The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-10-30

Here you are" Warren drew the
room key from his pocket. "I'll finish
this cigar and be up little later"
Don't come too soon, dear; I've got
to unpack." Helen gathered up her
nun and coat.
well, don't dawdle We want to
get down to dinner while things are
fresh. Here take these with you,
thrusting at her the magazine and pa
pers bought on the train.
AS their room was on the second
floor. Helen not waiting for the ele-
vator. ran up the broad red-carpeted
stairs, and puzzled her way around
the confusing turns Of the corridor
to "251."
windows overlooking the lake. A fire.
place with laid Are fulfilled the
promise Of the hotel booklets, for
among the distinctive features of this
smart winter resort were the open
hreplaces In every room.
Drawing down the shades, Helen
paused to gaze out at the witchery OF
the winter night. Beyond the Ice
scummed lake, which reflected the
hotel lights, stretched the blackness
OF the pine forest relieved by lingering
patches of recent snow.
There was an alluring sense Of COM
fort in being shut in this luxurious
hotel with its warmth and lights,
while outside the wind howled and the
frozen FIR branches ratified against the
window panes.
Swiftly Helen unpacked the two
suit cases and laid out Warren's din
ner coat and her flimsy evening gown,
with its accessories of pearl silk stock
ings and brocaded slippers.
There was always subtle fascina-
ton in getting settled In hotel room,
and now with eager zest she distrib-
uted their toilet things on the dresser
and washstand and their clothes in
the paperlined drawers.
who do you thinks here" The
door swung open and Warren strobe
in. Thompson Jack Thompson
Been down for a week" Then, with
a scowl, Haven't started to dress
YETI"
Dear, had to unpack! told
you not to come so soon. We can't
both dress at the same time-theres
only the one mirror"
"Well, I'll do the lightning change
and clear out in short order" peeling
of his coat. "Yank out the glad
ones"
"Everything's right there on the
bed The studs are in your shirt"
"Jove, it's cold up here. Why didn't
you light this fire?"
Wont 1t be too warm to sleep by?'
Burn out in an hour" He touched
a match to the kindling.
Instantly the leaping flames were
roaring up the chimney.
That's something like" standing
before the glowing warmth as he
pulled on mis- coat-cut dress shirt.
They know how to build fire here"
rs Mrs. Thompson here, too?"
Helen was taking down her hair.
Yes, and his sister. Well have
some fun with them," jerking up his
good sort-good billiard player. too"
With astonishing rapidity Ware
finished dressing, changed the thing
in his pocket, filled his cigarette cas-
and was ready to go down.
III wait in the lounge room. n,
don't stop to primp-move fast"
Eyes, dear, I'll hurry all can"
At the door he paused with war
ing. Don't swish around that fiji
with yaur frills Wait, I'd better pu
up that screen
Left alone. Helen, with absorblna
haste, began to dress. 1t was not un
til she was ready to slip on the tilmy
tulle gown, that she missed the crepe
de chine petticoat she always wore
with it.
A hasty search through the things
left in the suit case, revealed no petit
coat. Surely she had brought it!
Their few clothes she had laid in the
two upper drawers, but now she
pulled out all the other drivers, only
to be Knocked by their emptiness.
The situation was desperate. The
dress could not be worn without an
underskirt, for the gauzy tulle over
chiffon was alarmingly transparent.
AS they were to stay only this one
night, she had brought only the one
evening gown. What could she do?
She could not wear a travelling suit
to dinner In an ultra-smart hotel
where everyone dressed.
In futile, repeated searchings she
opened the drawers and rummaged the
suit cases while her inventive mind
CT roya For eop, Of n inc fhof could he
used as substitute.
A flashing memory Of a vaudeville
sketch In which the star, snatching
down lace curtain and velvet por-
tierre. wrapped them about her in an
evening gown, made Helen
lcok hopefully about the room. But
there was absolutely nothing that
could be converted into petticoat
She was wasting precious time
downstairs, would be
rabid. Frantically she rang for the
maid Then with nervous Impotence