Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-09-01
WEEKEND PARTY
BY JANE OSBORN.

There is simply one rule and regu-
alton for this party" Mrs. Torrey told
her guests when they arrived for the
weekend house party in her ram
shackle old country house that was set
back several hundred feet from the
road in a veritable forest of pine
trees. You simply must lock your
doors when you are not in your rooms.
| Nowadays no one knows absolutely
that her servants aren't thieves and
pickpockets. But l can't give up en-
joying my friends on that account, so
I've simply had keys fitted for all the
doors and the one thing that must
insist on is that everyones door is
locked"
She had been especially emphatic in
stating this requirement when Ida
Vinton and her cousin, Abby Stone, ar
rived late Friday evening
Il have given you two girls the large
room in the left wing Do, for mercy's
sake, remember there are two doors.
Now, I've warned you and l shall real
ly be very cross if you don't remem-
ber." And then as she left the girls
on the threshold of their room she
added: 1--WE have dinner in half an
hour. Everyone here knows everyone
else and we are going to have just
simple country time of it-a little dane
ing tonight and a picnic at the sea-
shore tomorrow. l have only one car,
so the men will have to walk and the
girls can ride" And then she hurried
off to greet her other guests who were
arriving, calling back as she went;
Don't forget to lock your door and
bring the key when you come to din
ner."
Wasn't it perfectly dreadful?"
walled Ida after she and her cousin
had come back to their room as early
as they could properly leave the i'm
promptu little dance downstairs. Did
l show it very much? I'm sure |
turned pale and | actually thought I'd
faint. l haven't even seen Tom for a
month"; not since we broke our en-
gagement and had that dreadful quar-
rel. And of course l didn't know Mrs.
Torrey had invited him. How did she
dare?"
'She probably didn't know. But you
didn't look half so upset as Tom did.
Everyone must have noticed the way
he behaved. And he hardly ate mouth
full. At least you were well-bred
enough not to lose your appetite about
1t. ! must confess, however" Abby
said, as she undid the hooks that
70 CT AM har no
cred dancing frock, that it was rather
awkward. l hope you noticed that
almost cut Tom. / was barely polite
to him and later when he asked me fol
a dance l said l couldn't fox-trot, al
though I'd just been fox-trotting with
Jim Hale and know Tom knew had
think my meaning was plain enough.
There is no reason why you should
be exactly nasty to him, Abby. He il
perfectly splendid fellow"
I'D be horrid to any man that ha6
treated you the way he has"
How dare you say that?" Lido
brought the brush down emphatically
on the dressing table. How can you
think that he did? 1t was my fault.
, insist that it was and l wouldn't have
anyone feel sorry for me for anything
in the world. Abby, you don't imagine
for minute that the girls are sorry
for me, to your"
"Oh, dear, no. Didn't just tell you
} that you were trump to go on eating
: just as if nothing had happened. You
/ couldn't have looked more heartless
}, u had tried, and you were certainl!
l looking very pretty. That dress is 81
becoming. l was proud of you, Ida
/ You were splendid"
A Then when the two girls had tucked
, themselves into their twin beds ant
had said good night for the tenth TIM
Abby whispered, Really, Ida, yol
+ were perfectly great"
y DID you lock both doors, Abby?"
Eyes, and put chairs against then
besides" A minute passed in silence
and then: abby, let's push the bed
next to each other. I'm not afraid
Still this is a very big ROOM" Tel
l. minutes later the cousins were again
/ on the way to slumber with their twil
S beds touching. What are you goin
S to do about tomorrow? You won
e want to go to the picnic will you?
n Abby asked sleepily.
Indeed, l won't, and 1 have though
n it all out. You must go, for if 20
5 didn't it would rather spoil the Who'll
5 party and you must say nothing abou
u my not going. I'll just stay here. an
c when you get started you may say tina
7" l have just had word from home to II
u turn at once. That's quite simple, ism
II it?"
. Tom, in the meantime, had been al
signed to a room in the other wing c
u the house with his old friend, Burto
8 Jackson.
g 1t was not till they had retired ths
u Burton preached the subject. Dew
% ish pickle you're in" he said laconi'
II ally.
- Tom merely grunted his assent.
~ Going to the picnic tomorrow"
U at am NOT was Toms answer An,