The Washington herald., 1908-04-27
DOROTHYS DILEMMA.
BY CECILY ALLEN.

Have you a rain coat and heavy
veil, Dorothy?" inquired Mrs. Dalrymple
anxiously.
yes. mother" replied Dorothy me-
chanically. without glancing Up from the
time table from which she was endeavoT-
ing 70 extract Information regarding the
trains to Oakdale.
"And plenty Of money!"
''Money-and my check book Really,
mother, you'll be asking me next, as you
did in my old Sunday-school days, wheth-
er I have d clean handkerchief she
tossed the time card aside in despair.
There Is no such train as S:06.
u Just knew IT," walled Mrs Dalrym-
pie in a melancholy sort Of triumph. /
never should have tried 10 take Carleton's
message over the phone. telephone
does rattle me so"
Dorothy crossed the room and patted
her mothers cheek reassuringly-
There. there, mumsey, don't fret / am
now at the age Of discretion. II you mis-
understood Carleton's invitation, no great
harm will be done ] know my way home,
but I am sure Il must have been for this
afternoon, for the golf tournament Is on
tomorrow. and they said all along that
they wanted me 10 be sure ana see 1t.
The house telephone announced that
Miss Dalrymple's hanson was at the
door. And down 10 the hanson fitted
Dorothy, her mother attending her TO the
very door OF the elevator
Il can't help feeling anxious about this
trip, dear" she murmured. Il always DO
get things twisted over the telephone" "
Dorothy handed her bag TO the obsequi-
Gus cciored boy and gave her mother a
farewell peck Of a kiss.
"Mumsey. II you don't stop worrying
about me we will both have nervous pros
tration. Remember. I've been IN New
York now three months and have cut my
wisdom teeth. Good-by, and send my love
TO daddy when you write
Adniring eyes followed Dor0thy's slen-
der, 1.-THE figure out TO the waiting han
som. The clear-eyed, whole-souled West
ern heiress was extremely popular with
the hotel staff.
Western brains. breeze, and bullion.
but Eastern breeding" the key clerk re-
marked 70 the stenographer. And the
white-faced stenOgrapher sighed and Won
dered how It would feel to have her face
kissed by prairie breezes and her lot
lightened by Western made dollars.
Dorothy. ali unconscious Of the feelings
Of envy and longing she had excited in
another's breast, leaned back In the ham
som and thought how differently this trip
had been planned only a few weeks be
fore. The Carleton Mcrgans both golf
enthusiasts, had arranged TO entertain a
house party at their Oakdale home dur
ing the golf tournament There were 10
be eight congenial souls under a roof tree
famous for grateful shadows, conducive
to matchmaking. To be sure, Dorothy
did rot play golf. did not even understand
the mysteries Of the game, but, then,
neither did Jimmy Morgan, brother OF her
host. Jimmy said one enthusiast in the
family was enough. Somebody had 10
stav sane and play more important games.
At the time he spoke the game uppermost
In his mind was the world-Old game Of
winning hearts, or more properly speak
ing. a heart, the heart of Dorothy Dal-
rvmple. And for a time It had seemed Is
if no congeniai house party with tactful
hostess was essential to bring matters TO
a climax.
Things were all coming his way. when
the inevitable dam which will crop up in
the course Of true loves stream turned
and twisted his plans in such a fashion
that he sat at his desk one morning read
ing over and over Miss Dorothy Dalrym-
pies chillingly polite regrets TO his invi-
tation for a litfNs dinner and theater
party. 1t mattered not what eel spirit
had whispered unjust things in Dorothy's
ear. certain insinuations circulated among
his friends that Jimmy Morgan would
have good use Of Papa Dalrymple's gem
erous bank account, made that young
man stiffen under her curt note like
West Pointer before the officer Of the day.
He would ask no explanation. and she OF,
fered none.
And here was the day Of the house
party. which she, had alternately dreaded
and anticipated for one long week. Well.
al least she would show Mr.. Morgan that
a Western girl did not wear her heart on
her sleeve.
"OakdaIe," shouted the conductor, just
as she reached this laudable decision.
She stood on the platform, amid the
bags which the porter had arranged at
her feet Various carriages and cars
ranged up beside the depot, but there
was no sign Of O messenger from the
Carleton Morgans. Yet she had made
the 3:ls train. the nearest hour to the one
named by her mother, 3:06.
One by one the carriages, traps and
cars filled with residents or guests. More
than one curious glance was aimed at
the tall, weil-clad figure of the puzzled
girl, and then. as the last private vehicle
rolled away, she summoned a small boy
and had her luggage carried to the VIII
lsge hack.
"Out to M0rgan's? One dollar each
way" said the willy Jehu, carefully re-
framing from mentioning the fact that
he had seen the Morgans, outfitted with
a suspicious number OF bags. leaving
Oakdale by the 1884 train that very
morning.
And in his ancient vehicle did Dorothy
arrive at the aristocratic door OF the
Carleton Morgans, there to be met by an
outwardly placid but inwardly perturbed
butler.
No, Mr.. and Mrs. Morgan were not at
home. They had gone TO Southampton
to spend the weekend with Mrs. Nor
gan's married sister. No. they had left
no message. No, the Oakdale golf tour
ney was not until the next Friday and
Saturday. No. Mrs. Morgan's maid was
not in. She had gone with her mistress
TO Southampton Would Miss Dalrymple
stop long enough for a cup Of tea? It
was a raw day.
With the last statement Miss Dairym-
pie agreed. but she did not care for tea.
She wanted to get back 10 town. not to
kosT