The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-07-17

Are you acquainted with any OF
The peopie an yoLr houser' MI. Car
ruthers asked her on one occasion
NO. / don't believe one eve knows
ones neighbors in New York" re-
piled Jean.
Shortly after this. while walking
across Madison square n bright day,
she met Arthur Blake. who asked If
he might turn and go a little way
with her.
"CaTruthers gives a bachelor party
tonight In his fat" he announced in
the course of conversation. Hes
taken a great notion for having the
fellows there lately, and he always
serves, among other things, a home
made cake that beats any I ever ate.
| wish | knew who makes those cakes;
there's come mystery about them, I'm
sure. When we ask Carruthers he
laughs and says his sweetheart makes
them"
When Arthur Blake had left her
Jean hurried home with burning
cheeks and a heart filled with wrath.
So, then. It was Howard Carruthers
who had bought the cakes, who had
left violets on the box, who had given
her aprons to make and whom she
had presented with a bunch of jon
quilsi And he had laughed at her
and called her his sweetheart
That evening. having cooked and
eaten her dinner, Jean sat down in
her dining room TO sew. When twi
light obliged her to lay aside her
work she still sat beside the window
looking owe the city through the mar
row cleft that let light and air be-
tween the building in which she lived
and the n next door, and bordering
the fact that in a town of 1000, 900
inhabitants she should be SO lonely.
The dusk became darkness, and
still she did not move. Shortly after
eight O'clock some one lowered the
shade in Mr.. Carruthers' dining room
and the gas was lighted. Soon Jean
faneied she could hear the murmur Of
voices. About ten o'clock shade and
window were raised and she could see
all that went on in the room across
the court.
1t was q sufficiently striking picture
she looked at, Of half a dozen men in
evening dress seated round a table
on which were bottles and glasses
and in the center the cake she had
made that morning. Howard Car
ruthers wal there, seated with his
back to the window. Arthur Blake
faced IT. His eyes looked straight at
Jean, and she instinctively shrank
back, forgetting that the darkness
shielded her.
A second later she leaned forward
again. Arthur Blake had risen to his
ieet and seized the cake, and with 1t
in his left hand and his wine-glass
held high in his right began to speak,
evidently to propose a toast.
Jean could not hear the words, but
they were followed. frst by a burst
Of 1%proarious laughter, and after this
had subsidized by the blinking of glass
es as the toast was drunk.
The guests were resuming their
seats when, as If suddenly realizing
the wisdom of such a course, the host
moved over and lowered window and
shade.
During the moment he stood by the
window his figure, against the light,
showed strong and m~asterful; his
face was in shadow, but it's features
were craven on Jeans heart. She
shuddered as she lowered her shade
and turned away. Why were wolves
given lambs clothing in which to
masquerade? Why could men look
good and true and yet be- a sob
rose in her throat.
She lighted the gas and sat down
to write a letter than when finished
read thus:
Mr.. Howard Carruthera.
Dear Sir: I regret the necessity for in
forming 0 that I have changed my
mind about receiving you tomorrow
evening. II will be useless for you 10
call, as l shall not be at home.
Yours truly.
JEANETTE DALRYMPLE.
After this letter was sent Jeans
life went on as usual with the differ.
ence that she made no more cakes
and that she and Mr.. Carruthers were
as acquaintance.
II they encountered each other al
the house Of some friend, the two ex.
changed formal words of greeting
and good-by; when they met in the
street, as they must occasionally. be.
ing such near neighbors, he passed
Jean with a bow as cold as her own
In the latter part Of June Arthur
Blake told Jean that Carruthers was
going abroad, adding: HE needs a
change; he's become as silent and
morose as he used to be jolly"
One yellow, rainy day, shortly aft,
err this information reached her. Jean
vas crossing Fifth avenue The
weather and the fact that her new
tan ulster was being literally sprin
led with mud combined to plunge
her into the deepest gloom.
Her common sense had warned her
when buying the coat, that SO light
colored a garment would not prove
| serviceAble. but. being last YEARS