The Washington herald., 1914-10-25
WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY?' 3 44 EgEzeE Hgszzz s=z 5

er they wouldn't
She led the protesting Forbes home-
ward again, down the long flight OF
\ steps. The most he could exact was
the promise of another walk together
some time when II could be arranged
without attracting attention or de-
tracing from the duties toward the
host and his other guests.
II hope Winifred hasn't seen US,
she said THE kitchen and the nurs-
cry are both to the east Well take a
chance. You go on into the kitchen
and help her, and I'll telephone down
from my room, Au 'voirl"
She opened the outer door ever so
slightly and oozed through the slit as
narrowly as Bernhardt used to when
she had murdered Scarpia. Forbes
dawdled a few moments, then went
! into the kitchen.
He found Winifred playing the part
of cook with a vengeance. Her hair
was dishevefed, her sleeves rolled
back, and her fee smudged from her
smudgy fingers. She had assumed a
cooks prerogative of wrath. The mo-
ment she saw Forbes she began with
a savage, "Oh, it's you! And who s
been littering up my clean ktchen"
Il took the liberty of making myself
a little coffee" said Forbes.
There are two cups.
q made two cups" said Forbes; and
she was too busy to notice the evasion
Then, since you've had your break
fast" she snapped, you can help me
get something for the rest You'd bet
ter put this on"
Like another Omphale, she fastened
a womanish apron on Hercules, and
set him at uncongeniai tasks, retrieving
butter, milk. salt, and eggs.
After a tinA there was a buzz, and
little hopper Fell in box on the wall.
Winifrei went to the house telephone
and called out:
WE'LL Hlo, Perse, what you do
ing awake so early? Insomnia? No,
/ will not send your breakfast up on a
rayI You can come down and get it
My little snojer man is helping me-"
She hung up the ear-piece and turned
to Forbes with her broad smile.
"a cook has no chance to entertain
her gempman friends. The minute l
get a policeman in here somebody
rings"
She kept him wretchedly i'll at ease
by more of the same banter, which he
hardly knew how to take. And she
seized his arm with a gesture of cul-
mary coquetry just as Persis sauntered
IN. Forbes was Mortified to note a
look of anger in Persis' eyes. He
should have been fattered She greet
ed Winifred, and also Forbes, with a
discreet Good morning.
Good get-busyP' Winifred growled.
what can l do?" said Persis, help
lessly
For one thing, you can rout the
other loafers out Of bed"
How"
use the telephone. Tell 'em the
house is on FIRE"
While Forbes fetched and carried at
Winifred's beck and call, Persis rang
up the various rooms and conveyed
Winifred's orders. But her gentle voice
carried no conviction, and WinIfred
took her place at the instrument and
howled in her best cook lingo:
Get up and come down, or III quit
you cold and lave you to starve- It's
scrambled eggs and bacon the marnin,
and no goods exchanged"
one WENT 10 dIkC. OlllN "
be called to the telephone again Mrs
Neff was imploring a brief respite
Water boiling over and scattering in
hot hailstones from the stove brought
Winifred back with a screech. She up
braided Persis for a useless ycullery
maid and threatened Forbes with a
skillet She was enjoying herself tre-
mendously. She ordered Persis to set
the table in the breakfast-room, but re-
fused Forbes permission to help her.
But he slipped away little later,
when she went to rummage the ice
room. He found Persis drifting about
in a lake of golden sunshine, distrib-
uting delicate china and looking like
a moving fgurine of bisque There
was a pleasant clink OF silver as she
laid the knives and forks and spoons,
and he thought how wonderful she
would be in such a little home as he
could offer her. how she would grace
the quarters at any army post. She
smiled on him, and her smile was sun
shine He went at her once more with
that rush of desire. She put up her
hand to fend him off, and he knocked
a cup out of it
They knelt together to pick up the
pieces. He began:
while I'm down here on my knees,
l ask you again" She put her hand
to her lips in warning, but he seized
the hand. She snatched it away and
rose to her feet just as Willie EnSlee
came in.
Forbes, still on his knees, set busily
to work picking up the scattered petals
of the china He felt guilty as a caught
burglar, but the unsuspecting Willie
paused on the threshold to yawn. VIII
lie was always yawning on the thresh-
old of discovery.
'Morningl Morning." was his al
most swallowed greeting.
I'VE Just broke one of your cups"
said Persis, while we were setting the
table"
$50 long as you don't break the Ia
bic, i suppose Pm to be congratulated.
Had a fearful time this morning with
out my man. Had to FL my own tub.
put oEn buttons in, shave myself-cut
a map of Russia on face. Couldn't get
tie tied to save life. Persis, you'll have
to help your little Willie with his bib"
So PersiS knotted his scarf for him
while Forbes grew restive at the sight.
Willie was proprietory in his tone, and
he clung drowsily to Persis' arm while
her hands hovered about his throat.
But when the task was done he toddled
through the swing-door to see what
wreck had been made of the kitchen.
You seeP said Persis, reproachful-
", putting down the silver very slowly.