The Washington herald., 1915-08-29

of the letter by holding the envelope up strong
Gilbert had too good taste in stationery to make
that possible. ~----------- ----------,-..-.-'
At eleven-thirty the theater-goers returned 1t
was delicious winter night Even SO far as from
the cab to the door they were powdered thickly
with the big flakes downpourins diagonaly
from the east. Old Jerome srowled sood-naturedly
about vilanous cab service and bloekadcd streets.
Nevada, eolored like rose, with sapphire eyes, bab
bled of the stormy nights in the mountains around
dads cabin. During all these wintry apostrophes.
Barbara, cold at heart, sawed wood-the only ap-
propriate thing she could think of to d.
Old Jerome went Immediately upstairs to hot
waterbottles and quinine. Nevada futered into the
study the only cheerfully lighted roo subsided into
armchair, and, while at the interminable task of
unbuttoning her elbow gloves. gave oral testimony
as to the demerits of the SHOW"
Eyes, think Mr.. Fields is really amusing
sometimes" said Barbara. Here is letter for you
dear, that came by special delivery just after you
had gone"
who is it from?" asked Nevada, tugging at
button.
well, really" said Barbara, with a smile, Il can
only guess. The envelope has that queer little thing
in corner that Gilbert calls palette but which
valentine"
81 wonder what he's writing to me about" re-
marked Nevada, lstlessly.
Were all alike" said Barbara; '"all women. We
try to hnd out what is in letter by studying the
postmark. As last resort we use scissors and read
it from the bottom upward Here it is"
She made motion as if to toss the letter across
the table to Nevada " 80
"Great catamountsw exclaimed Nevada. "These
center-hre buttons are nuisance. I'd rather wear
buckskins. Oh, Barbara, please shuek the hide off
that letter and read it It'll be midnight before get
these gloves off,
why, dear, you don't want me to open Gbert's
letter to you? It's for you and you wouldp't wish
any one else to read it, of course!"
Nevada raised her steady calm, sapphire eyes
from her gloves.
Nobody writes me anything, that everybody
mightn't read she said. GO on Barbara Maybe
Gilbert wants us to go out in his car again tomor-
row."
Curiosity can do more things than kill cat; and
if emotions well recognized as feminine, inmieal
to feline life then jealousy would soon leave the
whole world catless. Barbara opened the letter,
with an indulgent. slightly bored air. ~
'Wen, DEAR" said she, "IIl read it if you want
me to-"
She slit the envelope, and read the n,issive with
swift-traveling eyes, read it again. and cast quick,
shrewd glance at Nevada who. for the time seemed
to consider gloves the world of her interest and
letters from rising artists as no more than mes
sages from Mars. -'
For a quarter of minute Barbara looked at
Nevada with strange steadfastness; and then
smile so small that it widened her mouth only the
sixteenth part of an inch. and narrowed her eyes
more than twentieth. flashed like an inspired
thought across her face. x ...-
Since the beginning no woman has been mys-
terry to another woman Swift as light travels, each
penetrates the heart and mind of another Sits her
sisters words of their eunningest disguises reads
her most hidden desires and plucks the sophistry
from her wiliest talk like hairs from comb, twid-
ding them sardonically between her thumb and 6h-
gers before letting them float away on the breezes
of fundamental doubt. Long ago Ewes son rang
the door-bell of the family residence in Paradise
Park, bearing a strange lady on his arm. whom he
introduced Eve took her daughter-in-law aside and
lifted classic eyebrow.
"The Land of Nod,' said the bride languidly