The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-24
How could he have left her On cas,,.

9SSfN LII Take
your invitation under advisement I"
Did I say before that Won are
the strangest girl that ever passed
my way?" he asked irritably. Thev
were sitting on the Temple dock.
The fresh spring breeze loosened the
tendrils Of AIMS hair. They were
pure gold.
why am I stranger" she asked,
gazing dreamily across the lake.
I'm accustomed to having my in
vitations accepted"
All right" she said impulsively.
I won't be the one to break ar
otherwise perfect record. I'll go to
the dance with you."
Thanks. I suppose I should feel
flattered." His tone was edged with
sarcasm.
Not too much"
That's what I thought. You're
crazy about that Hayden guy, aren't
your"
Her hand covered the silver brace.
let. "A lady admits nothing" she
said lightly. The little bell bit into
her flesh. Oh, Paul-Paul-
The days slipped by on pleasant,
easy tread. Ann managed the Tenn
pie house efficiently and well. AL.
though never taking advantage of
the relationship she was made to
feel n of the family. When Mr..
Temple introduced her to his friends,
he said, You remember that scroun-
drel, Pete this is his Daughter.
Well have to give him credit for
her if nothing else"
Irene made much of her, Ann
found herself being gradually alb
sorbed by Irene's crowd. She wore
Rovely clothes, she lunched and play
ed contract and danced and swan,
she learned to know the smart cock
tail lounges and restaurants and
night spots. She accepted Steve's at
tentions, with reluctance she allow
ed him to become part of her life.
Once Irene said to her, you've
sort OF taken the wind out of my
sails, Ann"
Ann was brushing her shining
hair. She turned, brush in hand,
What do you mean. dear?"
Il mean Steve. I always thought
I could fall back on him when I
got ready, but now I'm not so sure"
DO you want him, Irene?"
well, for a long time I've con.
sidered him my inevitable future"
She frowned a little. IT must marry
someone. If you're in love with
Steve, I'll start looking around"
I'm not in love with him, Irene"
Ann thoughtfully pushed the waves
Of her hair into place.
Maybe not, but he's wild about
you. You'd be a fool not to marry
him. Grand family, lots of money,
social background"
Ann said, II won't get in your
way, Irene. I'm not so eager to be
married"
What else is there for a girl to
do?"
"Oh, lots of things"
Irene leaned to press her cheek
to AIMS. They both smiled into the
mirror. go as far as you like with
Steve" Irene said. I'm not without
other possibilities. Maybe We can
have a double wedding. 1t would be
fun"
Ann felt that the conversation had
been planned. And she suspected
that Irene was more than mildly
interested in Steve. However, the
matter seemed to have been taken
out Of her hands. Steve was not
not to be juggled this way and that.
He had a mind of his own and that
mind had been definitely made up.
AS the weeks passed, Ann had to
admit that she was restless and I'M
happy. The Athens Club party. had
been just another evening, nothing
more. When she remembered the
same event with Paul she wondered
what had become Of the stardust
and glamour. She had everything
for which she had longed, a fam
lily social position, more clothes than
she could wear, a m Of absolute
security.
Recalling her old dreams. she
laughed at them. Linen sheets, silk
bed coverings, sterling silver and
%wedgewood china. Perhaps H. was
because they had come too easily
that their Importance had vanished.
Perhaps the fun of having lovely
things was working for them, strlv-
ing, beating the budget.
One day in midsummer Irene gave
a luncheon on the terrace. Ann OBJ
served the girls speculatively. They
differed from her friends in Mrs.
Follet's rooming house only in back
ground and money. The types were
identical.
There was Geneva Weston, a mys-
terious eyed, dangerous girl with
pale blond hair. She affected bizarre
cigarette holders and moved with
law race. She had renounced fam
ily life and lived in her own apart
ment. The girls whispered that &C.
neva was most indiscreet-they hint
ed at a married a She was an
other Florabelle, without Flora
bellies excuse for folly.
ELISA Faber was plump, n gig
| cled and talked too much. She might
have been a b~etter.dressed, better
groomed Clara. And the Campbell
s~isters--they skated expertly over
the thin social ice, incredibly auda-
cious, incredibly popular. Neddy and
Teddy had held sway in the West
Side tayerns, the Campbell sisters
led in the night clubs.
Ann noted another thing. AS it