The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-03

the signerS of the Declaration O.
Independence, he served valuably
in the conferences that led up tc
it. In every Arden family the first
son is always named for him."
Diane missed an amused toler,
ance in Mrs. Arden's voice. She
was thinking, cyl name my son
what l pleased"
And, sweetly, "That'll scarcely
go into i. trunk"
Mrs. Arden asked If they found
Allithea Matthewson's friends, the
Tremonts.
"They were out when we called.
We meant to 60 again, or to tele-
phone, but we simply didn't have
time"
Mrs. Arden spoke OF Bertha, her
cleaning woman. "She has Thurs
days free. 1 wondered if you'd like
to engage her to come in each
week. You'll need someone. won't
you? She's very thorough and
trustworthy; I've had her for
twelve years"
There's a maid here l can get
by the hour, when l want her.
But thank you for thinking of it,
You'll come over for dinner to-
night? Bill said your father was
out of town."
She'd called Bill, then, or Bill
had called her! Probably Bill had
told her they'd come for dinner.
"You see, it's Bills fathers
birthday and it will please him a
great deal to have you there
WED love to come! Thanks.
"Seven o'clock"
Mrs. Arden rose, soon, to go, as
cordial in parting as she had been
in her greeting of Diane. She had
no intention of ever saying: You
are my daughter now" She did
not think of her as such. But for
Bills sake she wanted a liking to
exist between them.
She had been terribly startled
when Bill told her he was going
to marry Diane. She had heard
some of the fantastic stories OF
J. Emmet's rise to wealth, of how
Diane had been taken up by the
younger set. But, definitely, not
the offspring of the set to which
she, at nineteen, had been intro
duced, or Bills friends. The I'M
practicable moderns. she S o m e.
times called the group, tolerantly
enough. because none of them was
close to her.
She always had hoped Bill, if
he married. would marry Page
Winston. Pages mother was an
intimate friend; she had k n O W n
Page since she was a baby. But,
his choice announced, she had
cleared h e r heart of disappolnt-
ment and misgivings and pre-
pared it to accept the girl Bill
loved.
But Diane could not know all
this as she closed the door. She
stood against it for a moment, let
ting stiff muscles slowly ease. She
felt as though she had been fight
ing; resentment still burned in
her.
81 was going to cook a steak
tonight She and Bill had talked
it over, weighed steak against
chicken and chicken against duck.
She was going to put on the dress
of her trousseau Bill liked best.
the yellow organdy which, he said,
made her look like a little girl
going to her first party. Daiquiri
cocktails in the living room. Just
the two of them. in their own llv-
ing room. Her eyes, darkly brood
ing swept over the room, seeing
its sanctlty spoiled.
She went back to her unpack-
ing. But now it was just a job to
be done quickly; it had nothing to
do with remembered magic. Sud-
lenly alarm struck into her mood.
Why, she was half angry at Bill.
On this, their first day at home.
In a little panic she crossed the
room to the telephone between
their beds. She would call Bill.
She had to call him, for no more
than to say: Il love you"
A crisp feminine voice informed
her that MI. Arden was in con-
ference. Hold the wire, please
To have to wait made Bill seem
she did not know very
well. His voice, william Arden
speaking"
Hers appealed. Bill, it's Dill.
Hello. Hold a minute. I'll take
it in my office"
She must wait again. With her
free hand she gripped the edge OF
the table. A little chill began to
creep up her spine.
His tone, when he spoke a'2in,
was more intimate. Daring,
sorry, but the other room was full
of people. l couldn't talk. How's
going? Busy?"
But she did not miss a hurry
under his questioning. She had
taken him from some important
conference. His Staples case. And
she had vowed only this morning
to help him! Her cheeks famed
with sudden scorn of herself. Put
the GOODNESS in her spine had got
to her head.
BILL, it's about your fathers
birthday. We want to take a gilt
over with us tonight, don't we?
I'll get 1t this afternoon if you'll
suggest something"
"That's right, Di. Pick out a
book. Something on gardens II
there's anything new! You're a
dear, anyway. Know that?"
But still the hurry.
"I've been told so! That's all,
Mr.. Arden. Goodby." A long
breath escaped her as she put the
receiver back in its place. Saved
by your wits, Mrs. Arden, from
making a fool of YOURSELF"
Bill must never know. She
frowned at the instrument, charg-
ing it to secrecy. She sat staring
at it, while the prescience came