The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-09-02

\ might be the decent thing for us I to do considering that mother has always asked her to stay here | "Or course" Liane agreed, masking her true feelings. "I1l write her at once" In his pres- ence she gave orders to have the east room made ready. She had not preached again the subject of their own affairs. Now she was afraid to do so. What if he actual ly agreed to divorce and made plans to put it through with dis- patch? The thought frightened Liane. Now that she faced the im- mediate possibility of losing Give she appreciated what he meant to her. She deserved, she assured herself, nothing better. For so long she had closed her eyes to his charm.
 All that day, as she rode in ! the quiet lanes, as she ate her solitary lunch, she pondered the problem. There were several methods of procedure. She might l stake everything on one bold throw. She might tell Give what she knew and what she suspected of Tressa's earlier perfidy. She might ignore all that and give the other girl battle on her own ground. The first plan she reject ed. All was fair in love and war she knew, but she shrank from the notion of exposing her rival so shamelessly.
 No. She would just have to take the chance of beating Tressa at this game. If only she hadn't provided Give with an "out" by that suggestion last week that he might be peter off free! When Tressa arrived, bag and baggage, Liane forced herself to show a cordiality she did not feel. The other girls greeting, while effusive, held a touch of weariness Liane was quick to sense.
 "She doesn't like me any better than l like her." the girl thought. 'She hates me for being mistress here"
 "Clive tells me you've been ill.," Tressa purred smoothly. "But you look so well I'd not have believed it."
 With stab the thought oc- cured to Liane that Give might have confided to this sleek, green eyed woman the curious sort of marriage he had made. She re- jected that as unworthy. Give was too fine, too honorable, to make condolences concerning her Still the idea ranked. Were men ever too fine and honorable to tell se- ductive women secrets? There could be no doubt of Tressa's se- ductiveness. Her round cheeks had q peachy bloom. Her exquisitely curved figure was a delight to be- hold. Liane, watching without seeming to, acknowledged with bit ter reluctance the potency of Tressa's charm.
 NO man in his senses would prefer me to her." thought she. still Give had chosen her in the first hand. But what did that prove? Nothing at all. Men were Tickle, always and the flower just out of reach, was the most desir- able.
 Liane took especial pains as she rearranged her softly waving bronze gold hair. She rubbed pop py colord salve on her lips and let her cheeks go uncolored. She thought this made her seem older, more a woman of the world.
 Her frock was black and in the deep V of the bodice she thrust the snapshot of Give.
 She met him on the landing. very tall and attractive in his dinner clothes. His bow seemed formal.
 Isn't that new gown?"
 She hoped her smile was not as coquettish as 1t felt. Tt IS. Do you like it?"
 "Very becoming and so grown up."
 She noted the twinkle and col- ored unwillingly. Was he making fun of her2
 Tressa, in a swirl of pale colored lace with little red shoes twinkinE in and out beneath her flounces' rushed down upon them.
 "Give me a light, darling she sang out to Olive. She put the cigaret between her pretty, paint ed lips and held her face close 10 his as he performed the little ceremony. ~
 1T loathe her. loathe her, loathe her!" cried Liane in her inmost heart, watching the tahleau. Gives handsome profile had been close to Tressa's pouting mouth. It might almost have ben kiss, that ges- ture. Liane knew Tressa thought so, too.
 She turned her back on them and went to the window. She ground her nails into her palms to keep from crying out. This she reminded herself, was not the way. She must smile and pretend not to see. She must fight this al- turing woman with Tressa's own weapons. To show hurt was to admit defeat. When she turned around she was smiling faint ly.
 I'm starved" Liane said. Come on, you two. Ellen says dinner is ready.
 At the table she was almost gay. But she soon discovered the con- versation was being taken out of her hands. Although technically she was mistress Tressa subtly made her feel an interloper. Tressa talked of people whom she and Give had known all their lives, of places Liane had never seen.
 Occasionally as though with diff ficulty she politely in/A A,ed Liane in her conversation. The younger woman was no match for Tressa's studied suavity. Give felt the ten- sion in the atmosphere but did not known exactly what was happen ing.
 As they sat over their coffee little later one of the maids sum- moned Give to the telephone. and the two women were left together. The constraint was almost tangi- ble. Tressa fidgeted with her