The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-21

went ! 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 1 asked"
oh" said Flora promptly. but 1
shall be perfectly satisfied with it. and
l want to take possession at once"
The positive manner in which she
waved Clara out of her way brought
up in Mrs. Herrick's face a faint flush
of surprise; but it was gone in an in
slant, supplanted by her questioning
puzzled consideration of the main prop
osition.
tOh, hope you haven't come to tell
me you want it changed she protested
You Know it's quite absurd in places
quite terrible indeed. It's 1870 straight
through, and French at that: bur even
such whim acquire a dignity if they've
beer long cherished. You couldn't put
III or take out n thing without spoil
Ing the whole character"
But l don't want to chang # 7
want 1t Just as it is Flora explained.
1T isn't about the house itself I've
come, it's about going down there. You
see. there are-some people. some
friends of mine. l haven't promised
them to show the house. but l have
quite promised myself to show il TO
them, and they are only here for a few
days more. They are going immediate
~. She was looking at Mrs. Herrick
all the while she was telling her
Wretched lie, n now she even man.
aged to smile at her. Il thought how
lovely it would be if you could go
there with me. l should like SO very
much to be in it first with YOU. to have
c go over it with me and tell me
how to take care of it, as it's always
been done. l should hate to do it any
disrespect."
Her hostess smiled with ready an
swer. ''Of course l will go down. /
should be glad, but it must be in a day
or two. Indeed. perhaps it would b.
better for you to nave your people first.
ard | can come down, say. Monday
afternoon or Tuesday,
Flora faced this unexpected turn of
the matter a little blankly. All. but
the trouble is l can't go down alone"
1t was Mrs. Herrick's turf To look
blank. But Mrs. Britton?"
Mrs. Britton isn't going with me;
she can't"
L see" Mrs. Herrick with a long.
soft scrutiny seemed TO be taking in
more than Flora's mere words repre-
scented. And you wouldn't pit off IN
til she CAM"
Il couldn't put it off a moment. .
Flora ended with a little GREATNESS
laugh. u do so wish you would come
down with me this morning, for l must
go, and you see l 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 it possible and
young enough to take pleasure in it,"
Flora shook her head. ooh, no." she
said. Her house of cards was tottering.
She could not keep up her brave smil-
ing. She knew her distress must be-
plain.
DO you think there's anything queer
about it?" she faltered.
Queer" To Flora's ears that sound
ed the coolest word she had ever heard.
Il hardly think l understand what you
Il mean is it that you think there's
more in what Ira asking Of you than |
said2" The two looked at, each
other and before that fiat question Mrs.
Herrick drew back q little In her chair.