Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-31
CHAPTER XIV.
A Light Supper for Two.

| AS Wayne entered his fathers house
he saw with surprise that the little re-
ception parlor adjoining the drawing
room, which was usually dark at this
| hour, was brilliantly lighted. His sur
prise increased as Mrs. Craighill appeared
| in the door and gazed at him without
speaking.
"Well!'' he said
''Well!' she returned.
Just home from a party, are you?
Where's father?"
She put her finger to her lips and indi-
Gated the closed library door with slight
| movement of the head.
Hes writing a speech or something.
He had a stenographer come up right
after dinner I was de trop. SO I have
been waiting all this time for you to
come home and arnuse me. And you are
very. very late, you bad boy
He followed her into the reception room.
a place rendered comfortless by the deco
rator and furnisher and Mrs. Craighill
resumed her seat in the least forhidding
of its chairs. She suffered Wayne to
mitigate its severe lines with pillows.
There are better loafing places in the
house. he observed. as he sat down op.
posite her and felt for his cigarette case:
mo smokingi You can't get it out OF
these draperies.''
You'll have to this time He dropped
the match stick into a Sevres urn at his
elbow ard looked her over.
The colonel's been at it ever since din
mere?
'Since $50 by the stair clock
You might have gone to bed.
'Oh. Yes, there's always that: but it's
4 bore, going to bed right after dinner.
I've never been used to it. And besides.
YOU never can tell might have been
needed; the door might have swung open
at any minute and a demand made for a
date-at just what hour George crossed
| the Delaware. and whether it was real or
| stage ice they put into history SO the
father OF his country would look Well
| Autographed in the boat with his cloak
pulled round his shoulders.
/ You needn't trouble about being called
| IN for consultation. When the Grafton IS
all done YOU viii be given a chance to at
tend a dress rehearsal-Oc two of them
l used to hear those things; but now
you We cut me out.
! THIS was the first time since the alter
noon of her arrival that Wayne had seen
| his stepmother alone. He had. in fact
| seen little of her. They met usually at
| the breakfast table, but Wayne was never
! home at midday. and as often as not he
! dined al the club. A series OF dinners
and receptions in her honor had engaged
| Mrs. Craighill's attention; her coming had
! forced the season and these functions
were now tagging. Her presentation to
| ever, been accomplished: and she was
: now woven into the social fabric, one OF
f! its bright figures. disceInible to any eye.
| She was Mrs. Craighill, q sufficient ar
| swer to any inquiry. She had met nearly
every one it was necessary TO meet; even
| the small band of recaicitrants who had
| sworn that she should never cross their
| thresholds had sat with her at other peo-
! pies tables. and taken her hand at larger
| functions whose charging battalions were
recruited from the blue book.
! What have you been doing?" she asked,
after a moment.
| never believe it of me- I've been out to
! Ironstead seeing how the other half
amuses itself in my old friend Paddock
parish house. There was boxing match:
a girl recited 'Curfew Shall Not Ring
| Tonight or enough of it, then social
| mix-up with ice cream and coffee.
Something new, isn't it, your going in
/ for that sort of thing?
! Rather a new shot: but not SO tire
| some as you might imagine. AS a social
diversion it would compare favorably with
shows I've attended in this neighbor-
| hood
I've met Mr.. Paddock: I'm on the
| Children's Hospital committee with him.
| You see, as Mrs Craighill I'm ex-oficio--
is that right? -in lot of things already.
| I'd rather prefer to wait little and be
recognized on my own merits, but
| then
Maybe they're afraid to wait for your
merits to disclose themselves" he suS-
gested.
"Please don't say unkind things to me-
I'm likely to cry"
Don't do that. Tears wouldn't add
anything to the effect of that gown: It's
| one of the most perfect things have
ever seen you wear.
1T isn't bad, is it," She rose with sud
den animation and took a turn across the
room. looking over her shoulder at hef
shadow I'm q long mirror.
..It,s charming There's no denying
that there's something very nice about
! YOU. Addie You know how to wear your
clothes: this matronly air you've been
/ cultivating-the much-married look, isn't
wholly 10 my taste, but you'll do. What's
| that you've been reading?''
| (To be continued tomorrow