South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-05

could hardly restrain an exclamation
OF delight when the French manager
unlocked the door and crossed over
20 draw the heavy curtains from the
long low windows.
The Daneled walls. the furniture,
the draperies, were ell in old rose silk
tapestry. The bedroom adjoining
was eXquisitely dainty in white and
pale blue. The low French dressing
table, the cheval mirror the two cane
beds with the pale blue silk hangings
and cOverlets made ii look like
stage setting-'Act Mile -s
boudOir"-in a modern French play.
IL was all so surprisingly dainty
and luxurious for a hotel that Helen
feared il would DE most expensive
more than they could pay.
What do you ask for these
rooms p" she venturcd.
twenty-five francs "a day. mad
sme.' he answered in surprisingly
good English.
And what for breakfast up here p"
Two francs for coffee and rolls"
Only nine more francs for the
rooms and the same for breakfast as
they were paying now. And the dirt
and dinginess Of the other place com
pared 10 the charm and cleanliness Of
this. Helen pictured herself in her
dainty white morning gown and boa
dOir cap, having breakfast in this
rose silk room. This picture decided
her.
VERY we'll I'll take the rooms
We're at a place on the Boulevard
Capucines now, but Wen come tomOr-
row morning or late this evening"
The manager took her down on the
mirrored elevator TO the palm-lined
hall and office below. where Helen
made a deposit of % francs to secure
the rooms
on the way back in the bus her
courage began 10 waver She had ar
ranged to move without WarTen's
consent or knowledge But when she
gain saw the dinginess and shabbi-
ness OF the rooms they were i'm and
thought of the wretched breakfast
they had had that morning her cOuT-
age was renewed
A Bold scheme.
AS she picked the few things they
had unpacked for the night. her
strongest desire was 10 move now. It
was only half past one. and Warren
would not be back until almost seven.
Why not get a cab and take their bag
gage over nOw-and have everything
unpacked and in place by the time
he got there? She could not reach
him during the afternoon. but she
could le;>ye note here giving him
the address OF the new place.
For Helen this was most auda-
cious scheme. and she was athrill
with excitement at the very daring
ness of it all. For once she would
show Warren that she could take the
initiative, that she would not stay
i'm a place that was both uncOmfOrt-
able and unclean, merely because he
did not want the bother of moving.
There was n rusty pen and a dusty
ink bottle on the mantel. Helen took
some paper from her handbag and
wrote hurriedly;
"Dear-Have just found the most
wonderful place! When | went to
the American Express company this
morning to get our mail / heard
some American women talking about
"a delightful hotels / took down the
address and looked il up at once.
The rooms are beautiful and mode
rate. that / couldn't resist engaging
them.
II do hope you won't be annoyed,
hut this place is so dirty that / felt
Z couldn't stay I am going TO get
cab and move the things over now, so
everything will be in place when you
get there. The address is Hotel
r onecray. 10 Rue MOntaigne. You
ON get bus on the corner that will
lake you to the door. / will pay the
2 II here. Hastily HELEN
Still fearing that her courage might
be short-lived. she determined to act
quickly. ResoIutely she went down to
the office and asked for their bill.
The man seemed surprised and dis
pleased. for ne had plainly expected
them 10 stay several weeks
n Big Bill.
Helen was amazed at the bill She
thought there would be only the room
for the one night and breakfast-but
there was a charge for light. service
and bath. However, she was too glad
to escape from the place TO make any
protest and a little later she was in
a cab with her baggage on top, driv-
ing to the new hotel with a feeling
of mingled glee and awe at her own
temerity.
1t was just three by the French gilt
clock on the mirrJred mantle of the
rose tapestried sitting room. when
Helen closed the door after the pOr-
ters who had brought up the bag
gage.
she made an eager. interested iuspec-
ton OF every detail of the rooms.
They were luxuriously and perfectly
appointed. Everything was i'm eX-
quiste taste.
II would be over three hours yet
before she could expect Warren.
But she had no desire 10 go out in
heat was sitting. She would spend the
heat was sting. She would spend the
time in unpacking, in getting up theiy
laundry. and in going over her
clothes. which after the week or
board ship needed attention.
u was a real joy 10 shake out heI
gowns and hang them in the spacious
closets. and to arrange her clothes IT
the white paper-lined drawers OF the
chiffOnier and dresser. The rooms
were so beautiful that there was q
sense OF luxury in just moving about
and getting settled in them.
At s o'clock she decided suddenly
10 dress-to put on her white chiffon
evening gown. She would lay on
Warren's evening clothes and wheI
he saw her all dressed he would
hardly refuse TO dress, too. They
would live up" 10 the luxury of th'
place
To sit down and arrange her hail
before the low dressing table was ;
real pleasure. Helen thought OF al
the hours she had 20 stand before hel
-=-@