The Grit-advocate., 1906-05-25
ACupboard Skeleton
{ E TIE DE S. WE DS 7 e r
Copyright, by Joseph L. BowIes.)
+. WE DS 7 { r

Lady Farjoyce Cancy- dressed to libel
a Boulogne fish wite) ripped past
with a smoke-coiGred Persian kitten.
rattle on behalf of the Ready Ambu-
lance society 1t was to help along the
r. A. S. funds that the fancy dress
bazaar and fete had been organized.
Yes, there was no doubt about the
radiance of Lady Farioyce, and |. who
had been her intimate girl friend
ever since John I'arjoyce brought her
from country parsonage to a kings
court, often marveled III her unfiag-
ging scintillation.
Presently | came across her again.
Got rid of the Persian smoke ball?"
asked.
Yes. the duchess has got it, She's
so sweet to cats-l wanted the duch-
ess to get it, she answered, with her
charming rapid utteraace.
And the duchess got it, | replied,
with terrible significance and con-
demnation in my tones. Come and
sit down with me while consume
some pink cakes and tea"
The Boulogne fishwifa and l sat
down at one of the many small tables,
and two minutes later John Farjoyce
and his son joineI us.
1t was an irritating fact that per-
son could never secure ten minutes
with this pretty person who certainly
helped to keep London alive, without
the intrusion of Lord Farjoyce and
the boy.
husband who remains still foun-
deringly in love when his heir has
passed the velvet suit and long curls
era, is always more or less of bore
to his wife's women friends.
Tired, da-ling?" he whispered
looking into her extraordinarily bril-
liant dark eyes with devotion that
to be well-bred should cease with the
honeymoon.
Yes, and no." she replied Phys
ically I'm stiff-;nentally I'm enjoy
ing myself, and-oh! do look at Mrs.
WoOdbee's bOnnet!-anG-what was |
saying?"
May I stop with you for half an
hour, mother?" asked the boy-a
Dlue-eyed son of his father
Della Farjoyce's voice neither soft
ened nor slackened as she answered
her child Affection and camaraderie
we're there, but the mother note was
absent.
Not unless you want to be raff1ed
my son." she replied. I'm rafline
everything I get hold of to-day
Lnow l shall be asking some one tc
ther, and-yes, Mr.. Wingate. Cafe
ohantant-my turn? What now!
No time for another pink cake? How
harbarous! Come along with me
Louise, you can sit in the front row"
Five minutes later Lady Farjoyce's
mocking red lips We're cooling out the
quaint refrain of IN old French patois
song, while her audacious scarle,
stockings and shoes Gt was always a
rhystery how such feet came from a
country parsonage) skillfully broke
into action leaving an impression OF
intricate step-danc!ng behind.
That same evening / 81. alone with
her in her boudoir.
"Y should think you must be about
i the happiest woman in London!'
calculated, involuntarily.
Force of contrast drew the observa.
tion from me- (t was my birthday
and had been thinking about my.
self and looking in the mirror a goot
deal)
Would you? Why"
| was still so busy drawing con.
trasts, that did not observe thai
Della had laid down her Russian Gig.
arctic, and was resting her white chin
on white hand decorated by one
single carbochon emerald ring
Why" l replied. gazing vaguely
round the shell-sl,aped room with its
silken nebulouslytinted walls painted
by Conder. why? Because of every,
thing! You have youth, wealth, beau,
ty, talent. love, position. health ant
everything every woman wants. Yor
must be the haDpiest woman in Lon.
don. and, besides that. you seem the
happiest woman in Lon ion!"
Before Della Farjoyce answered she
rose from the empire sofa and walked
about the room, the frothy frills o
her silken pink skirts tr;ckling buoy.
antly after her across the pearl velve
| cirpet.
Suddenly she stopped directly IL
front of my chair,
You are a woman to be trusted
Louli, aren't you2" she said, scanning
| my features, though she must have
| known their unckiseled angles by
heart.
| did not reply, but | suppose the
| features and our seven years inter
mittent intimacy must have answered
| for me, because without further hest
tation, the radiant Lady Farjoyce con
| tinued:
Meet me at 9:3G tomorrow morn
ing by the Terminus book office.
am dolt to do il. but il will help me
afterwards. | can talk to you some
times about it, ard there won't b,
su much need for perpetral-er-hap
piness hen
| Punctually at half-past nine | ar
rived but for once Della was before
me.