The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-26
MRS. WADHAMSCURE
Her Failure as a Matchmaker
Sent he Blue Book to
the Fire.
BY Willis STRONG.
copyright. 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa-
nnr SNndicatel


Her glance ~sharpened as she rec
/ognized her husbands portly form.
Mis- face famed with heat and his
white clothes looked limp. Over one
shoulder a bag of clubs sagged heavily.
81 wonder who that man is-he
hooks like the one who arrived this
morning; l wonder if Edith Her
thoughts became chaotic as her hus-
band came up the steps and sank into
q chair beside her.
clustering hot. Meg" he pufed,
mopping his brow.
who is that man, JIM" she asked.
what MANI" he stared.
"The one you crossed the links
with-the tall man with fair hair"
'Oh-that's Denway."
"One of the Denways?" she de-
manded, wide-eyed.
He nodded carelessly.
One of the Denway twins. ! be-
Heve."
(Which one?"
Search mel ! didn't ask him.
Seems to me heard omeone call him
Cecil"
Cecil Denway!" Meg Wadham
eyes flashed.
Her husband recognized the signs,
and smiled inwardly.
They've got all kinds of money"
he egged her on.
81 know it-Jim, I've been thinking
OF Edith-you know she is too good
for the best man on EARTH"
"Right-for that reason she'll prob
ably marry some good-for-nothing
scam who will expect me to support
them both. I'm so sure of it that I'm
setting aside a certain sum of money
for the purpose"
Jim, you're too absurd. Fancy a
Denway expecting you to support
HIM"
"A Denway-hey? Say. Meg, how
long has Edith been acquainted with
Reggie Denway?'
Il thought you said it was Cecil"
she corntered.
We'll = Cecil Reginald - any old
names that suits you. How long has
che known any of the Denways?"
Not at all-she has never met
them"
Then why worry about my sup
porting him? l think women are the
most eccentric critters on this foot
STOOL" James Wadham beckoned to
q hotel servant, and was presently
served with two tall, cool glasses of
orange juice. One of these he pushed
across the table toward his wife.
He buried his aggressive nose in the
other.
"Of course, James," said Mrs. Wad-
ham imperturbably, you will arrange
for Edith to meet Mr.. Denway-it's a
chance in a lifetime. Cecil Denway is
n of the richest men in the world
and above the ordinary in character.
The other Denway twin. Reggie, Is
married; he married one of the Evans
girIs-Reulah Evans married Count
Igrace SDattico."
Mrs. Wadham ratified of these
rones with great complacency. She
knew her social blue book from cover
TO cover. Although not of the social
set whose doings she watched from
afar and envied, her husbands mil
I'ons often brought his wife and daugh.
ter in touch with the charmed circle.
Mrs. Wadham's one object in life
was to marry her daughter to some
one within the magic circle. Edith's
Indifference to the project and her
husbands open amusement at her re-
peated failures nettled her into
greater action.
Edith shall marry this Denway,"
she said between her clenched teeth,
and she fell into a brown study. plan
ming, scheming, plotting to bring about
the desired end.
With Edith married to Cecil Den
way she would be a relative by mar
rage to the Countess Spattico, a
triumph indeed over the old &C
uuaintancs who looked askance upon
Meg Wadham's social ambitions.
Her husbands voice broke in on
her thoughts.
"I saw Dick Ainslee this morning
and asked him what he was doing
down here. Said he was private secre-
tary to Denham."
Mrs. Wadham shrugged impatient.
ly. at does seem as though Dick
Ainslee was always appearing in the
most unexpected places. 1t will be
very disagreeable for him, when Edith
marries Mr.. Denway to occupy a meni.
al position in her household"
James Wadham grinned broadly.
He did not tell his wife that when
he had recognized Dick Ainslee on
the beach a few hours ago Edith had
been with him. The memory Of Edith's
face as she looked at Dick sealed her
fathers lips. But he could not help
saying with a little sigh:
Money isn't everything, my dear
We used to be mighty happy before
I struck OIL"
Were happy now" insisted Mrs
Wadham, sternly. Not for worlds
would she have her husband suspect
that she ever yearned for those old
days in the middle Western town when
their modest cottage was the social
center and the Ladies' Aid society her
highest form of social aspiration
Those days you never had time fol
golf"
Didn't know what it was" he con
fessed airily. Il didn't have to play
TO work OF my s%uperfuous flesh.
wasn't fat-I worked too hard
Mrs. Wadham was silent. She was