And Thursday afternoon when Gloria went up the front walk to May's
house, she was still wondering with whom Stan's engagement on
Wednesday had been.
Sonya Chotek had left town. That eliminated her. Perhaps it had
been Myra Gail whom Stan had seen!
A moment later Gloria was kissing Myra in May's big bedroom, as they
took off their wraps.
"How are you, Myra?" she asked sweetly. "Didn't I see you downtown
yesterday afternoon?"
"Not me," Myra shook her head. "I was out in the country driving all
day."
Instantly Gloria was filled with wild jealousy. She was sure that
Myra had been driving with Stanley Wayburn ... just as sure as if she
had seen them together!
Burning with anger, she went downstairs and found the table where she
was to play. Lola Hough sat there, waiting. Lola, in her old
foulard dress, was bright-eyed and excited. These card-club days
were high spots in her dull life.
"We're partners," she said to Gloria. "Myra Gail and May are going
to play here, too."
Gloria was sorry she had to start out the game with Lola for a
partner. She was a very poor player, and nearly always spoiled her
partner's chance for the prize.
Myra and May sat down at the table, presently. Gloria dealt the
cards. She fairly slapped them down on the table as if they were
live things to vent her spite upon!
The very first hand Lola lost her game.
Two red spots of color rose in Gloria's face. All her anger toward
Stanley Wayburn and Myra gathered like a cyclone. In its path, Lola
stood quite defenseless.
"You poor simp!" Gloria flamed at her, "to make a bid like that when
you had a bust hand! You must be crazy! I should think you'd learn
a few rules of the game, if you're going to even make a stab at
playing bridge!"
All the color drained out of Lola's cheeks. If Gloria had slapped
her face she couldn't have hurt her more. She put one hand on the
table and rose. Every woman in the room was looking at her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Perhaps I shouldn't play cards with people
like you, who never forget that there's a prize at the end of the
game. I don't play a professional game like yours!"
May came across the room.
"Please, girls, don't quarrel," she said, trying to push Lola down in
her chair. "Do sit down, Lola, and go on with your game."
But Lola was firm.
"No," she said with a breaking voice, "I'm going. There's no use in
my trying to keep up with you girls.... I don't have time to play
often enough to keep my wits sharp. And I shouldn't have come
to-day, at all. I left my ironing to come...."
She went unsteadily upstairs to get her wraps.
"Well, let's get on with our game." Gloria broke the cold silence
Lola had left behind her. "She really hasn't any business to be
playing bridge, anyway. She's the worst player!"
Suddenly Myra got up, too.
"I think I'll go with Lola," she said quietly.
With utter dismay, Gloria watched Myra Gail get up from her table.
... It was one thing to quarrel with the shabby Lola, who had few
friends--and quite another to have Myra for an enemy!
For Myra was a born leader. And the rest of the women were sure to
side with Lola against Gloria if Myra did. Women were such sheep!
They had no minds of their own!
In a flash Gloria was on her feet.
"Please don't go," she pleaded, laying one hand on Myra's arm. "I'll
run upstairs and tell Lola I'm sorry for what I said. I'll bring her
back."
She ran upstairs to May's bedroom where Lola was pinning on her
unfashionable old hat.
"Please don't go, Lola," Gloria begged. "I'm awfully sorry for what
I said to you just now. You know I didn't mean it. Please come on
downstairs with me. Do!"
Lola shook her head.
"No," she said. "The things you said were too true, Gloria. I
haven't any business trying to play cards with the rest of you girls.
You're all crackerjacks ... and I guess I'm no good for anything but
housework. Don't ask me to play any more to-day.... I couldn't face
the bunch, downstairs."
At that moment Myra Gail came into the bedroom. She turned to
Gloria, furiously.
"It's you who ought to be ashamed to face the crowd!" she cried,
"after what you did to Lola! It was the meanest thing I've ever seen
one girl do to another! Believe me, I'll think twice before I play
cards with you again.... Come along, Lola, and I'll drive you home."
She marched past Gloria without another word or look. Lola followed
meekly. Dazed, Gloria watched them go.
"Glo-ree!" May called her from the hall below. "Come on down so we
can go on playing."
Gloria tossed her head and went down. No one greeted her as she came
into the room. Gloria could feel the chill in the air.
She knew that the other girls were down on her because Myra was.
... Well, what did it matter? What did the friendship of women
amount to, anyway? Gloria told herself she would have given up a
dozen card parties for one drive with Stan Wayburn.... She wished
she had gone riding with him this very afternoon!
She picked up her cards.
She was what May called a "mean" player. She played for the prize.
She sat there now, tight-lipped and hard-eyed. She gathered in her
tricks, intent as a kingfisher killing fish at a river's edge.
Gone was the Gloria of the limpid eyes, soft lips and babyish chin
... the Gloria whom Dick loved.
"Well, Gloria Gregory's won the prize, as usual," little Mrs. Wing
cried, when the scores were added up, two hours later.
"And it's one that will suit her to a T!" May added. She went into
the dining-room, and returned carrying a dusty bottle of French
brandy.
"What do you know about that for a slam! She gives me liquor and
says it will suit me to a T!" Gloria shrilled. "What am I going to
do with the stuff, girls? If I take it home to Dick, he'll put me
out ... he's so pure!"
"Don't take it home to Dick. Take it home and hide it. You may need
it some time, yourself, for a party," May advised.
But Gloria knew that she wouldn't dare to have another party soon in
Dick's house.... Then, suddenly, she thought of Stan. She would
give him the brandy! He liked a nip now and then.
Gloria telephoned him from the coat-closet under the stairs when she
put on her wraps.
"Meet me outside Dick's office building in fifteen minutes," she
said, "I'm driving downtown to bring him home, and I want to give you
something, first."
Stan waited a moment before he answered.
"In front of your husband's office building?" he repeated. "That's
not so good. What if he should look out of the window and see us?"
"Coward!" Gloria cried. "You should be willing to take a chance if I
am!"
She hung up.