The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-10-08

Mabel Herbert WANT you 10 come
Urner. straight and tell
me. / can stand
anything in girl but slyness. What
that? Something else Emma did,"
Il found it behind the ice box"
Anna held up napkin with the deep
scorched imprint of flatiron.
Helen bit her lip. Throw it away.
don't want to see 1t. / suppose we'll
find a lot Of Ahings like that Why,
where did this come from?" taking up
a gold-banded plate.
Il don't know, maam; 1t was way
back on the top shelf"
1T belongs to Mrs. Gordon! Anna"
turning to her sharply, there's some
thing else l want to tell you The
Gordons have the apartment across
the hall, and while Emma was here
their maid was forever in our kitchen.
Now I'm perfectly willing for you to
have your friends, but l want you to
have them outside. l don't want you
to have that girl running in here. !
don't want you even to know her. Do
you understand"
"Yes'm My aunt never likes me to
go with the girls where | work"
That's right. Have your friends
outside-it's much better Now I'll
send this plate back by the elevator
boy. I don't want to give you any
excuse even to speak to that girl"
Helen had spent the day helping
the new maid give the apartment a
thorough cleaning. And now while
Anna finished the pantry she decided
to clear out the bookcase and rear
range the books
1t was almost three, but 1t was a
dismal, rainy afternoon, and, confident
that no one would call, Helen went
at the disordered bookcase with real
enthusiasm.
She had most Of the books out, and
was sitting on the floor sorting over
some old magazines from the lower
shelf when the bell rang. The tailor
for Warren's suit, she thought uncon-
cernedly. Then, to her amazement
Anna, without any announcement
ushered in Mrs. Gordon.
The books fell Gathering from her
lap, as Helen sprang up, panically
conscious of her old kimono, her dust
cap and gloves. The very modishness
of Mrs Gordon's afternoon gown made
Helen's disarray more striking.
'Oh, please don't let me disturb
you! But the maid said to come right
In"
10 oil
en-. "I-we're having general clean
ing-up day. Won't you sit DOWN."
Although the Gordons had lived
across the hall for over year, Helen
had met Mrs. Gordon only In the ele-
vator. She was pretty woman, but
with an artificial society manner that
Helen instinctively disliked.
Mrs. Curtis" In an affected voice
I've come to speak to you about EN-
ma. / understand you found her dis
honest. May l ask If that's true?"
why, yes wonderingly. That's
why discharged her."
"Oh, you discharged her?"
"Of course. What did you Think?
why, II understand that She
THAT she left me?" flared Helen
II presume that's what she told your
maid
"Oh, but didn't believe It," hastily
ITO tell you the truth, I've just had
quite a scene with my maid about
Emma. James been in this country
only eight months. and she's very un
sophisticated She believes everything
that anyone tells her. and Emma told
her great many things"
II shouldn't wonder" dryly.
you may not have known IT," stiff
ny, but Emma was In my kitchen
half the time. l couldn't go in to
give Jane an order that she wasn't
there. Now that she's gone, / can
tell you-it was most annoying"
Il can quite understand that
Helen's voice was icy, "for when EN-
ma wasn't in your kitchen, your maid
was in mine"
Il suppose so. Well. / thought
when Emma left that would end 1t,
but | find she still comes back to see
Jane. She eas there yesterday and
again this morning. Now that | have
1t straight from you that she's dis
honest, shall certainly forbid Jane
seeing her"
Yes, shouldn't think you'd care
to have her around"
II know I'll have trouble in keeping
her away, for the girls simply hypno-
tiled Jane. She's made her believe
all sorts of things. You won't mind.
i know, for it's SO absurd but she &C
tually told Jane that you didn't give
her enough to eat,'