The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-02-23
CHAPTER V.
Mrs. Allan Harrington

The rest of the evening Phyllis
went about in a queer-keyed
frame of mind. Ii was just as
we'll. however. Some ones head
had to be kept. The servants were
: upset. OF course, and there were
many arrangements to be made.
She worked steadily, telephoning,
ordering. guiding, STRENGTHENING
out all the tangles.
After dinner, the De Guenthers
went. And Phyllis Braithwaite,
the little Liberty teacher who
had been living in a hall bedroom
on much less money that she
needed, found herself alone, sole
mistress of the great Harrington
house, a corps of servants, hus-
band passive enough to satisfy
the most militant suffraget, a
check book. a wistful wolfhound.
and $500. cash, for current ex-
penses.
She had been consulting with
the housekeeper for what seemed
ages. when she happened to
want some pins for something,
and asked for her suitcase.
TITS In your rooms" said the
housekeeper. MRS. Harrington
the late Mrs. Harrington. | should
say"
Phyllis stopped listening at this
point. Who was the present Mrs.
Harrington? she wondered before
she thought-and then remem-
bersd. Why-she was. So there
was no Phyllis Braithwaite any
more! OF course not
Meanwhile the housekeeper had
beep going on.
- She had the bedroom
and bath opening from the other
side OF Mr.. Allan's dayroom ready
for you, madam. It's been ready
several weeks.
HAS it," said Phyllis. "Is Mr..
Harrington id his dayroom now?"
For some reason she. did not
want to see him again just now.
Besides. 1t was nearly Ii and time
very tired girl was in bed. She
wanted good nights rest, be-
fore she had to get up and be
Mrs. Harrington, with Allan and
the check book and the current
expenses all tied to her.
Some one had laid everything
out for her in the bedroom; the
-filmy new nightgown over a
chair. the blue satin mules under
meath. her plain toilet things on
q dressing table, and over anoth-
err chair the exquisite ivory crepe
negligee with its floating rose
ribbons.
She took hasty bath - there
was so much hot water that she
was being a check-booked and
wolf-hounded Mrs. Harrington
and slid straight into bed without
even stopping to braid her loos-
sned, honey-colored hair.
; II seemed to her that she was
barely asleep when there came an
urgent knocking at her door.
"Yes?" she said sleepily, look
ing mechanically for her alarm
-clook as she switched on the light.
What is 1t. please?"
tits l. Wallis, Mr.. Allan's man.
madame" said a nervous voice.
Mr.. Allan's very bad. I've done
all the usual things but nothing
seems to quiet him. Please could
you come. ma'am? He says as
how all of US are dead-oh, please
Mrs. Harrington"
There was panic in the mans
voice.
"All right" said Phyllis sleep
lily, dropping to the floor as she
spoke with the rapidly that only
the alarm-clock-broken know. She
snatched the negligee around her
and thrust her feet hastily into
the blue satin slippers--why, she
was actually using her wedding
fInery! And what an easily upset
person that man was, But every
body in the house seemed to have
nerves on edge. II was no won
der about Allan-he wanted his
mother. Of course, poor boy! She
opened the door and entered
swiftly into his room.
From what the man had said
Phyllis had thought Allan was de-
lirious, but she saw at once that
no was only In severe pain, and
talking more disconnectedly, per-
haps, than the minded Eng
llshman could follow.
They're all dead he mutter-
~. "Father and mother and
Louise and I--only I'm not dead
enough to bury. oh. God. I wish
I Wasi''
That wasn't delirium; II was
something more like heartbreak.
Phyllis moved closer to him, and
dropped one of her sleep-warm
hands ON his cold, clenched one.
"Oh, poor boyl" she said. I'm
% ooTry--so sorryi" She closed
hoe hands tight over his.
Some OF her strong young vital
~ muet have passed between
tkcm and helped him, for almost
1nG,o6 fatsIy his tenseness relaxed
3 little and he looked at her.
+ ''Xou--you're not q nurse" he
oo16. They 80 sround-like--
like n-vault--"
gks had caught his attention.