Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-14

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hadn't eaten such thing since his last dinner at the
Cafe St. Martin"
And Dorothy spoke so easily that Agatha, for all
her shrewdness detected nothing. The dinner pro-
ceeded in orderly triumph Dorothy overheard Mrs
Prentice saying, with true New England evasion to
congratulations: well, I'm sorry to say, she is only
borrowed: she is accommodation whom I got for
to-day The cook is an accommodation too I was
lucky, don't you think1"
81 think ID like their addresses if you please, Mil
licent" boonAd Mrs. Prcntice's deep voice; these
pies something wonderful; so was the frozen
cheese and the aspic jelly"
"The others were hers but the pies" Mrs. Prem
tice radiant-fhe pies were from your own recipe
and ! made them myself"
Madame Prentice nodded her acquiline profile with
sign of approval than her daughter-in-aw
had She turned the conversation to the water
gobets of rockcrysal curously cut with facets geam
ing like diamonds. She had loaned them to Mile.
she said, with gracious smile. Never before had
she shown such condescension. Mrs Prentice sat like
one in happy dream.
1t was with suppressed exultaton combined with
gratitude, that dinner over, she made
the first opportunity to go to the pantry and look
through the slide into the kitchen There sat the pretty
maid and the cook whose white gown was protected
by the voluminous and breteed of aprons which
being protected by nothing in turn, had suffered from
the eecentrctes of the coalrange and the sportive
nature of eggs But her brilliant eyes and flushed
checks made her handsome the trim maid.
Dishes were stacked in all drecons-cn the tables in
the sink on the pantry shelves The sacred De Witt
Clinton set however had been washed and stood safely
to side.
A snatch q conversation hoated to Mrs Prentice.
"And to think that used to think maids dali
lied so forever their mealswhy it's such relief
Al. 81 l,~I
too hard. Pm afraid the cellar stairs too steep
too / going to that they altered"
Mrs. Prentice bent to speak through the slide. I'm
happy eagerness of her gratitude The ancestral COB
lets the shelf; the ladys movement dislodged
the protecting prop of kinding wood; there was the
swift slide of the guiotine, sckening, sinister crash
Both sisters sprang to their feet they the wreck
age; they noted Mrs. Prentices whitening face.
Dorothy around into the pantry; she pushed into
a heap the spinters of two of the glasses.
"Ths way, Mr. Wentworth, this way full
tund voice proclaimed, preceding the stately figure of
Madam Prentice. here's the china closet Millicent
will excuse my bringing you in here. Milcent where
those glasses%
Agatha heard the voice She realized part of the
awful situation, but chance for her own entry
into the tragedy; thing she could do; she did IL
with all her weight she hung to the slide and kept
kitchen. Dorothy will have Ito that miserable
Mrs. Prentice" thought she, Il can't
Dorothy seemed equal to her task. She had flung
her napkin over the wreck; she asking in the
meekest voice was there anything Madam wished
Here's ONE said Madam Prentice, 'f you want
a wedding gift you couldn't do better"
"Pardon, madam" Dorothys silvery, humble tones
again slid into the pause sPardon but if these most
beautiful glasses for sell. know lady will buy
pay what you ke-uness, of course, monsieur he wish
She looked quite calmly full into Wentworth's per-
turbed face; he gasped:
"Why yes. yes, unless the lady-was it fifty dollars"
Fifty dollars; and prefer to sell to YOU, reorted
have these" .
Il do them up and give to the gentlemanf" softly
sadly spoke Dorothy
Yes" said Madam Prentice,
Mrs. Prentice said not word BY degrees the
color ebbed back into her face But not until Madam
Prentices magnificent back had creaked and shmmered
away and Wentworth had returned to close the pantry
door, murmuring, Il must see you! Whenf
And Dorothy had murnlured backA "Later,-after
they go. Thank you."
Not until this last moment did Mrs Prentice sum-
mon breath to voice an intoerable relief oh yon
good, good brave smart young girl Oh, will he let
pay him for the smashed onesE
Dear no." laughed Dorothy, so handsome that it
took Agathas breath away as. she caught the vision
of her through the upifted slide dear, no; he isn't
going to buy them, are And we are going to make
you present of them"
"Oh, amt sheSthe entest thing?" sighed Mrs Prem
tice out of full heart.
According to inmemorial New England rural custom,
the dinner had been in the early afternoon; but the
lamps lighted Agatha left her clean and shin
ing kitchen, and smiling though weary. babe Mrs1
Prentice good night and went upstairs, She paused
only moment at the door of their own little parlor
She had opened it unseen by the youth and maiden
within who blind to everything but the enchanted
journey into their own hearts which they taking;
she gazed for second on them both.
Dorothy spoke her voice held new sweetness.
Such happy hanpy Thanksgivngp she said II didn't
think of the thanks. though was so busy irving to
make IT go off and make the poor things happy!p
What better to return thanks-to make people
happv7 And to think" cried the young fellow re-
morsefullv that thought YOU like beauti.
full Venetian vaseexouisite and fraiI and hard. But
now-Oh Dorothy is it too soon"
SEEM" said she with rather wistful smile TO have
been more of an accommodation than expected"