She was still musing on that, in a detached, impersonal fashion, whenshe caught a car down to the theater for the matinee.

CHAPTER XXI

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING

The formally worded wedding card arrived in due course. Following closecame a letter from Linda Abbey, a missive that radiated friendliness andbegged Stella to come a week before the date.

"You're going to be beautiful prominent in the public eye when you sing here," Linda wrote. "People are going to make a to-do over you. Ever so many have mentioned you since the announcement was made that you'll sing at the Granada concerts. I'm getting a lot of reflected glory as the future sister-in-law of a rising singer. So you may as well come and get your hand into the social game in preparation for being fussed over in July."

In the same mail was a characteristic note from Charlie which ran:

"_Dear Sis:_