The Press., 1908-02-19
~ Ht tbe Oountry Club.
 By TEMPLE BAILEY.
By TEMPLE BAILEY.
1907, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.

The four women were drinking tea. Somewhere out in the October after noon were four men who made up the friendly octet, but the women. on ac- the charm of the big fireplace, had elected to stay away from the links.
 Three of the women were not young although the signs of age had been gent massage. Mrs. Amesbury even looked young with her slender figure her shining hair and her grace of ges ture and of carriage.
 But Tressie Stuart was young, and therein lay the difference that made Mrs. Amesbury uneasy. One might give the lie to age by attention to com plexion and costume, but there was a quality ill Tressie's laugh. light in her eyes, a buoyancy of spirit. that separated her from the other women and cast the blight of contrast upon their beauty.
 "Tressie." Mrs. Amesbury said, stop roaming around the room. You make me nervous"
 "Oh. do IY' Tressie's apology was immediats. Its something in the air. l think These fall days make me feel like young colt. l want to be out of doors. and here we are drinking tea by the fire. like lot of old tabby cats.''
 We are a lot of old tabby cats" Miss Angela Amesbury agreed cheer fully. Unlike her sister-in-law. she did not aspire to youthfulness. Having steered herself safely out of some what emotional girlhood into a calm old maidiSm, she was prepared to claim all middle aged privileges. and tea drinking at the Country club was an indulgence that appealed to her comfortable soul.
 You are the only kitten in the crowd, Tressie.' she went on. Run on out and meet the men. They must be coming in by this time.'
 Angela Mrs. Amesbury reproved her. "Tressie can't go without a chap eron.'
 "Why not?' Angela asked bluntly. 'TwO of the men are her uncles, the third is your husband, and she has known Junior Mason since she was a baby"
 "Oh. welT'-Mrs. Amesbury shrugged her shoulders-''you know we don't think alike on such matters
 No. thank goodness" said Miss An gea. And then the hitherto silent Aunt Georgia Stuart. who was official ly Tressie's chaperon, interposed, "Tressie always does as she pleases, Mrs. Amesbury." And Mrs. Ames- bury. with another shrug of her shoul- ders. gave up the argument and poured herself a second cup of tea.
 And so 1t happened that as Junior Mason came up the elm walk toward the Country club. with the dull orange of the sunset behind him, he saw hur- rying to meet him Tressie Stuart in scarlet coat and stiff brimmed hat.
 T should have died if I had stayed in there another minute" she told him. Can't we walk somewhere before dark comes? This air is. like wine.'
 Its awfully muddy" he stated du- biously. lin this path under the trees The other men are coming around by the road, but this was the shorter way, and I wanted to get few minutes with you before the whole crowd be- gan to pittie paffie."
 Don't be slangy." Tressie admou- ished.
 Well, you wouldn't call their small talk conversation, would you? It's piffle paffle, and Mrs. Amesbury is the worst of the lot.'
 ''I am ashamed of you,' Tressie scolded. ito criticise your elders"
 Mrs. Amesbury wouldn't thank you for calling her anybody's elder She considers herself the leading juvenile of the Country club. That's why she's jealous of you.'
 Tressie stared at him.
 Junior" she said severely, II didn't know you could be so critical of a waman."
 He had the grace to look uncomfort- able
 She's made me so unhappy about you, Tressie," he blurted out at length.
 About me?'
 "Yes, when you were away all sum- mer and didn't write to me once."
 Tressie's eyes were on the sunset.
 'NO, I didn't write,'' she said after 8 pause.
 "Why notT'
 Mrs. Amesbury said-that there was another girl. Junior"
 "What?'
 "Yes. She said you were paying de voted attention to a little Kentucky