The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1909-12-02
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BURNING OF THE BUNGALOW.


III them In the hanging garden
I'LL Deppingham was surly and
@ preoccupied. Drusilla Browne
was unusually viyacious. At best she
was not volatile; her greatest accom-
plishment lay In the ability to appre-
ciate what others had to say.
Her husband, aside from a natural
anxiety. was the same blithe optimist
as ever. He showed no sign of re-
straint, no evidence of conjunction.
Chase found himself secretly speculat.
Ing ON the state of affairs. Were the
plan, or were they, after all. playing
with the fires Of spring?
Immediately after tiffin Genevra car
ried Lady Deppingham off to her room
When they came forth for proposed
stroll In the grounds Lady Agnes was
looking very meek and fearful. while
the princess had about her the air OF
one who has conquered by gentleness.
1T has been 30 appallingly dull, &c.
nevra. don't you understand? That's
why. Besides, 1t isn't necessary for
her to be so horrid about 1t. She
"She isn't horrid about 1t. dear. She's
most self sacrificing"
Rubbish She talks about the Puri.
tans and all that sort Of thing. l know
what she means. But there's no use
talking about 1t. III do as you say
command, l mean. I'll try to be q
WI q
real prude is. don't. All this tommy
rot about Bobby and me wouldn't exist
Ii that wretched Chase man had been
a little more affable. He never noticed
us until you came. No wife to snoop
after him and-why, my dear, he would
have been IDEAL"
ITS all very nice, Agnes. but you
forget your husband" said Genevra,
with tolerant smile.
GENEVA. said Lady Agnes solemn
ly, 'if you'd been on barren island
for FIVE months as have with moth
ing to look at but your husband and
the sunsets you would not be SO hard
on me. I wouldn't take Drusilla's hus-
band away from her for the world.
wouldn't even look at him II he were
not on the barren island too. I've read
novels In which a man and woman
have been wrecked on desert island
and lived there for months, even years
In an atmosphere of righteousness
My dear, those novellsts are ninnies
Nobody could be so good as all that
without getting wings. I'm tired OF
men and angels. That's why | want
yor for awhile You've got no wings
Genevra, but it's Of no consequence
ns you have no one to fly away from"
"Or to, you might add" laughed &c.
nevra.
That's very American. You've been
talking to Miss Pelham. She's always
adding things By the way. Mr.. Chase
sees quite lot of her. she types for
him. fancy she's trying to choose
between him and Mr.. Saunders II
you were she. dear, which would you
chooseT
"Mr. Saunders" said Genevra
promptly. But If were myself I'd
choose Mr.. Chase"
Speaking of angels, he must have
wings yard long. He has been chosen
by an entire harem, and he flies from
them as If pursued by the devil.
imagine, however. that he'd be rather
dangerous IL his wings were to get out
of order Unexpectedly. But he's nice,
Isn't he"
The princess nodded her head toler.
antly.
Her ladyship went on: 81 don't want
to walk, after all. Let us sit here In
the corridor and count the prisms in
the chandeliers. It's such fun. I've
done 1t often. Mr.. Britt has advanced
a new theory. We are to indulge In
double barreled divorce proceedings.
AS soon as they are over Mr.. Browne
and / are to marry. Then we are to
hurry up and get another divorce.
Then we marry our own husband and
wife all over again. Isn't 1t exciting
Only, of course, 1t isn't going to hap
pen. 1t would be so frightfully i'm
proper-shocking, don't you know.
You see, should go on living with
my divorced husband even after /
was married to Bobby. I'd be obliged
to do that In order to give Bobby
grounds for a divorce as soon as the
estate Is settled. But Deppy has put
his foot down hard. He says he had
trouble enough getting me to marry
him the first time. He won't go
through 1t again. OF course it's utter
NONSENSE
"a little nonsense now and then Isl
began the princess and paused anna
bly,.
rs Mr.. Chase to stay for lunchT'
asked Lady Agnes irrelevantly.
How should l known am not his
hostess"
"Hoity toity! I've never known you