Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-03-18
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

excited child when the evening for
Dinah's party came finally, and she
stood before her mirror patting the
waves into her brown hair. She was
wearing her wedding dress, and her
cheeks glowed with a flush that
made her eyes look as dancing as
Dinah's own.
You're as excited over this shin
dig as you were over your own
wedding" Jim complained as he
struggled with his tie. Peering over
her shoulder, his eyes met hers in
the mirror, and she bowed to him
demurely.
DO you think they'll like me,
.sir?" she asked, and laughed as his
big arms closed suddenly about
her slim body.
Like you?" His voice was
husky. I'm afraid they'll like you
too well. girl. I've half a notion
not to let you go. You're mine, do
you understand that? Mine ="
Jim, you're hurting mew Sc
cure in his possessiveness, she
struggled away coyly. You'll muss
my dress. Let me go! You're like
big BEAR" she scolded.
IA bear that likes his honey" he
shot back nonsensically, and they
both laughed again. She had never
laughed so much in her life, Iona
thought, as she lifted from it's box
the trim corsage of rose buds Jim
had brought home for her to wear.
Like it?" he asked, serious
again, as she fastened the fragrant
circlet to her belt.
1T was sweet of you to think of
it, Jim," she told him. I'm glad
you brought one for Dinah, too.
She loves it." She stood on tip-toe
and gave him a kiss; a trim, tan
talizing little peck on the forehead
that brought a protest.
"Is that all I get?" he chided
her. "Next time I'll bring you a
bouquet of wild flowers"
They were still giggling like a
couple Of children as they went,
hand in hand, across the hall to
the Morriss living room. From be-
hind the closed door the sound of
voices and the bubbling of laughter
indicated that the gaiety was al
ready under way. For moment
the fear Of people Iona had de-
veloped in her long, lonely years of
reticence almost overcame her, but
she shook it off determinedly. Was
she to be that way always, she
wondered? Always to bear the
scars.
1t was crowded living room
into which they were ushered by a
smiling Mrs. Morriss. Dinah, en-
thrOned in her chair like a reigning
queen, was silhouetted against the
draped windows. She pulled Iona
over to her possessively and went
through the introductions with an
air.
1t seemed odd to hear herself
called Mrs. Bennett, Iona thought,
as she nodded and smiled, and
tried to associate the names she
had heard in Dinah's chatter of the
past few days with the laughing
young people about her. The girl in
blue with the straight black hair
must be Ethel Harmon. That
would be Louis Davis beside her.
He ran the garage on Main street.
Over on the divan was curly
haired boy named Jones.
Zone of the Jones boys, you
know" he told her, solemnly, as
they were introduced.
Out in the dining room, lowering
over the great punch bowl which
graced the white-clothed table was
another young man, tall and anx-
ious looking. He was making a
great ado of stirring and tasting,
and Iona knew he must be Bobby
Graves. Pinky, the piano player,
was not yet in evidence.
Two of the girls were sisters.
They dressed alike in demure ruff
fled frocks and seemed comically
inseparable. They were Evelyn and
Madelyn Arnold, daughters of the
Brighton undertaken. "Ev" and
Mad" the rest called them. Sitting
beside the Jones boy on the divan
was a stately young woman in a
black dress, smoking a cigaret
with Ostentatious ease.
Mrs. Davis" Dinah named her.
She was the wife of the garage
keeper, and she eyed Lona's simple
frock with a frankly appraising
look. Her lazy glance quickened
when Jim was presented to her;
and she took a nOnchalant diff of