The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-29
CHAPTER x

Mrs. Stephen Curt stood before the triple mirrors in her room and surveyed her several lovely shelves therein reflected. Her dinner gown of simple black chiffon had cost more than, as Diana Tucker, she had earned in c month. The did. mond bracelet clasping her wrist, Stephens gift on their wedding day, was worth Q small fortune. The charming room in which she stood, with its silver hangings against dull blue, was a place in which 6 woe man might be supremely happy.
 And Diana was happy. Reso. iutely she told herself that. In spite of the fact that her mar riage was strictly a business af- far. Tn spite of Stephens sister, Adela, who did her best to hue initiate Diana and make her ui- comfortable whenever she could. And in spite of the fact that to- night, among other guests assem- bled for dinner below, would be Richard Thorpe.
 Diana was at a loss to under stand why the thought of Richard Thorpe's coming to the house should cause her such distress. Aside from the fact that she had never liked her former employer and that she had left his presence the last time after telling him to ''go Ao the devil" she knew she had no earthly reason now for this dread of seeing him again.
 It was Adela who had Invited the Thorpes and when she had told Diana that they had accepted the invitation, 1t was with 0 ma. Ncious amusement which Diana was quick to see and understand.
 During the weeks that had elapsed since the snowy evening when stephen Curt had asked her Co become his wife, events had passOd In such rapid succession that Diana was left breathlesS. But with Frieaa'S help, she had selected the right clothes. presided over the household affairs with simple dignity and more than once wondered If she'd really ever known any other life than this.
 She felt that she'd always been awakening each morning in her wide, beautiful bedroom to the luxury of e scented bath and the eager manifestations of FTieda, who had become her slave. It had all been 50 easy because of Stephens kindness and understanding. He had kahAva RaAS. ka kHam sm silA akssAAaa and introduced her to his assoc ciates there.
 At least once c week they dlned with old Elein Curt and Diana formed the habit of dropping in often on the old lady. A real bond of affection developed be. tween them and Diana spent many happy hours there. It helped Q great deal to know that old Ellen couldn't abide" Adela, and sympathized with the din. culties Diana was having with her eister-in-law.
 Phll Bruce had been e big help, to. He came to the house often and Diana knew, in the intuitive way all women have, that each time her attraction for him grew. After Stephens stiff words on their wedding day, she had thought 1t best never to see Phil alone, but frequently they made 6 threesome to do night club or the theater.
 Diana's relatives, completely 0verawed by her good fortune, had come down for dinner one evening and Stephen had exerted himself to be especially charming. There was no doubt that he was genuinely fond of her father, who could discuss with ease many of the subjects on which Stephen was considered an authority. Ste- phen was kind to the two boys, too. Herman had come up espe- cially from the State University for teh occasion. And Diana, be-