The San Francisco call., 1909-09-12

the DEITY OF the place. 10 FlOrd s eager
heart time was streaming by. but the
tall clock facing her measured it out
slowly. It's longest golden finger had
pointed out five minutes before the
sweeping of a skirt coming down the
hall brought her to her feet.
Mrs. Herrick came in hatless, hon.
eysuckle leaf caught in her gray crown
of hair, geraniums in her hand Flora
had never seen her so informal and so
gay.
I would have asked you to come out
into the garden, except that it's so
wet. and there's no place to sit," she
said
Flora apologized. 'I knew If I came
really there was no help for it." She
glanced down at her satchel. "I had
TO go this morning, and before I went 1
had to see you about the house I'm
going down to look at it and-and to
stop a while"
Mrs. Herrick hesitated. deprecated.
But you know Mrs. Britton wasn't
satisfied with the price asked"
oh" said Flora promptly. "but I
shall be perfectly satisfied with it, and
l want to take possession at once"
The positive manner in which she
waved Clara out of hen way brought
up in Mrs. Herrick's face a faint flush
of surprise; but 1t was gone In an in
stant supplanted by her questioning
puzzled consideration of the main
proposition.
oh. hope you haven't come to tell
me you want it changed" she pro-
tested You know it's quite. absurd
in places-quite terrible indeed. It's
1870 straight through, and French at
that; but even such whims acquire
a dignity If they've been long cher
ished. You couldn't put in or take
out one thing without spelling the
whole character"
But I don't want to change it.
want II just as 1t is" Flora explained
TT isn't about the house itself I've
You see there are-some people, some
friends OF mine. / haven't promised
them to show the house, but 1 have
quite promised myself to show II to
them, and they are only here for a
few days more. They are going imme-
oiateiy She was looking at Mrs.
Herrick all the while she was telling
her wretched lie. and now she even
managed to smile at her. st thought
how lovely ii would be II you could
go there with me. 1 should like so
very much to. be in 1t first with you,
TO have you go over 1t with me and
tell me how to take care of 1t, as It's
1t at any disrespect."
Her hostess smiled with ready an
swer- "Of course I will go down.
should be glad, but 1t must be In day
or two. Indeed, perhaps 1t would be
better for me to have your people
nrst, and can come down, say Monday
afternoon or Tuesday"
Flora faced this unexpected turn of
the matter little blankly, "Ah. but the
trouble is can't go down alone"
1t was Mrs. Herrick's turn to look
blank. but Mrs. Britton?"
Mrs. Britton isn't going with me;
she can't"
II see" Mrs Herrick with a long,
soft scrutiny seemed to be taking in
more than Flora's mere words repre-
sented. And you wouldn't put 1t of
until she CAM"
Il couldn't put it off moment"
Flora ended with little breathless
laugh. Il do SO wish you would come
down with me this morning for I
must go. and you see / can't go alone"
Mrs Herrick, sitting there, composed,
in her cool, flowing, white and violet
gown with the red flowers in her lap,
still looked at Flora inquiringly. But
aren't there some women in your party
old enough to make 1t possible and
young enough to take pleasure in it?"
Flora shook her head. "Oh, no." she
odld. IleF HOuSt OIL CdTQS was tOlter-
ing. She could not keep up her brave
smiling. She knew her distress mustsbe
plain. Indeed, as she looked at Mrs.
Herrick she saw the effect of it. Gaiety
still looked at her out of that face,
but the warmth, the spontaneity were
gone; and the steady eyes, IL anything
so aloof could be suspicious, surely
suspected her.
Her heart sank. If only she had told
the truth-even much of 1t as to
say there was something she could rot
tell What she had said was unworthy
not only of herself but of the end she
was so desperately holding out for.
Now in the lucid gaze confronting her
she knew all her intentions were TAX
ing on a dubious color, stained false.
like her words. under the dark cloud
of her own Misrepresentation. Yet
they were not false, she knew Her
motives, the end she was struggling
for, were as austere as truth itself
She could not give up without one bold
stroke to clear them Of this accusation.
DO you think there's anything queer
about it?" she faItered
Queer" To F'lora's ears that sound
ed the coldest word she had ever heard.
hardly think 1 understand what you
mean"
Il mean is it that you thin. there's
more In what I'm asking of you than
! have said%' The two looked at each
other and before that fat question Mrs.
Herrick drew back little in her chair.
Il have no right to think about it
at ALL" she said.
Well. there is." Flora insisted.
There's great deal more / am
sorry. I should have told you, but
/ was afraid. I don't know why
i was afraid of you, except that in this
matter I've grown afraid of every one.
It's true that there may be people go
ing down-at least. a person But it
isn't, as I let you think it, a house
party at all. It's for something. some
thing that 1 can't do any other way
something" she had a sudden nash of
insight, that. If could tell you YOU
would believe in, too"
Mrs. Herrick's look had faded to a
mere concentrated attention You
mean that there is something you wish
to do for whoever is going DOWN."
'Oh, something ] must do" Flora
insisted.
Mrs. Herrick considered a moment
why can't he do it for himself?" she
threw out suddenly.
IT made Flora start but she met it
gallantly. Because he won't. / shall
have to make him.