Evening star., 1911-08-27

steward brought hot Societies. which detracted nothing
from the gaety of the occasion.
"COd made the country: made the town."
sighed Billy sententiousy, holding the amber liquid to
the freight. 4The simple pleasures-heh healthy sports
of our ancestors-eh, Rita?'
"Oh, yes" with fine scorn, quilting partles-no
bridge, golf, tennis! Imag confirmed night owl
like you, Billy, tucked safely in bed at nine!'
@Im often in bed by nine
enough"
aDon't believe EN-, Camilla. I'm an Ideal Husband;
aren't l. Doly?"
Il hadn't noticed it."
aOh, what's the use?' shifted Mrs. Cheyne. 4There's
only one Ideal Husband
"Who?" asked voice, soicitous and feminine
"Oh, some other woman's, of course"
@How silly of you, Rita!" said Gretchen Indignantly.
got the point where nobody believes the slightest
thing you say.
aThats just what she wants. laughed Cortland.
3Dont crafty her, Gretchen
Mrs Cheyne shrugged her shoulders, and, with
glance at Camilla, snow, the ideal wife, Cort-"
would be my own, he interrupted quickly his face
flushing u wouldn't marry any other kind
@Thats why you haven't married, Cortland DEAR
said Rita acidulously.
CAMILLA listened with every outward mark of COM
posure her gaze in the fire. conscious of the growing
animosity in Mrs. Cheyne. They had met only twice
since Jes departure and those occasions each had
outdone the other in social amenities each of the
others hypocrisy In their polite interchange of COM
avoided and neither of them could be said to have the
slightest tactical advantage But Camilla felt rather
than knew that understanding of sort existed
between Mrs Cheyne and jeff, more complete under
standing than Camilla and her husband had ever had
She could not understand it; for two persons more
dssmilar had never been created. Mrs. Cheyne was
the last expression of decadent dynasty, Jeff the
dawning hope of new one. She had taken him up as
the seasons novelty, masculine curiosity which she
had added to her cabinet of eligible amuSements.
Camillas intuition had long since told her of Jefs
danger, and it had been in her heart the night they
separated to warn him against his dainty enemy Even
it might not have been too late, he would have
listened her. if he would believe that her motive
a part of their ancient friendship if he would meet her
deeply enmeshed in Rita Cheynes silken net There
too many "s, and the last seemed to suggest
that any further effort in the way OF reconciliation
would be both futile and demeaning.
Camilla that Mrs Cheyne going
out of her way to make her relations with Cort
permissible humor, had the two women been
friendly Under present conditions it was merely i'm
pertnence.
the ideal husbands the can't get" And
then. pointedly @Dont you, Mrs. Cheyne?"
Rita glanced at Camilla swiftly, and smiled her
acknowledgement of the thrust. "They wouldn't be IDEAL
"Tonchc! whispered Billy Haviland to Larry Berkely
delightedy.
Outside there was merry jingle of sleighbells and
Mrs. Haviland "Come. Children she said.
"Thats for us. / wish had more at the Cove.
You'll come. though, Cort won't you? We need an
other man.
"Do you mind stay out Rita' Cortland appealed.
"Oh not at ALL I'm used to being deserted for Mrs.
Wray that I'm actually uncomfortable without the
deSertion sensation.
So the party arranged. A long bobsed hitched
pair of horses at the door, and the women got
on while Gretchen peted snowbas at Perot and sue
ceeded in hitting only the horses that Camilla and
the Baroness were spilled into the and the
had hard time bringing them to stop. A pitched