Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-08


when / think we are going to tele-
scope with something twice our size.
and am trying to prepare for eternity
with pleasant smile on my lips. She
ate scarcely anything. telephoned
good deal and took phenacetin in hot
milk. Then suddenly it came to her
mean the idea.
We were at lunch when she thought
of it. and luckily there were no visitors
except Mrs. Pitchley and Carolyn.
Mohunsleigh and Tom Doremus. 1t
was bad enough even with them. for
she half sprang up, then sat down
again, first going red, then going pale.
and we all thought she was getting
ready to faint. But as soon as she
could speak she said, when we shrieked
at her, Its nothing I've
just thought of something, that's ALL"
Afterward. when she and Sally and
Potter and l were alone together. she
told us that at last she had got the
inspiration for her big entertainment.
1t was two days after the violet tea,
| SO 1t was quite time she should get it,
she said, and she had been dreadfully
| worried because the invitations ought
| to go out almost at once. The famous
pink ball at the Casino was for the
o3d, and she wanted to have her party
the night before. SO that everybody
would be worn out, and the ball would
fall fat.
"But we've got our cards all right
now" said Potter. "Why do you want
to queer the show?"
| Il intend to show Mrs. Van der
Windt what can d." she answered.
| Suppose lot of the people you
want refuse you, so that they can be
fresh for the ball?' Sally suggested.
"They won't" said MRS. t-ss Kay
when they have seen what shall sa!
on the invitations"
Then she got up. went to her desk
took out some engraved cards which
she had ready, all but filling in thu
date, and wrote something in one cor
ner. What do you think of that?'
she asked Sally.
Sally took the card, looked at it fo
a minute, laughed and passed it on t
me, while Potter came and stared owe
my shoulder
She had written across the card
Fancy Dress, with Masks. A Visi
to the Maze; and Aladdin's Cave"
do you think that will brin.
them?" she inquired, with a trium
plant and mysterious air.
81 think it WILL" said Sally.
"You know your business. old girl,
remarked Potter. They'll want t
know what it means, and they'll b
bound to come and find out What i
your idea, anyway
''I'll tell you another time" sal
Mrs. Ess Kay. Il should like it to b
a surprise for Betty, just as it will b
for the people outside. She'll enjoy
more"
1 didn't tease to know the secret
} though l was really curious, especial
lily about Aladdin's cave, which seen
ed to promise something gorgeous
The mystery was religiously Kept, bu
: there was plenty of excitement i
; sending out the invitations.
There were endless discussions bt
, tween Mrs. Ess Kay and Potter, ant
though she seemed so angry wit
Mrs. Van der Windt and several othe
trying to make stand against he
5 she was perfectly ruthless about tn
names she would scratch off the list
her secretary was continually maxim
| out and revising for her.
/ heard her say that she wouldn
. have dreamed of asking the Pitchley
). if they hadn't "got hold of Mohun'
e leigh, and that Cora Pitchley, wha
!. ever else she might be, was the cle'
5 crest woman in Newport to hay
t scooped in all the honors. Though
: this day l can't see exactly what sh
:, meant. for she never would explain.
Anyhow, whatever the superlativel
: clever thing was Mrs. Pitchley ha
9 done, there was no longer a questio
!. Of her being kept out from the pin
t ball or anything else. People wei
|, charming to her, and we met Mrs. Va
l der Windt herself at the chateau at
!, luncheon party with vaudeville ente
n tainment afterward and also at a di
t ner. Mrs. Van der Windt seemed
t like my cousin, Mohunsleigh, vel
e much. too, and gave q moonlight m
tor car picnic especially for him, wit
u only a few people asked besides ou
selves and the Pitchleys and To
Doremus.
r Mohunsleigh had not expected to sta
a more than a few days, but when
a found that the friend he wanted
{, visit in California was detained
y New York on business and Mrs. Pitc
y ley and everybody urged him We
y much to stop, he decided that
e would. 1 didn't suppose that Mohun
r. leigh would care for frivolities after {
3. the years he has spent tramping abo
n in strange countries, killing things, b
J. he appeared to be perfectly happy al
e nothing bored him so long as the Pitc
K legs We're there.
y When Mrs. Ess Kay was making o
le the list of invitations for the gre
0. blowout, as Potter called 1t, Mohur
r leigh happened to stroll over to t
?, Moorings alone. He came to tell
re that he had made up his mind to sta
and why.