The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-16

CHAPTER FORl OLA
The Mortified study on the sec-
ond floor of the old mansion was
a room % by 80 feet in dimen-
sions, high ceilinged, lined with
book cases on two sides and fur
nished with heavy chairs, rockers,
and Mr.. M~errifield's huge mahog-
any desk. The desk was before
the fireplace, and even though this
was late spring the butler had
stirred up a little blaze just be
cause it was customary, and be.
cause an old man is likely to feel
any slight chill in the air after sun
down. Two knots glimmered IN
the fireplace now, throwing shad-
ows that danced about the big
room in ghostly parade.
A tall bookcase jutted out from
one end of the wide mantle, reach
ing the desk for convenience and
forming a dark setback nook IN
n curner of the big room. There
Mr.. Mortified had caused to be
placed a long couch, and there he
frequently lay down for cat maps,
resting a quarter-hour, half hour,
or an hour as need be, to restore
his surprising energies. A heavy
afghan thrown there served to COW
err his feet and legs on such &C.
casions.
Now, on this night of the play
and the ball, he discovered after
dinner that he was suddenly IA
tigued. He had been as excited
as one of the youngsters about the
doings in his home. He had three
friends in to dinner, and so did a
deal of talking. He knew that on
this occasion he wanted to stay
up past midnight. So he wisely
decided to lie down a bit before
hand. He babe his friends make
themselves at home on the front
porch below, while he slipped off
upstairs to the old couch in the
private nook he loved so well.
II have taken the liberty, Miss
Gayle, to bring in two assistants
this evening"" the maid Maudie
said, while helping G ayle dress.
"You understand We don't want
it to happen again"
"Oh, yes, Mrs.-Maudie! l do
hope nothing happens to mar this
party. Any thievery could simply
ruin"
Don't worry now. Well be on
guard. Please just relax and enjoy
yourself and let us do any worry
ing for YOU" Mrs. Homquist, call
ed Maudie, was a kindly soul,
Gayle knew. Gayle smiled h e r
thanks.
It wasn't easy to relax, though.
Any party has a mass of last
second details. Any theater is a
madhouse on opening night. With
a play and a party planned for the
same evening, and with herself
acting in one and being hostess at
the other, Gayle Dixon was fairly
flying with energy and nerves.
Not that she didn't love it. She
did. She enjoyed the excitement
because she was young. Mrs.
Holmquist had helped to make her
even more beautiful than usual, in
her white net evening gown. Her
straw-colored hair was curled per-
fectly, her cheeks pink from ex-
element rather than from rouge.
Bill, similarly busy, paused long
enough to admire her when she
came downstairs at seven.
"Chris-to-pher!" he breathed,
staring.
"Something?" she pretended moi
to understand.
Eyes! Plenty!"
She pirouetted for him, like a
model; then smiled and flickered
her eyelids.
stop it," he commanded. "A
man can stand just so much.
may yet grab you by the hair and
rush off to some mountain cave"
"Oh, how roman-tic!" S {
gushed, then a on, laughing.
The two understood each other,
in part at least. Bill had a mo
ment of detection there as he
watched her go-Bil who h a q
come to worship her, but who coulo
not speak of his love. He wondered
why he let promises and pride
and loyalty and all those things in
terfere. He had mentioned a cave