The Washington times., 1935-12-14
Back Stage
Secrets of
Society

think I was born yesterday"
Vernon thought: There are
hateful undercurrents in New
York. I wonder, Is anyone really
happy2"
She drained her glass, deter.
mined she would put that uncer.
tain quantity, Terry Shannon, out
Of her mind and heart. There
must be something more to this
Alma business than admitted,
when he would wiggle out Of .
definite engagement to meet her,
at the last minute. AS likely as
not, Alma had induced him to
change his mind had brought
pressure to bear on him..
Better try to keep her thoughts
on Prince Karinoff-ap attitude
which would delight her mother.
The soul Of politeness, the Prince
would never let one down-leave
one, as now, "0dd-man-out" in q
party.
She thought: 'I shant let Nan
and her beau think I'm at all upset
over Terry not coming" She re-
sponded with smiles to Sugars
compliments.
THIS did not suit Nan. But in.
stead Of showing her jealousy, she
must make flirtatious Sugar feel
some qualmS. 81 promised 'Foggy'
Henson to join him in the bar for
q coffee and benedictine. He asked
me when ] was getting the phone
cal from Terry. Excuse me for
10 minutes, my children"
The moment Nan had diSap.
lpeared, Sugar made himself even
more charming to Vernon. He
even hinted that he would sap
Ipreciate an evening rendezvous
with her-what about doing a
Inightclub together"
"I couldn't. Your wife"
my dear, that's okay. Don't be
antedeluvian."
"But Nan-She wouldn't like it
either" Vernon felt irritated with
him. -
"Why, Nan only looks upon me
aS q pal. She flirts with all Of us,
but 1t doesn't mean anything"
i Don't be too sure. Anyway, I
think the whole things wrong"
He drew a breath, looking at
her intently. "How can any one
as pretty as you are be such a
prude? But come, you're posing" F."
/ I'm not. can't see what fun
there is in going out with mar
ried man, more especially when he
is living with his own wife. An
| that would come Of it would be
q lot Of talk and criticism"
| my dear, how early VictorianP
"Oh, you think I'm q fool"
"On the contrary, I think you're
| q beautiful girl who has her head
screwed q little too firmly on her
shoulders. You're only young once.
my dear. You should loosen up.
Grab what you want. All the
analyzing about right and wrong
can come when you're older"
"You think So?"
''I think" said sugar" Sarrail
slowly, and his dark eyes burned
like twin VeSuviuS as he caught
her fingers in a tight clasp, shat
you're damnably desirable-and I
wish to heaven you would come
across even Just a nttle-liye up
to the promise In your eyes,"
81 think that kind Of talk is
rather-cheap."
"You don't. You're just stalling.
You want to tantalize me. /
understand you girls better than
you do yourself"
LET go Of my fingers. Someone
will see u.s. :.
worrying about what people
will say? That's Victorian again.
I'm ashamed Of you"
Vernon drew her hand away
from his tight clasp. But the COCK
tail had mounted in her head a
little. # only she could forget
J Terry Shannon! At this very min
ute he was probably deep in q
Irritation with his Alma -.
Lets have another little cock
tall" Sugar" now suggested. It
was as though he had Q sixth
sense where women were con-
cerned, and sensed Vernon's mood:
"Okay with me-" She smiled
. dazzlingly at him.
"Smile again, Beautiful. you
have the lovehest smile I've ever
seen."
!. Her heart gave an odd pang,
remembering that Terry had used
; almost those same words to her
at the SuydamS' party!
They were all flirtS, these men
about-town. Why not beat them
ct their own game?
So Vernon smiled again. play.
ing with fire. amusing herself
verbally with the lightly 1mpres'
; sionabIe Sugar"
"You ought not to be married
as ALL" She blew q ring Of smoke
from her cigarette. "You ought 70
be syndicatedl"
$50 that I can shed my sweet
ness and light over . wide variety
"oh. you do that anyway!"
"You think I'm incapable OF
really falling in lover"
eyes. Like the bee. Fitting
. from flower to flower and extract
ing the honey!"
"How unfair Of you'll"
"And then fitting on, leaving
the long trail behind you, you vain
creet1rel"