El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-16

self 4 bout it If yvu axe the
~ Hotel - oetcer why we
will 90 there. But I imagine You viii
find these large hotels very much the
same" ,
YES. I suppose SO, sae answered
listlesslv.
The waiter came up ia v, fiIle1 their
glasses and placed the menu before
him. He looked at st Il Moment, then
handed it over to her.
Perhaps you had better order
his voice was strained.
Elizabeth flushed, a deep. painful
flush. as she took the card and gave
the order. When the waiter had gone
she leaned back, her eyes wandering
over the brilliantly lighted restaurant.
It was becoming intolerable-this
thing between them, this conscious
ness that he knew-that for weeks he
had known. She felt now that from
the first. even before she had admitted
It to herself, with the quick intuition
of his love he had known-that she
was ashamed of himi Ashamed of his
awkwardness, his ignorance, his in
ability TO act and dress and look like
the men around himl
No word had passed between them;
in no direct way had either of them
referred to il, yet she knew it was
never quite out of their minds.
1t began with their first week in
New York She had chosen to live at
the most exclusive hotel in the city, a
place rarely invaded by the western
millionaire; and it had come like a
blow-the contrast between the men
there and her husband.
Her Comparisons
She fought against the feeling that
was aroused in her. She told herself
of his sterling worth and manlineSS.
And vet she was constantly compar-
ing him with these men of the world,
these cIubmen with their air of ease
and nonchalence; with the way they
walked and stood and lounged about.
the way they wore their clothees-the
countless things that made up their
bearing
Could she have honestly analysed
her feelings, she would have found
that she was in love, infatuated, not
with any one of these men. but with
all Of them-with a composite man
that embodied them all
-, serve that roast with poiv-
rade sauce. Some broiled mushrooms
don't have them too brown. Arti-
chokes sautes and salad-endive salad
Don't serve it with the dressing-I
viii mix that here. And a quart OF
chablis-sparkling chablis. And-oh-
waiter, don't have that chablis too
cold"
She glanced over at the table oppo- |
site at the man who had given the !
order; and then she met her husbands (
steady gaze She dropped her eyes {
with a deepening color Had he read !
was comparing this mans careless J
ease in ordering a dinner with his own I
awkward ignorance?
1t was an infinite relief when the /
dinner was over. The strained con- /
scious silence was almost unbearable ]
As they left the dining room a tall. /
deliberately gowned woman swept out |
before them The elevator was crowd /
ed and as they entered in some way
her husband stepped on the trailing /
flounces of this woman There was a |
sound of tearing lace
Apologies Not Accepted.
4 beg your pardon, madam am I
very sorryr' he stammered
The woman flashed him an angry
glance and turned away without deign-
ing reply.
The moment it took to reach their
room seemed like an hour. Elizabeth
felt that the gaze Of every one in the
elevator was upon her
In their own room, still with avert
ed eyes, she drew chair to the light
and picked up magazine But her
glance remained fixed on one short
paragraph.
He. made no pretense of reading, but
stood at the window looking down at
the street below For a long time he
stood there. They had not spoken
since they entered
I suppose you would rather go to
the Hotel - now I will try not
to embarrass you there. I may even
learn to order a dinner in time"
Then he entered his own room. clos