The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-16
CHAPTER 1v.-cont,nued.

Irene Hope, who tried to combine
town and Hill. offered something like
friendship; but. too obviously. Irene's
friendship was not worth having.
Irene was the daughter OF Mr. Hope,
editor and proprietor OF The Medford
Advertiser. Perhaps the dread power
OF the press was never better shown
than by the acceptance OF Miss Hope
in the best society; or SO Mr.. Hope
thought. Irene took all the credit 10
herself. She was thin. squirn,in2,
larse-eycd girl, who treated her hair
with soda and marked her eyebrows
with patent pencils. She was all sham.
right through. voice. manner. thoughts
"a tight laced bundle Of affeotation.
SEo always spoke of the Hill Rise
gIris b. their Christian names
"aiable Bake. told Mcneil Granville
says so.' etc. She took riding lessons
with Mr.. Banker the riding master,
and had his photograph in silver
frame on hor dressing table at home
Visiting Lizzie. she Dragged about
the Sili Rise Tennis Club, into which
institution she had somehow squir.1led
herself. Lady Haddingham. she told
Lizzie, was the patroness; Sir john
Vincent was president. Jack Vincent
was yice-presilent There were ladies'
on q committee-the selection commit
tee, but no ladies on tile committee
| OF management 1t was terribly select
OF course. They had to pill candidates
connected in any way with trade.
These might pass muster On the PLAY
ing field, but there was the annual ball
you had to cons!dsr. You could not
course. membership carried the right
| to attend the ball and buy three adj
ditional tickets.
| Not TO braggart Irene could one talk
| of the heroes In ones favor,te books.
1 or the splendid shadows In ones IA
| FORTE dreams. No friend here.
| Lizzie thought often. OF her school
| friends. Many OF these were real ladies,
owning papas who had big country
houses, and cousins whose papas were
paronets or lords. But at school there
were no snobblsh, painful doubts or
difficulties. IT vas a republic in
you were not called upon to plead for
bears of coats Of arms in order to OBJ
tain justice. No one stunned Lizzie
because her father was builder.
Since her school days some of these
dear real friends had written to her,
but they were scattered far and wide.
she had never seen one OF them They
wrote affectionately, on the old equal
terms; but it they ever came to Med
ford, they would find that Lizzie was
! socially. impossible. and then they, too.
no doubt, would look down OH her.
But now, suddenly and unexpectedly,
g ha Of n r..
ing, late Of the EastbournI Seminary.
Lizzie Crunden, don't you remember
me? Oh, am so glad to see you"
This was at the Circulating Literary
kept by Mr. Mees, In addition to his
famous stationery and fancy store.
Miss Goring had been invited to Med
yord by Miss Annendale, and was now
staying at No. II, Hill Rise. AS q
stranger. she would know nothing of
the laws OF local society. She rejoiced
in this chance meeting with an ancient
classmate, prattled freely and affec-
tionately. and at once introduced
Lizzie to the proud Miss Annendale.
"Oh. yes. how do you do?" said Miss
Annendalc grnclously. "Youlive at the
white cattage don't you? So quaint
and pretty--I always admire II"
Miss Goring declared that she must,
without delay, see dear Llzzie's pretty
cottages: she and Miss Annendale would
call one afternoon very soon.
Yes" thought Lizzie "she won't
call All the way home Miss Amen
dale Will be telling her about me--and
about papa. Instead Of coming. Sybil
VIII white mo little to say that there
We're engagements she had not remem-
hered."
But Miss Goring appeared to have a
strong character, and could not be
shaken from her purpose. however nm
conventional. II her hosts explained
the nature OF the solecism she was
bent on committing she was not
frightened Perhaps, deriving courage
from distant cousins with handles to
their names. she heard all about the
Medford social code and pooh pooled
It's stringent regulations. Anyhow,
she came to Klng's Cottage-and COM
PEELED Miss Annendale to come with
her
+ She was quite. Unchanged tho
old school sybll; and she ard Lizzie
rohattered as happily as though they
had been bacls in tic schoolroom Oh a.