Williams news., 1917-07-05

E5E5E5ESESzSESz5zEESESESElI as Peter Trait says, what do you know about that?"
 Miss Carteret knew nothing what ever about that, and owned her igno- rance with a look of blankness that earned an indulgent chuckle. Confess you have never heard of me! But that's only because you're English"
 "Oh. but I'm notp Miss Carteret insisted impulsively. My mothers parents were English; but T."
 Here she choked in undisguised dis may. But her companion wasn't look ing-didn't, indeed, need to look: such is the resource of one ripe in the knowledge of humanity.
 "Go on, my dear. Tell me alias well now as later. You will, anyway, in the end-and If you don't, I'll en- gage to find you out for myself. By the way, your name would help."
 'Lid-" Miss Carteret announced in- coherently, stopping abruptly as though half-choked by the monosyl- liable.
 "How very odd" commented Mrs. Beggarstaff with straight face. Miss Lid! Almost as bizarre as Beggar- staff. But that's my own fault: married 1t with my hearing unim- paired. But Lid! I never"
 "My name isn't Lid!" the girl in- terrupted indignantly. 'I never said so. Something was tickling my throat. My name is Lucy Carteret."
 "Sorry I misunderstood-and glad. Lucy Carteret's much prettier and-ah human. The Maryland Carterets, hope"
 "Oh, no," said the girl hastily. "Too bad; it's a good family. Let me see-there are no Carterets worth mentioning in New York. Virginia branch. perhaps" "Oh, mo-"
 The iterated denial was less bold than its original; Miss Carteret was beginning to be sorry she hadn't wait- ed for later steamer, as well as that she had thought 1t necessary, not to say romantic, to adopt pseudonym to fit the initials on her luggage.
 "Then you can't be anybody" Mrs. Beggarstaff asserted vigorously. "Too bad. Unless possibly" she frightened, "you come of the English family? There are, I believe, some Carterets in Hertfordshire-
 "No!" the persecuted young woman said firmly. q told you I was an American-and if the matter is of any importance, I'm perfectly willing to admit I'm nobody"
 Don't be cross with an inquisitive old woman, my dear." The Beggar- staffian smile was very fetching. Miss Carteret's indignation melted before it. ''Tm only trying to find out if we haven't friends in common. Who are your friends on board? know every body, and"
 "Tm travelling alone," the girl inter- posed meekly, land to the best of my knowledge don't know a soul on the ship"
 Mrs. Beggarstaff chose shrewdly to disapprove. "That's not right! You're too young and good-looking to travel without at least a chaperon. These transatlantic boats are all alive with adventurers. Luckily, you now have me-unless, perhaps, you're too high spirited to utilize an old woman's in- terest?"
 You're very kind," Miss Carteret murmured-not altogether insincerely. She was too intelligent to be blind to the advantage of having so thorough paced a Dowager Dragon to protect and advise her. And she was any, thing but anxious to incur ill-will by refusing an offer that, however for ward, seemed unquestionably to be dictated by the kindliest spirit.
 "Pm glad you think so-or have the grace to say so, at least. So that's settled. Now tell me more about yOur- self. Is this your first crossing?"
 "It's my first trip home."
 Plainly no help for 1t: with this per sistently friendly body catechizing her, she might as well now as later stand and deliver some account of herself.
 "Your first trip home? That means you've been over a long time?"