The Washington herald., 1916-09-18

was, the complete ignoring of il that
maze Helen so furious. The awk-
wardness of the situation had in
creased. What should she do
write, telephone or silently accent
the loss as an unpleasant iIIumina-
ton of her neighbor's character?
There was of course the possibil-
lty that it might be a mistake. She
would telephone Mrs. Lawton, pre-
suming that it was.
Having carefully rehearsed lust
what she would say, she asked to be
connected with the Lawtons' apart
ment.
Hello! Mrs. Lawton? .
Good morning, this is Mrs. Curtis.
I've Just received the silver. One of
the forks must have dropped out
when you wrapped the package-or
It may be with your silver. I
thought you'd want to know"
You mean dessert fork" Her
voice was slightly shrill. "Why YOU
sent only seven. thought it odd at
others"
"Oh, think you are mistakenl
l made list just before I sent them
up. II you'll look-I'm sure you'll
But, Mrs. Curtis, I counted them
when | took them out-there were
only SEVEN dessert forks. I'm
positive you'll find it with your sill
YER"
"Oh, no, it isn't there. wouldn't
have spoken if Id not been quite
ness But # its F'" lost. ssSG1ee IT can't sPs be-
helped-it really doesn't matter"
at DOES matter-if you think
I've lost it." hcatedly. "I'm very
sorry I borrowed the silver. I know
you didn't send the fork, but if
you insist that you did-let me have
ono for the pattern, and III replace
at isn't necessary, Mrs. Lawton,
to take that attitude" fared Helen
Indignantly. "I'm not asking you
to replace it shouldn't think of
letting you. Oh, there's the doorbelI
you must excuse me. Good-bye"
There was no doorbell, but it was
an easy pretext to break off an i'm
possible conversation. That Mrs.
Lawton should deliberately lie about
it! She had either lost the fork or
one Of her guests had taken it.
Warren was right, she reflected
bitterly. She should never become
intimate with any one in the house.
Il always brought complications.
Now she had lost one Of her solid
silver forks and had made an enemy
OF Mrs. Lawton-a dangerous, gos-
sipy enemy
All day the unpleasant incident
shadowed Helen's thoughts. Though
she longed for the unburdening com
fort of talking it over" she expect
ed no sympathy from Warren. He
would take only his maddening a.
told-you-so" attitude.
As he was usually most indiffcr-
ent about all household problems,
she was startled when at dinner he
demanded with disconcerting brisk
ness:
We'll, what about it2 Get back
the junk"
"Shc sent it down this morning
just after you left"
There was a note of forced quiet
in her voice that made him glance
up from his soup
That's not alp" kecnly. whats
wrong"
"She lost one of the dessert forks"
crumbling her bread. 81 called her
UP and she insisted that I sent onlv
seven. But Pm POSITIVE! I
made the list just before I sent them
"Sure about that?" sharply.
Checked them off"
1.-TWO or three times-there're onfv
seven dessert forks? KNOW I
sent up eight couldn't have made
a mistake. Dear, she was horrid!
She offered to replace it-but of
course l wouldn't let her"
'"Huh, pretty awkward. What'd I
tell you about getting mixed UP with
peoDle in the house?"
ooh, yes, l know" weari1y. 1--WE
had my lesson. l suppose it's worth
the fork to-"
Worth dozen forks" with en-
phasis, IF it'll teach you to steer
clear of close neighbors."
Mrs. Lawton's maid Just brought
this, ma'am." Dora, coming in with
the vegetables, laid a note and slcn-
der package by He1cn's plate.
Mrs. Lawton" tensely, Sitting
the envelope.
MY dear Mrs. Curtis:
"As find your silver is an open
stock pattern at Riffany's. I was able
today to secure a dessert fork to
replace the one you CLAIM lost.
| regret could not have it en-
graved, but if you take them a SAM
pie they will engrave it without
charge. This, l trust, closes the in
cidcnt' ,,
Very truly yours,
Emma L. Lawton."