The Washington times., 1913-10-26
CHAPTER XI.-(Continuedl
y ISS DALE threw up her hand
Nh with a gesture Of mock exas
IVY peration.

t peration.
II don't see what you come
TO me for! You know as much as 1 do
about them now," she cried, half petu-
lantly.
Not all of them" he amended. do
YOU happen to know anything Of Mrs.
Colin Suydam?"
Yes" Miss Dale replied quickly,
glancing up at him in surprised way.
Her husband was one of the Staten
Island Suydams. Since his death, nine
or ten years ago, his widow has Joined
Paris"
Not continuously? I mean she has
returned to New York for short periods
during that time, hasn't she?'
She has not once returned to this
country, and probably never will. She's
a peppery oid lady, and she had some
row with her only son over the settling
of her husbands estate, which was
never patched up. When she sailed she
vowed she would never come back to
America, and SO far she has kept her
word
You are certain Of it?''
Absolutely. We should have known,
of course, If she had returned; it's our
business to keep ourselves informed on
such matters. She isn't connected with
this Van Rensselaer, affair in any way,
is she? She must have known them al,
of course; she was a close friend Of
Mrs. Schuyler Hildreth, but she's been
an expatriate for 50 many years"
No, of course, she isn't directly con-
cerned, but as former associate OF
theirs wanted to know If she'd been
in America lately, that's ALL" explained
Yorke, In an easy, nonchalant tone
mark did not deceive Miss Dale in the
least, but at that stage of the inyesli-
cation he did not wish to explain
And now," he pursued, leaning for
ward In his chair, what about Mrs.
I've been wondering why you didn't
ask about her." remarked Miss Dale,
somewhat irrelevantly. 'tShe was Mrs.
Van Rensselaers closest, most intimate
friend, and they have been inseparable
New York to live.
"She was Madge rockingham, the
daughter of Stanhope Frothingham, the
great Boston lawyer and legislator. She
married Bingham Ashley, who was.
from all accounts, an utter beast. She
divorced him, quietly, here in this State,
about three years ago. The report was
filed by a referee, the details consid-
erately suppressed, and there was prac-
tically no scandal It was thought that
she would marry again, almost imme-
diately. She's a remarkably handsome
woman. of a commanding type, and
quite charming. A lot of the men in her
set were mad about her, but one by one
she's dismissed them" -..
uha ,xvTll in tanr
ever" advanced Yorke tentatively.
unsuspecting frankness. "She seems
CO o'nfirmed IN her Independence. What
dt1 you think of her? She found Mrs.
Van Rensselear's body, didn't she? 1t
Yes. Of course" rejoined Yorke hos
tidy. He had no mind to have his
friend turn the tables and become his
inQuisitor. To furnish copy for the
Talk O. the Town was furthest from his
intention on coming there that morning.
She's a charming woman; I found her
most intelligent and clear-headed"
Miss Dale fingered her pen-rack i'm
patiently and sighed.
Intelligent! Clear-headed ?" she
all you ever see in a woman, Franklyn
Yorker"
mo. Sometimes I. see duplicity-a
base desire to turn my innocent thirst
for information into copy for a horrid
little gossipy columnr"
Miss Dale threw back her head and
laughed merrily; surprisingly youth
full, tuneful little ripple of laughter.
Caught" she cried frankly. TN be
good, though, and generous. Is there
anybody else you want me to pull to
pieces for you?"
No" Yorke answered seriously. do
you know anything about the lady
young Blaisdell is going to marry
Frederick Blaisdell, you know, who has
been attached TO the embassy at St
nedy, niece of Gen Walpole Kennedy"
Very little. She is an orphan, the
general brought her up, and she ap-
pears very seldom in society-detests 1t
j understand. She's a college girl and a
very serious-minded young Person, I've
suffrage, and that sort of thing. She'n u
have to go in for a radical change If
she's going to help young Blaisdel get
on By the way. he's quite a chum OF
Robin Van Rensselaer,"
Yes, / know. Did you ever meet
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, herself?'
Yes. Five or six years ago, when 1
was doing the society page for the Sun
day Tidings. There's lot of differ
ence-humiliating difference-in the way
in which a society reporter is received,
] can tell you, Frank.
The climbers receive you with unc-
tuous gratification, the social leaders
regard you as a more or less necessary
evil, and treat you accordingly. In
either event you receive scant personal
courtesy. How ! abhored II all! Mrs.
Van Renseiaers graciousness, and un-
affected, sympathetic cordiality, were as
charming as they were unusual. / shall
always remember them gratefully"
Horke rose.
Well, I'm glad to have seen you this
morning. Esther; you've helped me
Il wish / could say the same to youI"
she retorted vigorously. "A more disap-
pointingly close-mouthed young man II
has never been my misfortune to meet.
Here l am. literally bursting with Gu
riosity, and you come here and gather
all tine grist for your own particular lit
tie mill which you can collect, and leave
me without one scrap Of real informa-
tionwN ~
when have anything to tell you
shall be the first to hear ii, Esther" he
promised, smiling at the energetic little
woman before him.
IN run in again in a few days, II
anything of importance comes TO your
ears, pigeonhole IL for me, will you?
This Van Rensselaer, case looks as II II
might be a tough proposition; any little
stray him may prove to be of the ut
most value. oh! one thing more: can
YOU give me Mrs. Colin Suydam's ad-
dress In Paris.?'
Mrs. Suydam's address? Let me
see," said Miss Dale, burrowfng in an
old. disreputable-looking file Of papers
II her left
a..She has a swagger little apartment,
somewhere out near the Arc de Tri-
omphe. She gave an elaborate affair
for Xavier, the violinist, last winter