The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-10
CHAPTER v.

that Miss Blocker had claimed for 1t
IT. the matter of exotic luxuary. Ameri-
can Beauty roses, as fresh as II they
had bloomed that morning, dcckcd the
centre of the board and a corsngc bou-
quet Of royal purple violcts lay be-
side each lady's plate. The Unpleasant
" pnllid host, with skin drawn Xix,
pIrchmentoper his lean jaws liis lair
and mustache unna,aurlly black, sat at
one end, and Ito the dislnay iOf Miss
Blocker, who had been madeHto fl in
at The sldc) Miss Posey Winstanley
upon his left, opposite my Lady Chan
mel Fleet in a rumpled cotton blouse.
still wearing the turquoise earrings.
With the addition Of a turquoise chain
to hold her eyeglasses.
Poscy, in severely plain white wolfe,
with a picture hat and whitelfeathers
framing tho waves of her splendid hair,
thanked her stars that she had had
Helen Carstairs's example In dress Ions
enough to profit by 1t for this occasion.
She saw in half a glance that her frock.
the result OF the best skill OF the
dressmaker at Alison's Cross Roads.
Z who called her by name in fitting her.
could not vie with the dove-colored
CONNECTION with It's all-over embroid
er1es chat sat so easily upon Helen's
erect form. But She knew that 1t was
unobtrusive. and the little slip OF mir
ror above her washin stand had told
she was at her best.
It had been ar ordeal that of dress
ing while her cross room-m mate. who
made q virtue OF what she called re
tirlnE' early, continued at Intervals to
extend her head like turtles from Its
shell. and inquire whether Miss Win
stanley would be very much longer!
Posey was faln to go outside and have
the finishing touches put to her gillette
by the stewardcss, Mrs. CASHIER, the
bib Of whose white apron covered sym
\, to f,ofn OF OIL Shat II NJ n HI
the supper, and that the ladies' to be
present were dead set against the beau
ty of the. ship. When she had stuck
: the last pin, Mrs. CASHIER materially
informed Miss Winstanlcy that she
locked pretty enough to beat the Jews.
and would find her 'ot water covered
with q towel when she came in again
to go to bed; and II she couldn't get
urdone herself, never to mind ringing
un Mrs. CASHIER.
Under this cheerful inspiration. Posey-
had marched Into the saloon to find
the otherssall in place. an empty chair
kept for her at the hosts left.
She had beer hoping to be next
Clandonald-fUr no reason but that she
wan ted it. Instead. she had but a cold
glance from him across tho table. at
which she quailed because she thought
she read in 1t displeasure. And lmmo-
diately he turned back to his conver-a
sation with Prince Zourikoff about Sill
Yer or Trusts, or Labor, or some OF
those tiresome things, and looked. at
her no more. The only consolation for
This awful blow was that Helen. sit
Ting between Mariol and Bobby Vane.
had smiled at her kindly when she came
III late.
Miss Blocker, beside the Graf Won
Bau, who occupied the seat to the left
OF Mrs. Verekcr, decided that the world
: was out Of joint. Lord Channel Fleet.
,f<, Is nd kiv1<
and when Miss Blocker cffustyely adj
dressed him upon topics Of contem-
rcrnneous Interest in London, gave her
hut scant answers. Graf Won Bau, af ter
he had exhausted ciyilities with the
lady Of the feast, had but eyes and
ears for the spot where Posey had
already begunIto Guido herself in char
Tactcristic nonsenSe.
'"rhnt grill" said Miss Blocker, be-
tween her teeth, to Mr.. Charley BROWN
low. serious-faced. clean shaycn New
York clubman of whom the utmost his
friends and enemies could find to say
q was that lie was always everywhere"
ut Is not enough to defy poor dear
Mrs Vereker, who fatty said she should
rot be asked, but to make herself SO
conspicuous See every man at table,
except you--
ST don't know her. don't you know?
Never mot her anywhere" interposed
4 Mr.. Brownlow gravely.
"Of course you dldn't-ns I was say
ing, every man at table but you. and.
I'm glad to see, Lord Clandonald. can
look at nothing else. suppose sht
went too far with Clandonald, and he
wants to put her back IN her place.
Everybody understands old Vereker's
rage for pretty face. though l, for
me, can never see good looks IN a
common person. It's scandalous the
way she's going on tonight Mr.. Vero-
lter's trying to make her take cham
pegne, ana she pretending she never
drinks 1T! Poor Lady Channel Fleet,
what {. trial to cit opposite her! Now,
We shall have q fresh batch OF stories
circulated in London about the way
American girls act; and the worst OF 1t
is you can never get tho English to
soc Tho lliffarnrna. hnt1xaan nannla Of