Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-25
X IN
y VELOUR HAT AND A VELVET
GOWN.

a VELOUR HAT AND a VELVET
GOWN.
Miss Billie Ballantyne had fought a
reached point where she could telephone
Craig Ruthcrrord and nothing but the
eNigencies of the situation had finally
persuaded her to do so. She sank back
in her chair and stared at the receiN er,
when her words brought no response. 1t
was unbelievable that he had rung off.
Then the curlously ironic way in which
he had advised her not to worry came
back to her. She had considered trying
to get Central again, and ask If she had
not been mistakenly disconnected: but
the ring in his words held her back lie
had said "Good-by" and without waiting
for response had ended the conversation
and II was she who had rung him up in
the first place
And what had he meant by alluding to
her meeting with Helderman? How had
he learned about it? He spoke of 1t as
II 1t were n clandestine affair Surely Mr..
Rutherford could not take it upon him
self TO critlclse her actions constantly
to have an espionage upon her house!
Suddenly she looked down at something
which had fallen and lay there glitterng
before her, on the edge of the big, square
desk 1t was tear. She sprang up from
the chair and ran upstairs to her room.
Never had the empty old house seemed
so desolate, so devoid of human COM
fort. 1t had brought nothing but sorrow
and misunderstanding to her ever since
she had entered it. She was deeply hurt,
and intensely angry with herself for be-
ing so. oh, for the luxury of a good
cry!
Father, dear" she whispered trcmu-
lously to herself, 81 wonder if you will
ever realizc-not being woman-iust
what | am enduring-for your sake, |
do not begrudge the servce-but, oh. if
| had mother here she would under
stand'
In her haste to leave the telephone, she
had not picked up her handbag. 1t was
lying in plain sight on top of the desk,
where Sophie presently discovered it. The
erstwhie faithful maid ran through its
contents with Swift and practced eye,
but found nothing of especial interest
except a small, folded bit of paper on
which was written:
"Cowen. Covington & Brown-S2 Mas
sau-Friday ut g."
Today was Friday. The maid quickly
restored the paper to its receptacle, and
hastened upstairs to her mistress.
'Mademoiselle, will you tell me what
costume | shall prepare for you today?"
The evidence of the girls constant
faithfulness touched Miss Ballantyne in
her present mood.
Sophie, you are always thinking of
mel" she exclaimed. But why should it
make any particular difference what |
wear today? This is only a business en-
gaGement."
"Ah, Mademoselle, l always like to see
you smart-even at n business engage
ment! | look out the window after YOU
as you 20 down the street, and ] say
with the great pride-'That is my mistress
yes" And | am not the only one who
looks out of the windows. There are the
young men, and the old"
Nonsense, Sophie. how you talk" said
Billie, flushing. "T have a notion to
wear a gingham dress-just to spite
you!
"Ah! l know how Mademoisele hates
the ginGham-even for negligee! Now If
Mademoisele would only let me sug-
gest-"
What is it, Sophie?"
Ordinarily she would not have encour-
aged garrulity in the maid, but this
lonely morning the chatter about dress
was amusing to her.
''Why not again the velvet gown, and
the velour hat, Mademoiselle? The COM
bination is ever suitable for the Avenue,
or for the stuffy old business office.
Why do persons have to talk so much
business, anyway"
Billie glanced at the maid. but her
guileless face expressed nothing but a
natural interest and desire to be useful.
'Then, just to please you, Sophie-and
not because l don't want the gingham-