Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-10-12


"This place is too grand for me-" Lo-
relief objected.
ooh, offer your own price for Ger
ties fat if you like it. They're crazy
for tenants. It's cheaper than hotels
If you want to save money"
Lorelei was surprised to find her
friends quarters not only richly but
lavishly furnished. The decorations
were harmonious and bespoke reck-
less disregard of cost. A fluffy jap
anese spaniel with protruding eyes and
distorted visage capered deliriously at
it's mistress feet.
But the objects that intrigued the
visitor most strongly were several
paintings. They were of kind she
had seldom seen, and In the afternoon
light one stood out with particularly
startling effect. 1t was dusky land
scape; there was a stream, meadow
edge, trees just growing black against
dying sunset, herd of cattle COM
ing out of the west. Before this pic
ture Lorelei paused, staring with wide
eyes of wonder.
Lilas flung her hat carelessly into a
chair, lit a cigarette from Tiffany
humidor, then turned with the spaniel
in her arms and, beholding her guest
with rapt, upturned face, remarked,
with laugh:
"Looks like the real thing, doesn't it"
"Oh-it's wonderful-so clean and
cool and quiet! I've seen cattle in Vale
that looked just like those, when l
went barefoot in the grass"
"Some Dutchman painted this
names on the corner. He's dead now,
l believe. 1t used to hang in some
museum forget where. | like pic
lures of women best, but" She
shrugged and left the sentence unfn-
ished. "There's a dandy in my bed
room. although it didn't cost half as
much as that barnyard thing. The
frames a foot wide and covered with
solid gold"
81 had no idea you lived like this"
I4orelei peered through a pair of
French doors and into perfectly ap-
pointed library, with massive mahog-
any table, deep lounging chairs, writ
ing desk, and a dome-crowned read
ing lamp.
"My study" Lilas laughed, shortly.
"Thats where I improve my mind
not. The books are deadly. Now come;
Hitchy Koo must have dinner ready.
His name isn't Hitchy Koo, but it
sounds like it, and he's the cutest
little thing; got the cutest little
swing" She moved down the hall,
humming the chorus of the senseless
popular song from which she had
quoted.
Everywhere was the same evidence
Of good taste in decoration and luxury
of equipment, but suspicion had en-
tered Lorelei's mind, and she avoided
comment Hitchy Koo was cook, but
Ter and house-boy, and in view of Miss
Lynn's disorderly habits it was evil
dent that he had all he could do to
keep the place presentable. His mis-
| tress ate without appetite and in a
hypercritical mood that took no &C.
count of the wasteful attempts to
please her. Quite regardless Of the pa
tient little Jap, she found fault with
him savagely, so that Lorelei was
often painfully embarrassed.
$50 you like my home, do your" she
queried. after time.
give never seen one so beautiful"
Ililas nodded. "Hitchy sleeps out,
and that leaves me the whole place.
Jarvis furnished it, even to the books,
and I'm studying to be lady," Again
she laughed mockingly. II make a
bluff at reading, but so long as I talk
about Napoleon he never thinks to
question me. / know that French gink
backward"
81 wish had hobby-something to
interest me, something to live for, .
said Lorelei, lamely.
eyes. 1t gives you something tc
think about when you're alone. II
helps you to-stand things" For the
first time Lilas showed a trace Of feel
ing in her voice; she dropped her chin
into her palm and, leaning upon the
table, stared as if at a vision. Hel
!
were lowered and drawn together.
The slipshod informally of the meal
the constant faultfnding of the host
ess, made it something of a trial. Lore
lei was not sorry when it was over
and Lilas took her to look at the va
cant fat
Miss Moore's apartment offered g
wide contrast to the one they had just
quilted, being very small and very
modestly furnished; but it was on the
second floor, convenient to both eleva
tor and stairway, it boosted a piano
and the superintendent allowed his
prospective tenant to name her owl
terms. She descended with relief, feel
ing that she had made not bad bar
gain.
She stated, as she sank into Lilas
big library chair, II feel quite indie
pendent at last. The rent is ridicu