The chronicle=news., 1912-11-30
LOOKING FOR DINNER
Dy H. uThooW.


taispAona. - has become . usual Gus.
tom IN these hurried and unregerser.
ats days. This. however. did not lead
Cunni6 70 infer that the entertainment
vas to b In the least degree iufor.
mai. On the contrary. Cunni6 be-
HsVod that when the Drummonds did
snythfng they did II well. He was
SoAsing ffom their automobilsi and
Ass. Drummond's gowns and their
gaoasai air OF prosperity. Tor. al.
though hs knew tho family rather
veil, hs had never been At their
house.
Say" CunniR asked Brown. who
Nkswiss was to be = giest at the
dinnsr. "wAe1s do the Drumnonds
I've. anyway"
AT Y1nisth and Timbsrwood ave
nue." said Brown. THAT big gray.
stone anair. You know nr''
"Oh. yes." said Cunnin. GrAndly.
However, a. . matter OF fact. he
did not know II at all.
Late on Thanksgiving day he looked
up the Drummonds in tho telephone
directory between wrestling with his
dc and brushing his hatr. He found
the name at oncs-494s Underwood
avenue. Having got the tie to suit
him, CunniR started OF briskly at
quarter to seven. for tho house was
only flve blocks from his residence.
He sscended the steps briskly and
was . triae annoyed at the delay In
answering his ring. When tho door
was at last opened Cunnin took for
ward step and murmured tentatively
his hosts name.
Tho maid swung the door open.
"Yes. this 10 Mr.. Drummond's house.
Come In" she said. "Pcase wait In
the library" Then she vanished.
Cunnif. in some bewi1derment. di.
vested himself OF coat and hat 10
tho largo entrance hall and proceeded
into tho room Indicated. II was
empty.
There was neither host nor hostess
lurking in the corners and no other
guests had arrived.
MY watch must be horribly fast!-
cunni9 said to himself. uncomfortably.
He sat down because there was
nothing clse to do and looked about
him. The room was indeed handsome
and probably would appear still more
attractive when all the artistically
shaded lights were turned on. ~
present only ono burned on the wall
near an oaken reading table.
A dead silence reiEned. As his eyes
grew accustomed to tho semi9loom
CunnifY made out the dininE.room
table some distance OF In the adjoin.
ing room. Only the bare mahogany
confronted him. Even q mere man
knows that for . dinner party tho set.
ting Of the table must come some
minutes before tho eating Of the meal.
Cunniff crossed ono foot over the
other and tried to BE- patient. When
twenty minutes had passed without
another arrival or the appearance of
his entertainers the unpleasant convic-
tien that something was wrong broke
upon him.
Yet Why had he been admitted II
anybody had como down with seri.
Gus illness and the dinner had been
abandoned?
Just a. CunniR. In . cold perspira-
ton. was miserably meditatins seixing
his hat and coat and sneaking out he
heard footsteps on the stairs. The
set society smile he at once donned
for Mrs. Drummond's delectation fro1e
on his face ~ . girl walked in whom
he had never seen before. She was .
face and CunniR observed attractive
little Quirks At the corners OF har
rosy lips.
Good evening"" she said . little
dubiousiy. a. she eyed CunniR. She
acted ~ though she had expected
somebody else. "Father has tust tele-
phoned me from the railroad station.
He and mother have arrived In tho
city from their Thanksgiving visit.
They failed to get the earlier train.
II you can wait till eight O'clock"
But" Cunnin stammered. what
about tho dinner party!"
The pretty girl took hold Of .
chair and stood behind It. There
isn't any," she said mildly. "Did-did
father ask you to dinner? He's 20
absurdly absent.minded occasionally.
Aren't you Mr.. Beckmore. the presi-
dent Of the road?'
Good gracious. mol" CunniR got
out. glad Of something tangible to dis
pute my names Cunnin and am
supposed to be at a dinner party at
the Drummonds' at F1ftieth street and
Underwood avenue! And want to
know what has happened to the din
ner!"
The pretty girl bent over the chair
back and laughed. why. I'm 30 sor-
ry!" she choked. Its the Drum.
monds two doors up! We always get
each others mail and packages. but
we never got one Of their dinner
guests before! And you've waited
all this time!"
IT don't mind the wait-now." said
CunniR. daringly. Then he fed.
"Now" he entfed f1fteen rninntes