Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-03-31
@EM.. INC
Third Installment


the door feeling an almost irresisti-
bic impulse to lock it before she
read the letter. Then she forced her
self to remain seated. you We q
perfect right to read these letters
she said to herself out loud, 'don't
be a fool! Even if any one did come:
| guess ... guess Pm Mrs,
Neil Packard" Yet the uneasy
feeling persisted that the girl named
Frills Packard might at any mo-
ment come in from the other room
and scornfully demand an expla-
nation of her actions. "Oh, what
the matter with me? There can't be
another Frills. Frills Packard is as
dead as as Joyce Ashton wa.
yesterday. She can't come in"
Joyce opened the first letter re-
solutely. A newspaper clipping fell
out. On the heavy, pale lavender
paper with deckle edge was a short
note in a sprawling feminine hand
1t began without any preliminaries
Looks as if you had some party!
Wish I'd been there. You might
hand this clipping on to Laurine. ]
hear she's been trying to find GU,
where Matt was while you were at
Nita's. Watch your step Frilly! c.
Not trying to digest the meaning
of this note, Joyce hastily read the
newspaper clipping: "A great dea'
of righteous indignation is being
felt among the citizens of the Val
ley Road district at the actions of a
certain prominent society woman
and her weekend quests. When all
other amusement failed to provide
the necessary thrills, a new game
instituted and carried out between
two and three o'clock Sunday morn
inc. This game was a species Of
follow-your-leader, played If
motor with no headlights, ane
only the usual rear light on. Thf
bright moonlight was presumably
responsible for the fact that there
were no casualties among the play.
ers, for the driving was undoubt-
eddy of the most reckless character.
and the leader led the party a
merry chase over banks and side
walks, across fields and lawns with
utter disregard for the property
of other people.
ct is understood that the hosts
of this party paid literally for the
damage sustained and that the
matter was satisfactory adjusted
so that it will not be taken into
the courts. The young woman
who. originated the sport and drove
the leading car is the wife of a
well-known Manzanita citizen.
He partner in the game was a
man from the same place whose
name is said to be frequently
mentioned in the same breath with
hers.
As Joyce finished reading a
wave of Mortified shame flooded
her. 'How perfectly disgusting! l
suppose they were all drunk as
lords, Frills worse than the rest.
No wonder Neil is worried about
reckless stunts l should
think he might be; I'd like to
know who C. is and who's Matt?
This" she thought, 'is a pleasant
revelation. All the signs have
pointed to Frills being a bit lively,
but this is a little too much"
just then the telephone rang.
There was an instrument on the
desk, gray enameled like the fur
niture, and Joyce quietly lifted off
the receiver and listened in. After
a moments silence, she heard the
maid answering on the instrument
downstairs. A mans voice inquir-
ed, MAY l speak to Mrs. Packard,
please?"
Mrs. Packard gave instructions
that she didn't feel up to seeing or
speaking tt anyone today"
"Oh? Well, listen, Roxie,
tell her it's Mr.. Maitland, will you,
and ask her if 1 can speak to her
Just a minute"
"All right, sir"
Joyce hastily but cautiously re-
placed the receiver and getting up,
went out onto the sunny sleeping
porch. In a moment she heard the
woman's voice at the bedroom
door, and going in, listened to her
message.
Just =. just tell him I"
she hesitated.
Tell him Pm asleep she said
finally, looking down at the carpet
and feeling a guilty reluctance tc
meet the maids eye. Then, when
the woman had left, she returned
10 tho docL 4l~L Ea-aI