Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20

I N 4
" express for the city. Her lips were
pressed together, and there was
anger in her heart Not the sort of anger that
comes in nebulouS little gusts in the morning, IS
blown very thin by the comfortable routine of
the day. and then with the evenings kiss is as If
it had never been. No, Nancy's snger was not
that kind. 1t was very still and quiet and bitter
the kind from which woman can draw a
chill dignity which makes her seem as unap-
proachable as the Jura Mountains.
It was in this cold and distant mood that
Nancy had prepared the breakfast sat down OPP
poSite Jack in their sunny little dining room
and answered briefly his cheerful flow of con-
versation.
whats wrong?" he demanded at last "Was
last night too much for you? Why don't you
let few of these high-brows eat at home for
while? You're all tired out!"
I'm all right" Nancy had responded briefly.
sThat is, I'm not physically tired
Jack grabbed his paper and his watch.
Thunder! I forgot had to stop at the
bank. Good-by, honey. Now you rest up today
and forget about dinner parties. A darned
nuisance, call them! Good-by, dear"
He kissed her eagerly, as he always did, and
left the house with great slamming of screen
doors and clatter of shoes on the steps. He
was whstling as he turned to wave to her from
the street. Nancy waved back mechanically,
the cold arrow still in her heart, and then
turned to the living room, which recalled only
too wildly the whole scene of the evening
before. She sank down in the deep chair to
think things over
THE worst of it all was that Jack didn't
even known what he had done. He was
as happy and care-free now as if he had not
just laid waste some of her fondest hopes. 1t
was not even If she had not explained the
importance of the dinner to him. He knew
what cultured people the Lynns were. To have
them accept at all was positively overwhelming.
Just little informal dinner" she had told
Mrs. Lynn lightly over the telephone; mo other
guests" And at that austere lady's I'VE shall
be delighted to come over, I'm sure. It's 90
pleasant to share young peoples home Hfe,"
Nancy had almost tainted away in her chair.
She had anticipated an equally gracious refusal.
But it was like Nancy to aspire and to sue
coed. Already, during their three years stay
in Wcodlawn she had become a member of
three clubs and chairman of half-do7en COM
mittees; and her aspirations ran still higher.
She was, she knew, considered one of the most
capable of the young matrons along all lines
intellectual. Mrs Lynn, who was president of
the Women's Club, had particularly singled her
out for responsibility and favor. And when
that parsonage had called, and later invited
them tc her musicale, Nancy had felt that
her feet were well up on the ladder that she
hoped to climb
For the Lynns were not only wealthy, they
were Woodlands most distinguished family
Mrs. Lynn wrote articles for the magazines on
Club Work and Women in Politics." and sub
jects like that and Mr.. Lynn was interested
in collecting, and had been to Greece and
actually helped a party excavate some vases
and bones!
So had the stage been set for what Nancy
felt was the great scene Of her social career up
to date. The table did look lovely. And Jane,
her cleaning woman, knew how to serve beauti-
fully, and was already in the kitchen. In the
living room Nancy, in her best frock which
emphasized the fresh, natural pink of her
cheeks, was trying to be calm and not fit about
while the minutes sped by and Jack did not
come She had warned him about being late
Dinner was at 2. At $50 Jack arrived, very
much begrimed from the first hot day Of
Spring, but affeetionately blithe as usual
Hello, honey! Why all the dolled-upped-
ness?"
Then, at her expression, he sank heavily onto
the slender hall chair which was meant only
for looks, anyway.
Great suffering suckersi" he calculated. 1T
forgot this dinner business! But say, listen,
honey. Do you know what I pulled off today?
i landed old Griscom! Yes sir, with a good
big, fat order. I've been after him for two
years, and today got him. darn his old thick
hide"
Hurry, Jack-yes, that's fne-but hurry!
They're likely to come any minute and you have
to shave. Please hurry Jack You know the
Lynns."
"Oh. to the dickens with the Lynns! Say,
you haven't given me a kiss. Isn't it the cats
though, about old Griscoms order? Wait till
they see that roll in at the Office. Oh baby!"
1t was then Is minutes to 2. At 10 minutes
OF the hour door slammed vigorously upstairs,
the sound of running water and violent splash
ings came down, only slightly muted, to the
living room; and in another 5 minutes the
door bell rang and Mr.. and Mrs Lynn poised
immaculate, and family condescendmg entered
At this point in her mental review Nancy
paused to admit point of honor. Jack didn't
know that the guests had arrived. He couldn't
hear anything above the sea noises he was
making. But he should have assumed they