. Perry and stopped sug'
gestively.
ITO show Jeanne WHAT" 1 asked,
falling into the trap set for me.
loft with the old love and on with
the new" hummed Mr.. Perry in a
manner just a shade this side Of Of
fensive.
My blood rose. But I knew better
than to show this. cynical, inc0nse-
quent fellow that he could annoy me
with what he was bound to insist was
humor, if 1 let myself be foolish
enough to stress it.
Don't be silly" 1 said, lightly.
"Jeanie knows me well enough to be
sure that l wouldn't call a man by his
first name in order TO show her that
l want to succeed her in his casual
and tickle affections"
straight from the shoulder-ha?"
Laughter Mr.. Perry. well, I'll say
this for you-the chap who manages TO
flirt with Jim Harrison's wife proba'
bly, will have TO do it when she's under
the influencse of laughing gas. or un.
der the influence of jealousy induced
by Jim's rowing eye"
And even with those conditions
favoring, the man who flirts with Jim
Harrison's wife will have TO be ire
mendously attractive" said, easily,
Mr.. Perry flushed. knew l had
scored. But / felt sore 10 think that
l am compelled 10 put M with the So
ciety Of this professional ladies man.
whose philandering e as obvious and