Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06

1t.
vciously.
Camilla held up her fingers pleadingy. Don't speak
forbid YOU and rising she took up heT gloves and and
said more lightly. 81 have suspicion that you try
ing to stir up a tempest in teapot
do you mean YOU haven't noticed, he insisted
the Janneys'?'
NO" she replied careessy, Il hadn't noticed"
Curtis Janney, who had been moving fussy from
one group to another, forward he Camilla
rise Il hoping we might still get another short
run; but suppose you re too tired, Mrs. Wray?"
"A little; but don't let interfere. l think can
find my way back.
He looked at his watch Hello! It's time
off anyway. The other guests will be eating all
breakfast. Come Cort, Gretchen Mrs. Cheyne.you
group to group and ruthessy breaking up the tetea
tetes so successfully that Rita Cheyne rebelled.
You're very dsagreeable person, MIR. Janney: Ivy
wild resents it. You're trying to form the hospitality
of the county into of those horrid trusts Every
time accident throws the hunt my way you insist on
dragging it off to Braebank. 1t isn't fair. OF course
if you insist" And then, crossing to Camilla, Dear
Mrs Wray, I'm borrowing your husband for awhile.
feel little tired; he's promised to lunch with
here and 60 to Braebank later You don't mind
"Not in the least, my dear Mrs. Cheyne. I'm SO
you feel badly! Perhaps you shouldn't have nd
den 50 hard And then to her husband Remember
Each spoke efusively the tips of their fingers just
touching Then Mrs Cheyne followed her visitors to
the door.
Outside coach horn was blowing, and they
emerged upon the porch the Janney brake arrived,
fooled by the coachman and bearing aoft Mrs. Rum
sen, General Bent and Gladys, who had arrived from
town the morning train. But they would not get
down. and the cavalcade wound its way along the
drive, leaving Jeff and Mrs. Cheyne waving them
goodby from the steps.
CAMILLA took the road thoughtfuly. 1t the
~ first time in their brief social that Jeff had
not consulted her before he made his own plans She
did not blame him altogether for she knew that jeff
nexperence made him sngulary vulnerable to the arts
of of the type of Mrs Cheyne, Who for want
of any better occupation in life, had to consider
all men her lawful prey Camilla knew that mild lrta-
lions the rule rather than the exception IN this
world where idle people caught at anything that put
to flight the insistent demon of WEAKNESS and boredom
And she discovered that it part of the diversion of
the younger married couples to lend and borrow hus
bands and wives to satisfy the light fancy OF the hour
All this part of the fabric in which she and jeff
living, and endangered society only when the
women were weak and the men vicious 81.
But Jeff somehow, didn't to fit into the picture
HIS personality she had learned to associate with sig
ncant achievements. His faults well as his virtues
big, and he had habit of scorning lesser sins:
The pleasure of mild filtration such his brothers of
the city might indulge in for the mere delight of the
society of woman would offer nothing to Jeff, who
in the habit of doing anything mildly or by halves
Camilla knew him better than Mrs. Cheyne did.
Of thought anything of his interest
in Mrs Cheyne. All the younger men interested
in Mrs. Cheyne at one time or another, and it was
doubtful people had noticed his attentions Cor
land had but there a reason for that. Anything
that could disc-edt Jeff in her eyes meat and drink
10 him. But 1t cruel OF Cortland to take advantage
of her isolation! How could she cut herself off from
Cort when her husband by the nature of the situation
had thrown her completely his mercies? 1t seemed
as though all the world conspiring to throw her
with the one man whose image she had promised her
conscience she would wipe from her heart. He rode
beside her remorselessy proving by his silence
more eoquenty the of his appreciation of the
situation. She felt that he too entering the Valley
of Indecision, with the step of dawning Hope,
while she fatered the brink of the Slough of Despond
THEY had fallen well behind the Others and followed