The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-29
CHAPTER I.
The House Party.

1ne mouse faIty.
ETER KING-Peter King
w. Peter Kingr'
With a telegram on his
tray, the bellboy traversed the
| crowded hotel dining-room, chanting his
| monotonous refrain, until managed to
make him realize that l owned the
above name, and persuaded him to
hand over the message. 1t was short
and extremely characteristic Of the
sender.
House party. Take afternoon train
Saturday. Stay tuesday, l. G.
PHILIP MAXWELL.
l was more than willing to take the
designated train, and looked forward
with satisfaction to a few days of pleas
ure at Maxwell Hall. Philip had a de-
cided genius for arranging parties of
congenial people and, moreover, the
telegram assured be that at least one
OF my fellow-guests would prove at
lTactiVe. For the letters Il. G." meant
nothing more nor less than that Irene
Gardner would be there. Though had
met this young woman only twice, she
already eXerted a fascination over me
such as had never before experienced.
AS had hoped, she, too, went down to
Hamilton on the afternoon train. and
the four-hour journey gave me an op-
portunity to cultivate her acquaintance
more informally than at our previous
meetings.
This pleased me, and yet when we
were comfortably settled in our chairs
and rushing swiftly through the mo-
notonous and uninteresting landscapes
or Central and Southern New Jersey |
was conscious of a distinct feeling of
disappointment regarding my fair COM
panion. In the daylight, and on a rail-
road train. she lost the subtle charm
which perhaps had been imported by
the glamour and artificial light of a
ball room, and she looked older and less
Ingenious than l had thought her.
Still, she was undoubtedly a beautiful
woman, and with a ready, graceful tact
she adapted herself to all the exigen-
Cies Of the situation.
Perhaps it would be more nearly true
of Irene Gardiner to say that she adapt
ed situations to herself Without seem
Ing to dictate, she anticipated my
wishes and made just such suggestions
as | wished to carry out.
Within an hour of our leaving New
York found myself enjoying cigar in
the smoker, and wondered how / had
maraged it.
When realized that had come there
at her advice, and even insistence, l
gave her immediate credit for tactful
lererness-woman's most admirable
trait.
After n time I began to feel a strong
inclination to return to Miss GARDENERS
society, and with a sudden intuition |
felt sure that this was just the result
she had intended to bring about, and
that she had dismissed me in order
that we might not both become bored
by long and uninterrupted tete-a-tete
! returned TO my chair in the parlor
car, and was greeted by a bright smile
Of welcor1e.
I've been reading a detective story"
she said, IS she turned down leaf and
closed the paper-cOvered book she held
Il don't often affect that style of ltera-
ture, but the train-bov seemed of the
opinion that this book was the bright
est gem OF modern fiction and that no
sself-respectinS citizen could afford to let
il go unread"
Don't sCorn detective fiction as a
class" l begged. It's one of my favor
tie lines of light reading. l have read
that book, and, although its literary
style is open to criticism, II advances a
strong and tenable theory of crime"
Il haven't finished the story" said
Miss Gardiner. but suppose you mean
the idea that innocence is only the alb
sence of temptation"
That is perhaps putting It a little
too strongly. but l certainly think that
often opportunity creates sinner" 4
Gardiner thOughtfully. II believe Goethe
said We are all capable Of crime-even
the best of u.s. And while he would
doubtless have admitted exceptions to
his rule, he must have thought 1t ap-
Dlicable to the great majority
1T is impossible TO TELL" I observed.