The Washington herald., 1916-02-07
DAILY SHORT STORY.
Mrs. Torrey's Warning.
BY JANE OSBORN.

There is simply one rule and regula-
tion for this party" Mrs Torrey told
| her guests when they arrived for the
weekend house party in her ramshaCkle
! old country house that was set back sew
eral 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
can't give up enjoying 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 every ones door
is locked
She had been especially emphatic in
stating this requirement when Ida Vim
ton and her cousin. Abby Stone arrived
late Friday evening.
| Il have given you two girls the large
room in the left wing. DO, for mercy
sake, remember there are two doors.
| Now, I've warned you and l shall really
be very cross If you don't remember"
And then as she left the girls on the
threshold of their room she added I'VE
have dinner in half an hour. Every one
| here knows every one else and we are
going to have just a simple country time
OF it-a little dancing tonight and a pic
mic at the seashOre 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, ealing back as she
went Don't forget to lock your door
and bring the key when you come to
dinner"
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 impromptu little
dance down stairs. Did l show 1t very
much? I'm sure l turned pale and
actually thought Id faint. I haven't
even seen Tom for a month; not since
we broke our engagement and had that
dreadful quarrel And of course | 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
| Every one must have noticed the way
| he behaved. And he hardly ate a mouth
| full At least you were we'll bred enough
not to lose your appetite about it. l
must confess however," Abby said, as
she undid the hooks that fastened her
! pretty cousins bef1owered dancing frock
! that 1t was rather awkward. I hope
| YOU noticed that l almost cut Tom
was barely polite to him and later when
| he asked me for a dance I said
| couldn't fox trOt, although I'd Just been
fox trotting with Jim Hale and l know
Tom knew I had 1 think my meaning
was plain enough"
There is no reason why You should
be exactly nasty to him, Abby He is
a perfectly splendid fellow"
I'D be horrid to any man that had
| treated you the way he has"
| How dare you say that" Ida
| brought the brush down emphatiCally on
the dressing table. How can you S1ink
that he did? 1t was my fault I insist
that it was and I wouldn't have any one
| feel sorry for me for anything in the
world. Abby. you don't imagine for a
minute that the girls are sorry for me,
do you?'
"Oh. dear, no. Didn't just tell you
| that you were a trump to go on eating
just as II nothing had happened. You
| couldn't have looked more heartless II
you had tried. and you were certainly
| looking very pretty. That dress is so
becoming. I was proud of you, Ida.
You were splendid"
Then when the two girls had tucked
| themselves into their twin beds and had
said good night for the tenth time Abby
whispered, Really, Ida, you were
perfectly great"
did you lock both the doors, Abby"
Yes, and l put ChaTs against them
besides A minute passed in silence
and then: abby. let's push the beds
next to each other. I'm not afraid. Still
this is very big room" Ten minutes
later, the cousins were again on the way
to slumber with their twin beds touching
What are you going to do about to-
morrow? You won't want to go to the
picnic. will you?" Abby asked sleepily.
| Indeed. l won't, and / have thought 1t
Iall out. You must go, for If you didn't
it would rather spoil the whole party and
you must say nothing about my not
going. I'll just stay here and when you
get started you may say that l have Just
had word from home to return at once.
That's quite simple. isn't it?'
Tom, in the meantime. had been as
signed to a room in the other wing of the
house with his old friend. Burton Jack
son.
1t was not till they had retired that
Burton broached the subject. "Devilish
lpickle you're in he said laconically.
Tom merely grunted his assent
Going to the picnic tomorrow"
Il am not was Toms answer And.
manlike. that was the end of the CONVEX
saton.
Just after breakfast they broached the
subject for the second time Tell her
Mrs. Torrey-that 1 had toothache or
something of that sort, Burt. I'll stay
in my room"
'All right, old chap, and don't forget
to lock that door when you leave. You
know she is nuts about having the doors
locked. Just leave the key under the rug
in the hall In front of the door If you
decide to leave. So long and good luck. -
Ida was, meantime, in a fever of ex-
element She had decided to leave and
still she was determined that nothing
kshould be said to the hostess till after
!; the party had started. And Abby had
fingered In the big room to add her last
touch Of encouragement.
Please be nice to him, Abby" Ida
was telling her, and then the subject OF
1.-THE conversation was quickly changed
as Mrs. Torrey pounced into the room by
the side door.
DO hurry, girls. The car is waiting