The Washington herald., 1917-09-17

Bout time they let up on tina
racket" growled Warren, as the mer
riment in the apartment below rose T.
shrlll hilarity.
Its nearly one-they won't keep l
up much longer" pacified Helen. rub
bing cold cream into her face with I
careful upward movement.
Regular rough-house.' as tn
laughter SCARED above the ragginI
| pianola. There. sew that on tomor
| row." pulling a dangling button from
| his pajama coat.
"Oh, dear. come here-you can SCI
right inr'
From the bathroom window Heller
peered across the court to the foo
| below. Mrs. Walkers apartment wa!
ablaze with lights. The shades wer,
up. revealing several couples whirlint
to the accelerated one-step.
"Oh, it's quite a party-they're al
in evening dress" with eager feminine
interest. There's Mrs. walker-danc
ing with a mere boy! She's too stout
to wear her skirts so short"
stop your rubberlnC and come tC
bed" grunted Warren.
In just a minute, They're serving
refreshments now-sandwiches and
some kind of salad. Why. those are
hired waiters-two of them. They
have the punch on tea wagon-roll'
ing it around. Oh. that dress is aw-
ful-her backs bare to the waist"
Huh. IL there's anything like that
guess I'd better have a look" as War.
ren rolled out of bed.
Go into the dining side
window. We can see more from there
Some party" as protected by the
darkness of the room he surveyed the
festive scene. where's your dame
with the bare back?'
over there in the blue gown
Oh. that mans in the way. you
can't see her now. That's the sec.
ond time they've passed the punch
What's that other waiter serving
ices?'
We'll. now that they're gettine
filled up-let's hope they'll subsid'
and toddle home" as he strod'
back to bed.
Refreshments were usually served
at the end of the evening. so prob
ably the party was almost over, re
tieoted Helen. turning reluctantly
from the window.
Mrs. Walker was n new tenant. +;
widow who had sublet the Hub
bards' apartment for the summer
Almost every evening she had
guests. but this was the first tim,
there had been so large and 81
riOtous a party.
In the quiet that followed Heller
was doing off, when the pianolc
crashed out again-a jangling, stri
dulous tune.
II Warren would only not awak
en-; but through the open windows
every note was alarmingly distinct
Then as shrieks of laughter sur
mounted the crashing chords. h,
turned with an awakening grunt.
still at it," menacingly. "Whoop
ing it up. eh?''
Switching on the light. he blinket
scowlingly at the bedside clock. I
was a quarter of two.
"Oh, they'll stop now" 'conciliatet
Helen. "They won't keep it VI
much longer"
You bet they WON'T" He wal
out of bed, cropping for his slippers
"Oh. dear. 1 wouldn't" as h
stumbled in to the library phone
They'll think we're always com
planning"
But already he had the elevate
boy on the wire.
Hello, - That racket on tn,
seventh floors keeping the who'll
house awake. It's almost two
What's that? s'' Well, you cal
up and tell them to quiet down
They've got their nerve to keep VI
that rumpus this late"
Helen always shrank from makinl
complaints. She had an intensive
dread of being disliked, Of bein,
considered a difficult tenant. Blu
Warren always stood for his rights
with superb indifference as to wha
anyone might think
Now he slumped back to bed ant
waited grimly for a cessation of tn,
merriment below. But as the minutel
passed there was no appreciabl'
change. Then the mechanical plan,
rippled into an even livelier air. SOM
| one was whistling, and an acute SO
prano caught up the words.
Fully ten minutes passed. Heller
felt the threatening menace of War
ren,s silent waiting. Suddenly. will
muttered oath, he flung back th'
covers and again strode in to tn
telephone.
Hello! Did you call up that apart
| ment?" wrathfully. , "Who't
you talk to? - Well, ring then
again-get Mrs. Walker herself. Tel
her who's making this complaint. IT.
2 O'Clock. I'll not stand for that hula
baloo another minute"
Knowing any remark she woult
make would only increase his irrita
| ton, Helen still maintained her dis
Greet silence as Warren once NOR
came back to bed. Another wait, fl
which the air was charged with hi
vibrant wrath.
Still the pianola rippled on, and tn
laughter rose with seemingly defian
shrillness.
"Oh, Warren. wait! what're yo1
going to dor Her voice betrayed he
alarm, for now he was out of be,
struggling into his bathrobe.
I'll break up that shindig-or rails
the roof trying he. gritted, jerkin;
away from her restraining grasp.
His heavy step stalked out througl
the hall The door banged.
Throwing or kimono Helen rushe,
out after him. He was standing be
fore the elevator holding his fnge
on the button. which kept up a con
tinuous, ,peremptory buzz.
The car shot up and the door fiey
open. The boys resentfuI sxprsssiol