The Coolidge examiner., 1937-12-16

when he came in! Why had he taken
it so coolly? His senses stirred as
he watched her now in her sweet
gentleness. He would like to go and
sit over there beside her, put his
arm around her, draw her head
down on his shoulder and tell her
how his heart ached for her. Lit
tie, delicate, lovely Alice Blair! To
think that men would dare to marry
her and put her through so much!
Dinner was announced while they
were talking, and the subdued mood
seemed to last. She seated him
opposite to her with a quaint dig
nifty and a gentle Difference that
put him within an atmosphere Of
intimacy. More and more as the
meal went on and he looked into
her eyes as she raised them mean
ingfully to his, he was thrilled with
the fact that he was sitting here
with Alice, dining with her. just as
if they belonged together, as if they
had always belonged together.
But the quiet, intimate dinner was
over at last, and almost at once a
caller was announced. An older
man with baggy pouches under his
eyes. He who answered to the name
of ''Mortie" greeted her with out
stretched hands and patted her
cheek, called her blair, DEAR" and
dared to kiss her fingers. Greg
distrusted him from the moment
he saw him, hated him, registered
a VOW to stick around and protect
Alice from his attentions.
Then others began to drop in, blase
men who eyed Greg indifferently.
noisy girls in abnormal costumes,
an artist or two and a musician who
had already been drinking.
Alice introduced them in group
as 1.-The gang" and called Greg IAN
old sweetheart of mine" They
stared at him briefly and all be-
gan clamoring for drinks.
Greg settled down sternly in a
corner to watch this new develop
ment. When he looked up again
Alice was sitting beside that OBJ
noxious Mortie on the couch light
ing cigarette from his. Everybody
was drinking and Alice was drink
ing, too. She seemed to have for
gotten him. He was the only one in
the room who was not drinking.
Alice noticed him at last and called
across the room to him.
Greg, dolling, aren't you having
anything to drink"
Greg answered nothing and pres
emily arose and looked about him.
No one seemed to be paying the
slightest attention to him. Why
should he not go?
But Alice perhaps OWNED his
thought. and waving her hand,
called:
Come, folks. we're going out to
find a nice place to spend the eve
ningl" and she fioated over to Greg
and nestled up beside uim.
You're going to take mel" she
confded to him with almost the
sweet and gracious air she had
worn at dinner, comforting her
greatest favor upon him.
Something stirred within Greg
again, the old attraction. He knew
he didn't belong to this orgy. Yet
he did not seem able to resist that
look in Alice's eyes. After all, why
blame her so? She had lived in
Paris. She had lived with men who
did these things. He hesitated.
And while he hesitated the man
named Mortie came over to her
with the white fur wrap her maid
had brought.
Come on then, Blair, dear!" he
said posSessively, holding out her
wrap and folding it intimately about
her shoulders.
Alice let him put the wrap about
her, but she lifted her azure eyes
to Greg's face.
"You may put on my wrap, Nor
tie precious" she said languidly,
"but I'm going with my old sweet
heart Gregory Sterling!" and she
slipped a little jeweled hand inside
Greg'S arm. Come on, folks" she
called. We're going out to find a
night club"
ITO BE CONTINUED