The Washington herald., 1914-04-02
DAILY SHORT STORY.
TWO IN SOCIETY.
By MoLLIE MINISTER.


When Billy Dean first saw her and
heard her sing at the Beyeriys' dinner
dance, he thought he had never seen so
altogether beautiful q woman. And ner
voice? II had penetrated to the very
depths of Billy's being. He sighed. Wom-
en- such as Clair Raymer were not for
I him.
i Billy hoped to be presented to her. set
he feared the result Instinctively, he
felt that to meet the beautiful, exquisite
ly gowned girl was to love her.
Il There were only few within the inner
circle who knew that Billy Dean was in
/ vited to society dinners. ETC., that his wit
might liven the party. He called himself
a vagabond entertainer, and the checks
he earned displaying his talent were both
| large and acceptable. Those not within
4 that inner circle considered Billy Dean
4 to be one of them-a man Of social stand
| ing.
/ Thus, he looked upon Clair Raymer
4 with eyes that dared scarcely TO feast
themselves upon so forbidden a piece Of
luxury as feminine loveliness.
III she were only a beggar. maid.
sighed Billy, how happily / could love
her"
| A few moments later he was introduced
! to Miss Raymer. The warm touch Of her
hand augmented the already rapid move
ment OF Billy's blood.
| Her eyes were veIvetIy and looked
| softly into his own.
| II enjoyed your stories immensely. Mr..
Dean" she complimented him in that rich
| voice of hers.
| MY buffoonery. 1t is a sacrilege to
mention my efforts when this room is
/ even now pulsating with the beauty Of
| your tones. Ny very soul wept when you
sang" Billy smiled UPON Clair Raymer
| in his half serious, half bantering man
| ner.
"And your words produced laughter in
my SOUL" she returned quickly. Billy
| watched a wistful, fugitive smile play in
| her eyes. We must have both laughter
and tears in our souls IL we would be
| completely happy" she added.
| After a moment of more or less serious
discussion. in which Clair knew that she
had found one whom she liked. Billy cx-
tended his hand.
We must also have meetings and part
ings and-I am in a most dreadful hurry"
His voice laughed while his eyes remained
| wistful.
Their hands met in mutual pressure and
Billy went swiftly away. He was wise
enough to realize that to fee from temp
| tation was the safest way to save fur
| ther damage being done his heart. Temp
| tation in this case would not pursue him.
Billy would have opened wide his arms
! to love had he been other than a vaga-
| bond at heart. but he lived with only one
| object in mind and that was his caravan.
He worked during the winter months, but
when spring breathed her fragrance over
! the hillside and through the valley Billy
slipped OF in his small caravan. nor was
he heard from until the cold drove him
back to his "buffoonery," as he himself
called his talent for amusing society.
What would do with a jewel-a lux
ury loving, adorable woman such as Clair
Raymer?' he questioned himself IRON
ically. 'AII I could give her would be
love and three meals a day cooked on a
camp fire and reeking of smoke"
Try as he might to avoid meeting the
girl he failed dismally. Tango teas. din
ner dances. debutante receptions all COM
bined to frustrate Billy's desire to keep
out of harms way. He and Clair were
flung into the same assemblages day af-
ter day and week after week. The in
tangible sense OF attraction made them
gravitate toward one another. II at times
Billy noticed a peculiar wistfulness in
Clair's eyes IL did not occur to him that
it was occasioned by his indifference to
her.
The night upon which he had watched
her drive away from the De Cortaber's
mansion in a great, luxurious limousine
all hope had been stifled in his breast
Her gray uniformed chauffeur prob
ably has more money in the bank than I
will eyer have" he sighed. as she stepped
into the perfectly appointed car OF the
De Cortabers.
1t was toward the end of the season
that Billy met Clair on the street. Never
before had he seen her in other than won-
derful toilets. Now her suit was simple.
and even to Billy's masculine eyes IL
seemed well worn. Billy's heart rejoiced.
For once before leaving for his vagabond
summer he was to have Clair alone be-
side him.
A heavy. persistent snow had fallen,
and those who toiled through the elder
down of snow that covered the city
streets became weary of the effort.
Clair had become weary and was step
ping up for a cup of tea when Billy saw
her. The stairs leading to the Chimney |
Corner were slippery and Billy put his |
arm very quickly and firmly within |
Clair's.
"oh, It's YOU" she gasped. and even |
the obtuse Billy recognized the gladness
in her voice. How delightful"
That's what say laughed Billy. He
piloted her safely up and to a scat beside
the great fireplace with its shining
brasscs.
cheeks and her eyes were glowing
Have you tasted the homemade cake
here?' asked Billy. "Yes-then, of course,
you want some" He smiled at her and
ordered Ceylon tea and cake from the
neat little maid
For a second he sat looking at Clair,
marveling that he. vagabond entertainer.
was sitting at a little table alone with
her. Never before had a tea room on
East Thirty-third street reflected so great
a joy.
The Jewel has wandered from its set
ting" he said finally.
ct am no more a jewel than are you."
she told him frankly. Her eyes made no
attempt to conceal the happiness she felt.
Are you trying to make my soul
laugh?" he inquired quizzically. Be
cause II you are II will be difficult-today"
why today-in PARTICULAR Her eyes,
softly luminous, rested contentedly on
Billy's face.
This is the first time have had you
away from your million-dollar setting II
The change is so wonderful that 1t makes
me sad to think that IL 1t were not for
your real setting I could tell you how
glorious life could be IL you were a beg
gar maid and a vagabond poet"
Clair laughed softly.
and laughed the more at the astonish-
ment In Billy's eyes. my home Is a hall
room, for which my landlady extracts
eight hard-earned dollars from me every
week. am in society merely because my