The Washington herald., 1916-12-25

Hello? Union Club? Give me the DOOR
man. Hello, Mr.. Harrington been In this
evening? There now? That's ALL thank
you."
Mr.. Stevens turned from the phone with
a brisk, incisive, Hes there nowI Come
on, Curtis. here's your chance II you
want to see him.
>"oh. I don't like to butt in on q man
as his club" objected Warren.
well, he's pretty hard to see during
the day-two or three secretaries to get
by. If we hurry down now, Wen catch
him just right"
How about your" turning to Helen.
Can you get home alone in a taxi?'
+ oh, yes, dear; If you can meet Mr..
Harrington, don't worry about me,
urged Helen, having heard much of this
prominent financier. who controlled q
railroad In which several of warren's
clients were interested.
Itswas not until the last moment, when
she and Mrs. Stevens were in the hall
seeing them on, that Helen, feeling in
her beaded evening bag, realized that
she did not have her purse.
Dear" in an undertone. you'll have
to give me some money. I haven't q
cent"
Warren. who was shouldering on his
overcoat, reached into his pocket and
into her handl
Puzzled, indignant hurt. in flaming
silence she dropped the coin In her bag as
they passed out.
She had said she had no money, and
he had given her-a quarter. The infer
ence was plain; she was to take a car
not a taxi!
That he should expect her to go home
alone. late at night, in a street car-and
n AUantro IT,
he was willing to subject her to this hu-
initiation.
In her tumultous indignation, she hard
ly heard the continuance Of Mrs Stevens
gossipy account Of the Reynolds Jap
anese servant
They pay him $50 a month, but he's
very economical She says he saves the
difference in the marketing-their bills are
so much less"
IF I'm going home alone. I had better
not be too late" Helen rose abruptly.
Then I'll order the taxi now," Mrs.
Stevens started to the phone.
"Oh, no-no," poingnantly conscious of
the solitary quarter. THE boy can get
one when go down.
But you don't want to wait down
thereT' surprised.
He can call one that's passing" stam-
meringly. There's always plenty at this
hour
Mrs. Stevens looked puzzled, but a.
Helen was insistent, she turned reluct-
antly from the telephone.
Taxi. ma'am?" asked the door boy
when Helen, having made a hasty de-
parture, stepped from the elevator in the
lower hall.
mo. lin only going a few blocks.
I'll take a car at the corner"
The boy, glancing at her gown, looked
= - Il u ArI
Conscious of her loss of prestige, Helen
passed out.
1t was a cold, raw night with a pierc-
ing east wind-not a night for thin satin
slippers and cobweb hosiery to skim
along frosty pavements.
With only a scarf over her head. and
her f1lny skirts held tight under her
evening wrap. she few around the
corner. hastened by the clutching fear
from a window.
In spite Of the cold, a flaming anger
burnt her face as she struggled on
against the wind. which blew back her
scarf and billowed out her thin wrap.
A street car changed by. but she scorned
to signal It. II she could not have taxi,
she would walk It was twelve long
blocks, but now with a sort of despera-
ton she deliberately chose to add to her
wretchedness.
The fact that she so rarely wanted a
cab was what intensified the hurt. War
rem was always taking a taxi, and she
was always trying to restrain him, but
now that she was alone, that he was not
sharing her discomfort, he had considered
a street car sufficient
Striving to shield herself from the wind
and the curious gaze Of passersby. with
bent head. she hurried on. Even the cor
ner policeman stared and further on a
man called after her. She did not catch
the words, but her slippered feet flew
faster at the ribaldry in his tone.
Twice her ankle turned treacherously
on the high slender heels. The wrench
was painful. but It was only another note
In her general distress. Her whole body
was numb with cold; her stiffened fingers
could barely hold her wrap about her.
Yet she was hardly conscious Of her
physical misery. Her mind held but one
thought-that Warren should have sub
Jected her to this! His suggestion of a
taxi had been only for the stevens's bene-
nt!
It seemed inconceivable that he should
stoop to such a subterfuge. She groped