South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-22
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.

when Helen entered the writing
room OF the Hotel cecil it was twenty
five minutes after six. Warren was to
meet her there at half past
She took a seat where She could
see him as ne entered. II was inter
csting 20 watch the people as they
passed ia and out. There were many
Americans-hOw quickly one could tell
them
A pretty American girl and an cid
erly woman. evidently her mother.
came over and sat down near Helen.
They were stopping az the hotel, Tor
the girl had a room key which she
iingled impatiently. They too, were
waiting for some one.
A few moments later a young Eng
lishman with a top hat, white spats
end a mOnOcle, came hurrying toward
them
Awful SOrTY TO be late, It's a
bcaStlY shame to keep you waiting,
I,ut there was a nasty jam in the traf-
fc-the taxi could not get through"
Except that he did not suck his
cane he was the exact type or the
young English Clubman one sees on
the stage. Helen had always thought
70 an exaggerated type, but here evi-
IDENTITY was a specimen from life She
wondered II he had a title, and II he
wished TO exchange for her possible
millions. When he drew out a hand
kerchief strongly scented with laven-
der. Helen turned away in disdain.
low could any girl tolerate q man
who used perfume.
In her absorption she had forgotten
the time. It was now siX-forty o'clock
and Warren had not come. He was
usually prompt, but he had said this
morning that he had an important APP
fnfV q
they were 20 dine at the Cecil, per-
haps TO save time, she had better meet
him there.
1t was not until after : O'Clock that
Helen was really worried. Surely II
NE found he was going 10 be so late
he would have 'phoned her. He could
easily call up the Cecil and have her
PACED.
Every few minutes a bell boy would
come through calling a room number
or name, but the name would not
be hers.
Perhaps there had been some mis-
take-perhaps he had telephOned
She went through 10 the desk and
anxiously asked one of the clerks, but
after some inquiry he said there had
been no message for Mrs. Curtis.
Then with a flash came the thought
could she have misunderstood hin
this morning? She felt sure he had
said the Cecil, but he might have
meant the Savoy. Only. yesterday he
had said they mus5 dine there some
evening.
The Savoy was just next door. The
two big hotels so near together or
the Strand were often confused. Sup
pose he was waiting in the writing
room there
She remembered the mistake they
had once made I'm New York, the
wretched hours wait ard the spoiled
evening. He had said the Forty-Sec-
onl ST. subway, and she had gone e
the Forty Second St elevated.
It took less than five minutes t.
reach the writing room OF the Savoy
quick glance tround the brilliantly
lit plaCC-but Warren was not there
she made a hurried inquiry at th'
desk. but there was no message Bacl
again to the Cecil fearful lest h,
should have come while she was away
It was half past seven now. Some
thing must have happened. He would
not have kept her waiting a Who'll,
hour. She would call up the apart
ment Why had she not thought o.
that before? If there had been some
accident, he might have been takeI
there or have sent some word.
There were line of telephone
booths outside the writing room
Helen had telephOned only once be
ish anxiety she thought she woul'
never find the number Of the unfa
miliar book, and the time seemed end
less before she could get il from
Central. Even then the connection
was not good. The wire was buzznl
with several voices calling-"Are yol
there? Are you there2" the Englisl
slogan for Hello.
No Message.
mo, NIr. Curtis has not come. an,
there is no message" was the answe
she finally received.
How much IS IT." she asked me
cnanically OF the boy in attendance
as she came out OF the booth.
There's no charge. ma'am."
Ordinarily Helen would have beel
surprised at the free telephone service
and would have wondered If ii was tn
custom OF all London hotels. Blu
now she gave # no thought, nor di,
she see that the boy expected a tip. {
Back again TO the writing room