Evening star., 1927-09-09
CHAPTER LII.
The Invitation.

That night at dinner. the second
| maid. Bessie. waited on the table.
| Martin raised his eyebrows, but said
| nothing. He would speak to Nan
about it later when they were alone
| in the living room. He had several
things that he wanted to take up with
her then.
Bessie was not so deft as Hilda had
been, SO that dinner dragged even
| more than usual. Nan ate very lit
| tie, pecking at the food on her plate.
Alicia had been right. The child
was miserably unhappy. Well, he had
| made up his mind. He intended to
give her her freedom. 1t was the
only fair thing to do. But he dreaded
letting her go away from him when
she was looking so white and frail.
Even though she hated him, the sense
of her nearness was something.
In the living room Nan curled up in
one of the big chairs and waited while
Martin lighted a cigar. The cigarettes
were beside her on the table, but she
was too listless to smoke. She had
| shaken her head when Martin had
proffered her the box.
mot now, thank you; I'm really too
tired"
Just as she had expected. Martins
first question was about Hilda.
II discharged her this morning"
"Why?"
Because she was insolent. Her
manner toward me has been insolent
for long time, Martin"
why didn't you speak to me aboaIt
it?"
Nan hesitated. She might answer
that question in any one of number
of ways. But pride stirred in her,
piercing her apathy. She lifted her
head and the lamplight shining across
| one cheek and leaving the other in
shadow threw her features into sharp
relief
Again that nameless fear tore across
Martins heart. But her words were
spirited enough when she spoke.
II wanted the satisfaction of dis
charging her myself, because, of
course, she didn't think I dared to
do it,
If Martin had been approachable, if
| they had been on any other terms
| she would have told him laughingly
| of the incident. She would have de-
scribed the look on Hilda's face. II
she had been telling such an incident
to Tom she would have giggled and
| then snuggled up in his arms waiting
| for words of appreciation.
AS it was, she knew that the
| servants looked down upon her be-
| cause she had been a model. She
knew that they talked about her. II
| Martin hadn't seen this state of affairs
| he must be blind. But it had given
her a certain amount Of satisfaction
| to take the affair in hand that morn
| ing and go through with it. For a
time it had made her feel little less
humble, little less like a figurehead
in Martins home.
Martin said nothing more and for a
moment there was silence. Then he
drew paper out of his pocket.
II have made a tentative list Of the
guests for Miss Rumseys dinner
party. Would you like to see it?"
Again a sensation of sorts tore
across Mans apathy. Again her small
head lifted proudly. She would carry
the farce through, ridiculous as it was.
Martin hadn't even consulted her
about the dinner guests, but, after all
why should he? She would have no
suggestions to make. The guests
would be selected from list of Mar
tins friends. The dinner would be
just like many others that she had
attended since her marriage. Only
this time there would be the difference
made by the glittering, radiant Alicia
Alicia, the guest of honor.
He carried the list over to her and