Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-05-15
81 NONTODNh, MARY ROBERTS
a2IG OOClOR Y PiNEEg ART

Ames.
annie dressed carefully. with Mar
tha'S help, powderng her face, gettin4
into her handsome evening dress with
its train, picking up her enormous
featheeed fam But She was thinking
hard, aud at the last moment she trail
ed into the dining room and changed
the cards, putting Jerry the length of
the table from Beverly.
She went back into the drawing
room and tried to ease her dress,
which was tight over her bosom. Then
Stanton came in, immaculate in
black and white, and she tried to for
get that nagging secret pain in her
breast and that young doctor blam-
ed them for what she considered an
act of God-and prepared to greet
her guests She hated these dinner
parties, but she knew that Staunton
enjoyed them. 1t pleased him to see
at his table the wealth and power Of
the city, to offer them the best food.
the best wine. Like his house, they
were the tangible evidences Of his
i success.
He would sit at the head Of the
table, watching the service, the peo-
pie, the flowers. He seemed bigger,
somehow, seated there. Certainly he
felt large, dominating, important. 1t
was at such times that he tasted to
the full the flavor Of his success.
But that night he saw that Jerry
was seated far from Beverly, and
Annie saw him frown.
Never mind. Don't worry about
him. Keep them apart, Annie
thought
Jerry, thus reinstated, was tremen-
dously cheerful, however His eyes
were on Beverly as much as possible,
and when the men joined the women
later, he sought her out.
"Lovelier than ever, darling" he
said.
"I'm not your darling, Jerry. I've
told you that"
mo? Well, I'm a persistent sort
of devil. Never give up, and that sort
of thing. Can't we get away and
go somewhere"
She shook her head He was young
and good to look at, but he meant
nothing to her. Nevertheless she
smiled.
"You can't always get away and
go somewhere, Jerry"
"Why not? I'd go anywhere with
you"
She had a sudden impulse Of frank
ness, to tell him that she was in love
with a young doctor in worn suit
and faded shirt, who had nasty
temper and no manners whatever.
But she controlled it. Jerry would
only laugh again and set to work with
more determination. He was like that.
Later on that night she went into
her mothers room. Annie taking off
her pearls and putting them into the
wall safe, looked tired, and Beverly
fingered for moment or two.
at went we'll, Beverly. Don't you
think 500"
every. But 1 wish-Mother, are
you sure you're all right?"
Annie controlled her voice care
fully. "I'm only tired"
"Do we have to have these
parties"
"Your father likes them. And 1
don't mind. Don't worry about me,
Beverly. Pm all right. What is all
this about Doctor Arden? 1 liked him
so much"
81 like him, too, rather" Beverly
said slowly. But he doesn't care for
any of us. Mother, if Father says
anything about Barney making him
city physician"
"What has Barney to do with it,"
II went to him."
That was the moment. They were
closer then than they had been for a
long time, the bars down, woman to
woman. Then Martha came in to help
Annie out of her dress, and Beverly
made small gesture and went out.
Annie lay for long time alone in
her bed that night. She was still