Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-06-26
CHAPTER XII

III was ILIuS LLlcI ALCALJ ANA
four hours later, her evening gowr
crumpled under her and her chiffor
bodice half off one shoulder. Close
by was the brandy bottle-and the
stain from the bacardi, that someone
had spilled, was on the front of Vir'
ginia's dress.
Her face was pale, with deep cir
cles of fatigue and illness under her
eyes. The rouge stood out strongly
against the pallor of her cheeks. Or
dinarily Virginia did not use CO.'S
metics. But seeing herself so ghast-
Unlocking at her own party, she had
hastily dabbed some rouge on her face
In shocked silence, Henry stared at
his bride of but few months. There
in the midst of the disheveled drawing
room she lay, surrounded by debris
of glasses and bottles. Arriving ear
ly on the Twentieth Century, he had
let himself in with his latchkey, for
up until 80 late-the servants were
still sleeping.
To his eyes, Virginia looked exact
ly as if she were in a drunken Sum-
Der! With deep sigh, he placed a
cushion below her head, gently pulled
the bodice of her evening gown about
her shoulders, and, taking a heavy
Spanish shawl from the piano, draped
it over her. Disappointment and a
puzzled look in his eyes, he went to his
own quarters, had bath, and with
out waiting for the servants to awake,
slipped out of the house and down
town.
1t was at half past ten that morn
ing that Henry Van lyle received an
urgent telephone call to come home at
once. Virginia had been taken SER
iously ill.
Arriving post haste, he found a
specialist and nurse in charge. In
brusque words, the doctor informed
the husband of his wife's condition,
and that, in the circumstances, she had
been criminally negligent in taking
that high dive at the swimming pool.
Hurt and surprised that Virginia
should have kept her secret from him,
Henry was informed that an immed-
late operation was necessary.
1t was strangely upsetting day.
Around noon, the newspapers broke
with the story of the overnight rob-
berry in the Van lyle penthouse. Re-
porters arrived. The late afternoon
papers carried q description of the
famous house-warming that had car
ried on till dawn. The tabloids were
particularly lurid in their details of
what seemed like Bacchanalian rev.
ell. The idle rich :. VI. this was a grand
chance to pan their goings- on. It was
done thoroughly.
The day, too, brought news of Chot-
TVS marriage to Lefty!
AS the days went by, Virginia grad
'ually regained her strength. When
the specialist paid his last visit to her.
what he had to tell her was a great
shock. "You will probably never have
any more children" he said slowly.
She turned white. Rapidly, anxious
ly, she put some questions to him. 1t
was all too true. Through her own
carelessness this thing had been
brought to pass. 1t was her punish
ment for plunging headlong into this
so-called society-for listening to
Julie-for assuming the selfish creed
of the gang.
And what would Henry say were he
to know? Would he turn from her?
She could not, dare not, bring herself
to tell him.
$50 you married him after all, Chot-
ty!" said Virginia to her exuberant
Kentucky friend, the first day she was
we'll enough to see her after her i'll
ness. Way down in your heart you
really cared for Lefty-even if you