Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-12
THE EVENING STORY.
The Other.

4 tress will be down directly" said Miss
\ Fletcher's English maid. and having
| seen the visitor comfortably seated in
one of the low chairs in which the little
I drawing room abounded she raised a
shade slis htly and noiselessly dsap-
| peared
| Mrs Dick Witherby. left alone. look
| ed about her with eager. eirlish curios-
| ity
| What a pretty room. she comment
| ed inwardIy. 1T doesn't look BIT like
an actress though. No photos graphs.
| Rising. she moved step or two 10
| examine a small picture hanging on the
wall
| "Oh. it's only some old saint. she
| murmured in a disappointed tone. and
| was about 10 explore further when the
| sound of siln whispering or the polished
| stairs sent her flying back to her seat.
/ just in time to rise from an expectant
1 pose as Miss Fletcher entered and adj
vanced smiling. with outstretched hand.
| She was a tall woman. overlapping her
| visitor by a head. and her deeper color
1 ing. We'll the rich, mellow tore $
which made her greeting almost caress-
/ ing. seemed 10 add 10 her air of gentle
| authority.
Il am very happy TO see YOU. Mrs
/ Witherby. she sad.
You might say at last, murmured
I tina: lady deprecatingly Il wouldn I
blame YOU. | meant 10 have called on
( YOU the very first OF the season but |
/ don't know how ii is, there's always
SO much to do. what with housekeeping
every one knows what that is in the
/ country. where servants simply laugh
| Won to scorn-and the Clio Club-we've
| taken up Russia this year and the names
! alone are enough to drive YOU distracted.
And now there's the Babies Hospital !:
we've got to raise s1.oo this month if
We don't want to lose another thousand
that's been offered to us-you know that
horrid Carnegie Rockefeller way-and
were about at our wits end. We've had
! lawn parties until every one is SO tired
of them that Dick says we'll never need
another Keep off the grass" sign in
Rivergrove long as the town exists.
And-and We thought, perhaps
You thought perhaps l might help you
OUT broke in. Miss Fletcher, filling the
brathless pause and smiling genially.
1T would be perfectly lovely of YOU
declared Mrs. Whiterby in a soft flutter,
clasping her hands on her lightly crossed
knees. You see, we've never had any
one living here before who was really
distinguished. There have been actors
and actresses. who. it appeared. were
very we'll known in Australia and Colo
RADIO, and even i'm Chicago and places
like that but one seemed to have
heard of them in New York. But now
YOU
New York has been very good to me, .
said Miss Fletcher. smiling STILL land
If can be good to the babies ! shall be
very glad. | suppose you want a benefit
Let me now your plans and 1 VIII ar
range TO meet them
How sweet of YOU. murmured Mrs.
Withcrby. You don't know what a
load you've taken off our minds, she
went on. Il was saving YESTERDAY
simply would not play bridge again for
charity this summer-not If l never saw
another card And that's a good deal
to say. for what We should do without
bridge in winter I'm sure | can't i'm
agine But l know I'm taking up your
time though you haven't told me once
you're "a very busy woman the way
some horrid women do who haven't &C
complished half what YOU have. But
know you must be very busy every min
teresting. she. murmured. lifting her
candid eyes in a childlike burst Of ad-
miration.
"Oh, no. Miss Fletcher FASTENED to
disclaim: I'm not working now. I'm just
enjoying the lovely country about River
grove and above ALL reveling in my
dear garden.
You've got so many pretty things
here. too" said Mrs. Witherby. rising
and pausing to glance around the room
as she adjusted her veil.
Don't go yet. urged her hostess.
Won't you have look at my pictures?
/ have some rather nice ones Az she
spoke a frown contracted her leyei brows
glance until her eyes rested on bowl
OF lille sof the valley half hidden by an
intervening screen. How careless OF
Jane, Excuse me moment. she MUIR
| INJURED. and. lifting the bowl. she opened
a window and placed it outside on the
ledge Il was sure l perceived the per-
fume. j can't endure it-tust foolish
| trick Of mine. she explained. returning
to her visitor, who had remained motion
| less watching her with only half-veiled
| curiosity
4 Miss Fletcher loved her books and pic
lures and it was evidently a pleasure to
1 her to show them. but her voiuble. new
acquaintance had fallen suddenly silent
and found little to say until she stepped
i in front Of a small painting which her
| hostess had passed by.
How many Botticellis you have. she
exclaimed. That's very good copy.
4 isn't it? You must be very fond OF him.
she ventured.
Il am" said Miss Fletcher. He means
spring to me-.
Il don't suppose | should recognize
them ALL the Younger woman went on on
mot knowing anything about art really
only that my husband is fonder OF Bottl-
celIi than of any one and is always
rummag ing al sales for old prints Oh
copies"
Mr. Witherby has excellent taste.
know said Miss Fletcher. politely.
so people cay" sighed his wife. Il
seems to me that he is rather whimsical
at times. My husband used to know yc'
Ia little. believe she continued Loni
ago in Canada. wasn't it? He mentioned
IL when Y told him I was going to cal
and ask YOU to help us out
Yes in Canada. long ago. Mis-
Fletcher's deep, sweet tones echoed tn
words.
How beautiful Your voice is said tn
other woman. pausing and staring a mo
ment You made that sound quite diff
ferent 1t seemed TO mean all sorts o
things.
The next moment she was exclaimini
ever the treasures the bookcase held.
What beautiful bindings" she sighed
dropping to her knees to study them
we have just a few-Dick will buy them
though he knows we can't AFFORD them
Shelley. Swinburne. Keats. Keats. Keats
Why. you must have copies of all the edi
tons that were ever printed. ,Sh
stared at Miss Fletcher, who had move,
away across the room and was ABSENT
picking the dead leaves from a fouerin
plant.
II thought We had about all Their
were she continued in moment 'bu
YOU have so many more. What an eX
auis!te cover she exclaimed. taking
volume from the shelf and opening
carefully.
LET me show you this carving Nils
Fletchers voice broke In abruptly-it Wa
HO0t( H(