The Raymer enterprise., 1911-01-19
collapsed in . chaiS and bent over

me.
DO you know" he said. looking
down at me with his clear. discon-
certing gaze. do you know that !
have just grasped the situation?
There was such a noise that ! did not
hear your name. and ! am only real
izing now that you are my hostess! !
don't know why I got the impression
that this was . bachelor establish
ment, but did. Odd. wasn't itr'
! positively couldn't look away from
him. Ny features seemed frozen, and
my eyes were glued to bis. As for
telling him the truth-well. my tongue
refused to move. intended to tell
him during dinner II had an op-
portunity: honestly did. But the
more ! looked At him and saw how
candid his eyes were, and how stern
his mouth might be. the more I SHY.
cred at the plunge. And. Of course, as
everybody knows now. ! didn't tell
him at all. And every moment ex-
pected that awful old woman to ask
me what / paid my cook. and when
l had changed the color Of my hair
Bella's being black
Dinner was half.hour late when
we finally went out Jimmy leading
of with Aunt Selma. and !. as hostess.
trailing behind the procession with
Mr.. HARRISON. Dallas took In the two
Mercer girls. for we were one man
short, and Max took Anne. Leila Mer.
Ger was 20 excited that she wriggled.
and as for me. the candles and the
orchids-everything - danced around
In a circle. and Just seemed to catch
the back OF my chair as 1t few past
Jim had ordered away the wines and
brought out some weak and cheap
Chianti. Dallas looked gloomy at the
change. but Jim explained in an un-
dertons that Aunt Selma didn't ap-
prove Of expensive vintages. Natural.
ly, the meal was glum enough.
Aunt Selma had had her dinner on
the train. SO she spent her time In
asking me questions the length Of the
table. and in getting acquainted with
me. She had brought bottle Of some
sort Of medicine downstairs with ner.
and she took a claret glassful. while
she talked. The stuff was called Po-
mona: Shall ] ever forget It?
1t was Mr.. HARRISON who nrst no
ticed Takahiro. Jimmy's Jap had
been the only thing in the menage
that Bella declared she had hated to
leave. But he was doing the strangest
things: His little black eyes shifted
nervously. and he looked queer.
What's wrong with him." Mr..
HARRISON asked me finally, when he
saw that I noticed rs he ill?"
Then Aunt Selina's voice from the
other end Of the table:
Bella" she called, In a his'' shrill
tone. do you let James eat cucum-
bers!''
81 think he must be" said hurried
ly aside to Mr. HARRISON. See how
his hands shake" But Aunt Selma
would not be ignored.
"Cucumbers and Strawberries" she
repeated impressively. Il was saying.
Bella, that cucumbers have always
given James the most fearful indiges.
ton. And yet see you serve them at
your table. Do you remember what
] wrote you to give him when he has
his dreadful spells'"
| was quite speeches.; every one
was looking. and no one could help.
1t was clear Jim was racking his
brain, and We sat staring desperately
at each other across the candles.
Everything ! had ever known faded
from me: eight pairs OF eyes bored
into me. Mr.. Harbisons politely
amused
"I don't remember" said at last.
Really. l don't believe" Aunt Sc.
lima smiled In superior way.
Now. don't you recall IT," she ir.
sisted. Il said: Baking soda in water
taken internally for cucumbers, ba.
king soda in water externally, rubbed
on. when he gets that dreadful, itch.
ing strawberry rash"
believe the dinner went on. Some
body asked Aunt Selma how much
overcharge she had paid in foreign
hotels. and after that she was as
harmless as dove.
Then halfway through the dinner
We heard a crash in Takahiros pan.
try, and when he did not appear
again, Jim got up and went out to In.
vestigate. He was gone quite a little
while. and when he came back he
looked worried
Sick" he replied to our inquiring
glances. "One OF the maids will come
in. They have sent for doctor"
Aunt Selma was for going out at
once and fixing him up" as she put
It, but Dallas gently interfered.
II wouldn't. Miss Caruthers," he
said, In the deferential manner he
had adopted toward her. You don't
know what It may be. He's been look.
Ing spotty all evening"
(To BE CONTINUED)
OF Such Is Fame.