The Washington herald., 1910-06-19

AS far as my plotting 10 keep you here
Is concerned, I assure you that nothing
could be further from my mind Our
paths were to be two parallel lines that
never touch He looked at me for an
proval, and Bella was choking.
You are worse than | ever thought
YOU she stormed Il thought you were
only "a fool. Now / know you-for a
bruts!"
Wen, II ended by Jim's graciously per-
mltting Bella to remain there being
nothing else to do-and by his magnani-
mously agreeing 20 keep her real iden-
THY from Aunt Selma and Mr.. HARRISON.
and to break the news Of her presence to
Anne and the rest. 1t created a sensa-
ton beside which Anne's pearls faded
away although they came TO the front
again soon enough.
/ Jim broke the news at once gathering
| everybody but HARRISON and Aunt Selma
In the upper hall. He was palpitatingly
nervous. but he tried to carry II of with
a high hand.
It's unfortunate" he said, looking
around the circle OF faces, eacn one frog
1 en- with amaZement, and Just a sus-
Picion. perhaps. OF incredulty. TITS
particularly unfortunate Tor ner. You
all know how high-strung she is. and If
the papers should get hold Of it-well,
wen all have to make IL as easy as we
can for her
With Jim's eye on them, they all swai-
lowed the butler story without a gulp.
But Anne was indignant.
It's Ike Bella" she snapped We'll.
she has made her bed and she can lie on
| IT, I'm sure shan't make It for her.
| But II you want 20 know my opinion.
/ HnrhiSOn -
can't ram two Bellas. both nee Knowles,
down Miss Caruthers' throat with a
f, stick
We had not thought of that BEFORE,
and every one looked blank Finally,
| however, Jim said Bella's middle name
was Constantine, and we decided to call
her that. But it turned out afterward
that nobody could remember It In a
! hurry. and generally when we wanted
TO attract her attention. we walked
across the room and touched her on the
shoulder. 1t was quicker and safer.
The name decided, we went down stairs
| in line 10 welcome Bella. to try to
make her feel at home, and to forget her
| deplorable situation. Leila had worked
herself into a really sympathetic frame
of mind.
Poor dear" she said. on the way
down. Now don't grin, anybody. lust
be cordial and glad to see her. l hope
she doesn't cry you know the spells
she takes"
We stopped outside the door, and every
| body tried to look cheerful and sympa-
thetic and not grinny-which was as hard
as looking as If we had had a cup of
tea-and then Jim threw the door open
and we filed in.
Bella was comfortably reading by the
FIRE. She had her feet up on stool and
a pillow behind her head. She did not
even look at US for a minute; then she
merely glanced up as she turned a page.
Dear me, she said mockingiy, what
a .ot OF frunps you all are had hoped
it was some one with my breakfast
Then she went on reading AS Leila
said afterward, that kind Of person ought
to be divorced.
Aunt Selma came down tust then and
left everybody trying TO explain Bella's
presence to her. and fled to the kitchen.
The HARRISON man appeared while was
sitting hopeiessly IN rront OF the gas
range. and showed me about Il.
II don't know that I ever saw one." he
said cheerfully. but I know the theory
Likewise. by the same token. this tea
kettle. set on the fame, Will boil. That
is not theory, however That is early
knowledge. Polly. put the kettle on;
we'll all take tea Look at that, Mrs
Wilson. didn't fight baeIlH with boiled
water at Chickamauga for nothing"
And then he let out the policeman and
brought him into the kitchen. He was
large man. and bis face was q curious
mixture of amazement, alarm, and dig
nifty. No doubt we did look queer, still
in parts of our evening clothes and in
the white silk and lace petticoat that be-
longed under my gown, with q yellow