Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-10-18
CHAPTER Nv

"May l ask what is the meaning
of this?" said the new arrival in a
frozen voice. Her gaze went from
Lucinda to her son, then rested con-
temptuously for the fraction OF a
second on the fragments of bottles
and pool of pungent Scotch on the
floor. "What sort of an orgy is this
in the middle of the night, Carter?
And why do you choose your fathers
and my house to stage it in?"
Lucinda stood like an image that
has neither power Of speech nor move
ment.
Carter drew a swift breath. Caught
as he was in this really appalling di-
lemma, Lucinda noticed that he kept
his poise-nor did he act as though
he were ashamed of her. She was
glad of that.
"I'm dreadfully sorry for waking
you, Mother. May 1 present Lucinda
to you, and explain? 1t was like this,
you see"
"There can be no explanation of this
Carter" The regal figure in the sill
yer and orchid peignoir stiffened even
more formidably. 81 should have
thought you would have more respect
for your father and for me than to
bring this-this person" her cold
eyes dropped with hauteur as she look
ed down her well-shaped nose at the
slender figure in her sons pajamas
"into your own home"
"But you don't understand" He
took quick step towards Lucinda, as
though chivalrously to protect her.
"Let me explain the situation to you
tell you how this happened"
The cold eyes widened as a terrible
thought struck her. Designing and
common this girl must be, or never
would she have forced her way into
the boys home were they married?
Proud socially ambitious as she was,
that would be perhaps the worst blow
that Mrs. Jeremy Chalaire could suf-
fer.
If it were true-if he had really
been roped in while his mind was be-
logged by alcoholic libations-then
this girl must be paid off and got rid
of! Jeremy would see to that
A glare Of anger came into the cold
eyes as they rested on unfortunate
Lucinda Stanford in her sons private
sitting room at half past four in the
morning, pajama-clad.
'It is for this intruder to do the ex-
planning, Carter. In my day, there
were only two kinds Of women. The
right-and the wrong kind. 1t seems
obvious to me to which class this
this person-belongs.
At that, an answering flame leaped
into Lucinda's very blue eyes. She
found her tongue.
"You are entirely wrong! Your
son found me-fainting with exhaus-
ton and wet through-right at the
gates of this house. He was kind
enough to bring me in and-and lend
me these pajamas. He-has was an
angel to me. Nothing in any way
wrong has happened"
A cold, incredulous smile twisted
Mrs. Chalaire's pale lips at this in
depreciation of the impasse. In her
heart, however, she was nightly re-
heved that there was no hint of legal
ties in the case. -.
"So-you pick up stray women in
the dead of night? Am I really to
believe that, Carter?"
cts the truth" His lips had tight
ened into hard line. Although in a
way he understood his mothers out
ragged feeling, he hated the cold, cut
ting phrase that made the situation
even more awkward for him and this
unlucky child.
"Then where, may I ask, are the
clothes you have discarded?" contin-
ued the level voice. "Would it not be
natural to attempt to dry them? Or
were you planning to remain here for
the rest of the night"
Lucinda turned scarlet. "I-I hadn't
any clothes. I meant left them in
the bathroom"
Without word, but with a look on
her face that expressed disgust. Mrs.
4Chalaire stepped into the black marble,
orange-lit room, to return in mo-