Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-11-25
CHAPTER IL

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thought that he was immune-beyond
feeling anything-yet this hit him.
"But why an elopement?" A puz-
zled hurt was in his eyes, his daZed
look.
Darling it's been coming on for
a long time. Like the measles. You
know, girls are awfully Independent
nowadays. You mustn't blame Ber-
nice"
"But-but is he the right MANI"
"He is-for her. She's in love, dar-
ling. She's terribly in love with Fred
die Brandon"
1--WE aren't so poor that we couldn't
have given her a quiet home we'd
ding" said Dad.
Thought Ann: 81 shall burst out
CRYING in another minute!" But she
contrived to smile-to carry it off sue
cessfully.
"Home weddings are old-fashioned,
my love. Freddie and your beautiful
dotter just upped and did it, with no
frills or nonsense. Honestly, that's
much the more sensible method. And
so economical"
"Can he support her, ANN"
Decidedly, he can, if he has mind
to work. And now he's married, he
will work. Freddie's got great crea-
tive talent"
"I-he seemed irresponsible light
minded. Maybe I'm mistaken?"
Dad was so pathetic.
"He's what Bernice wanted, and
she's got him, and you and I'll have
to make the very best of it. You
know, when a man loves girl, won
ders can be performed"
He kissed her. He understood her,
at least better than he understood his
other womenfolk. He wanted to tell
her how much he appreciated her 10y
atty, that she was true-blue, but
words did not come easily to James
Delafield. Where his feelings were
involved he was inarticulate.
A spot of comfort in the elopement
was that, now she was married wo-
man, Bernice would resign her job of
cocktail-hostess in "The Laughing
Pig"
Now the columnists's secretary, due
to a poor telephone connection, had
not caught the given name OF the
bride. She had met Ann Delafield
once at a party and had thought it
was Ann who had just got married.
So the youngest Delafield's name was
in the column, in the midnight edition
of the morning tabloid, as the wife of
Freddie Brandon, "well-known Park
Avenue Playboy."
The mistake, of course, was recti-
fled in the breakfast edition of the
paper, due to Bernice's and AIMS
calls.
But when Ann walked into her de-
partment at the store that morning,
Renita Parrish had already spread the
news around that she was married!
"Not 1. My sister," explained
Ann.
This was a sore disappointment to
Renita Parrish. And it was not alone
Renita who had read the item in the
paper. Paul Bradley had seen it! Cor
don Gavin likewise!
The shock of AIMS supposed mar
riage had impelled Gordon to call up
Renita the previous evening.
"What about lunching with me to-
morrow? The Golden Eagle at one
o'clock, Renita." Lonely and disheart
ened, it was comforting to get her
quick response.
"Ann Delafield's married. It's in
tonight's paper. Did you see it, Cor
DOM" he had quavered, after long
pause.
"Why. mol" He contrived to sound
nonchalant.
"To someone called Freddie Bran
don. 1 guess she won't ever be COM
ing back to work in the store" Keep
the triumph out of her voice! Ali,
Now she would have her innings at
last!
al don't know him. To the devil
with him anyway" Gordon said gruff
ly.
She thought: "He never really cared
for her! 1t was only silly store gos-
sip!"
From the stockroom she borrowed a
beautiful gown for luncheon.
Gordon had two cocktails on the
table when she arrived. He was US
ually abstemious. She wondered
was it the news of AIMS wedding that
had made him want the stimulant,
or was it to please her-Renita?
She thought: "I won't tell him it