The Coolidge examiner., 1936-11-06
FRIDAY-Continued

1t was a remark tnat Saran
Darbe had made several days be-
fore which put it into my head to
take Sylvia to the masquerade. OF
course Sylvia had begged me to
take her. as she had begged the
preceding year, and of course l had
refused her this year as had then
ON the plea that children never
went. What Sarah said was.
Wouldn't it be cute if Sylvia could
go as your child, Mrs. Avery? 1
mean dressed exactly like you"
OF course l will confess now that I
had been racking my brain for
an excuse to take her. And in
stantly 1 made up on my mind that
1 would take her-but keep her
there only until the unmasking.
The moment l came to this de-
cision Sarah and 1 rushed up the
narrow wooden staircase to the
attic and began turning over the
things in the huge costume trunk.
work. The long and short of this
story is that before that afternoon
was over, we had thrown together
a costume for Sylvia which, as ex-
actly as possible, followed the lines
of mine.
Had not taken Sylvia to the
party-I have often wondered since
how soon, if ever, would we have
discovered who killed Ace Blaikie?
Perhaps the truth would have come
out in time, certainly not so soon.
Nobody in Satuit makes calls on
the afternoon OF this important day.
And SO it was with a groan of quite
hypocritical self-pity - for 1 was
really conscious of a pleasurable
excitement - that saw Molly
Eames's roadster come curving in
to the driveway about two o'clock.
Caro- Prentiss was with her.
We know just how welcome we
are, Aunt Mary" Molly announced
cheerfully as they came onto the
piazza steps, but we knew it was
worse to go home. Everybody is
so busy and so snappish the after
noon of the masquerade that l
become practically pariah. Who
could bear to watch us peacefully
taking a cool drink"
You can have all the cool drinks
you want" l assured her, IF you'll
get them yourself"
How does it happen, Mrs.
Avery" Caro- asked me, that
you're not working on your cos
tune? Everybody else in Satuit is
that is except Molly and myself"
Mine has been finished for many
days" l answered.
so has Molly's," Caro- replied.
And l brought mine from Europe.
Lucky me! I've not had to put a
stitch in anything"
remember thinking that this
was the first time Molly had not
worked on her costume until the
moment she put it on. Molly's
costumes were events. | wondered
why she was so fore-handed this
year.
Presently Molly returned with
tray loaded with bottles, glasses
and ice.
AS l slipped my ginger ale. l
studied the two types. They pre-
sented a marvellous contrast.
Molly Eames is one of the most
beautiful girls 1 have ever seen. A
Botticelli. but a robust Botticelli.
Flesh white as a gardenia's petal
but rich and thick; hair pale gold
but thick and deeply waved. stiff
ike brilliant pliable wire: eyes
pale blue and silken-lashed, but
With strange compelling quality.
AS she lounged in my great,
peacock-backed wicker chair l no.
.iced what carnival the sun was
exciting in the big diamond on her
left hand-Ace Blaikie's engage
ment ring. l noticed, above all,
that although she did not look tired,
she looked Wrung-mentally weary
[ mean. Yet her eyes stormed
Often their gaze set for an instant
On the distant view; but they were