The Second Honeymoon

Cynthia and her escort had entered. When he saw the sudden ch

er had taken her sable coat; without it the elaborate frock she wore looked too sho

istine had noticed the sudden change in his face. To hide his friend's discomfort he rushe

ot been conscious of a

s conducted on the most severe of lines-a dull, highly respectable hotel to stay in, stalls for plays against

had consented to visit the suburban thea

o her in an entirely fresh light. Secretly she was thoroughly enjoying hers

any other women far more attractive and beautiful than this little daughter of hers.

ly Jim

. . There is a friend of mine ov

He would have stopped him had it been at all possible; but Jimmy h

t day had scattered his fine resolutions to the winds. There w

agne, Mortlake was whispering to her conf

g," said Jim

e, but in spite of himself a little

ed himself an

" he said

liked having two strings to her bow; it gave her worldly heart an odd little pang

fortunate Jimmy should have seen them together-just at present, at any rate; it would not have mattered in a week or two's time. She wondered if h

pper here, Jimmy?

the moment she entered, but she thought

y curtly. He glanced across to the table

ed sharply away again, and down at the

and see you?" h

ctly; Mortlake must h

lussed for a moment

boy. . . . I am always pleased to

elt that he had been dismissed

eight in his breast. H

he turned to

w? . . . . Oh, Jimmy, w

is wineglass be

. She isn't alone, you see, or-or I would in

att would care for Mis

ter q

ords rushed to his lips, but

l!" he said, half jok

and Christine at their hotel, and were wal

mean about Christine no

of impertinence t

"The two girls are as different as chalk from cheese. Miss Wy

alled the 'best society' . . . . Christine is only a child-she always will be as long as she is tied to her mo

a moment

"I should keep away from them, and I should most

ed dead. He turned an

urious in the yellow light of a street lamp they were passing. "I pay

our own business best,

-ungrac

hesitated

thing to you to-night?-a

aughed

all upon her any afternoon, and that she was always pleased to see her 'friends.'" He

. you know what they ar

re they

s engaged t

heard Jimmy catch his br

e only club talk," he

th a rush. "I know it's a lie, anyway. How can she be enga

ertainly cannot be engaged to any oth

meaning in his voice. Ji

he asked. "If you know anything

g; I am only repeatin

ssiping old w

a few step

esently. "She isn't the only woman in the wor

orgotten so quickly. She's done with me-I told you so-and