The Washington herald., 1917-10-22

I 1t was after now, Warren had
said for her to have something sent
! Up, il she did not care to go down to
luncheon alone. But that would mean
an extra charge for room service on
each high-priced portion. She would
go down, or, better still, 20 out.
There were several small tea rooms
along the avenue, which would be
much less expensive.
The rain had sIackened when. half
an hour later. she hurried through the
lobby. past the marbled. gilded din
ing room and out into the chill. drip
ping grayness of the street.
The wind fiapDed her skirt and
but we'll take a taxi Now rustic
we've got just, ten minutesi"
tuSged at her umbrella. =. Yes,sjust
ahead in the next block was the sign
"He Candlestick Tea Room" But
drawing nearer she saw the lowered
blinds in the door and window. Closed!
she might have known everything
along here would be closed on Sunday.
1t was too wet to explore further.
Glimpsing fruit stand down a side
street, she bought a couple of oranges
and a package of dates, and hurried
back TO the hotel.
Again that threatening rumble from
the clouds-and big, heavy drops. She
reached the awninged entrance lust as
the rain came down hard, the splash
ing pavement showerlng her ankles.
Conscious that the bulging paper
bag was a plebeian note in the
naughty splendor of that hotel lobby,
with heightened color she hurried
through and into the waiting elevator.
Upstairs, she stopped for the slip of
paper showed beneath their door. 1t
was telephone message blank.
Time, $40. Message for Room COS.
Mr.. Curtis will dine at Mr.. Kendalrs
home this evening at 7:3O."
Her throat frightened as she read
the message. So he was not even
coming back to dinner! All day he
had left her desolateIy alone in a
motel room-and now all EVENING"
10 olne alone was always a hard
snip Tor Helen-but to dine alone at
a motel In a strange city! That he
shouId nave accepted this invitation
which did not include her! He know
she could only sit up here and brood
but he did not care. He thought
only or his own comfort and pleas
ure-never of her.
She had had nothing since breaE
tast, and now the lack of food con
tributed to her sick depression and
distorted viewpoint. But still the
fruit lay untouched in the bag on
the window-sill.
The long evening stretched bl.cL
betore her. She could go nowhere
alone. The familiar telenbone In
strument, on the stand between tho
beds, seemed to mock her. II was
ldentical with the one on her desL
at nome. There she could cali mn
half a dozen people-but in Cbic,oa
she knew no one. The diraote,,
was on the shelf beneath. but in ai,
nose closely printed pages there
"aS not number she could call
not name that she knew.
Slipping out of her dar,no,
stIseI clotnes, she got into a kimono
anu threw herself on the bed. she
was oehnerately refraining from
toucnlng the fruit, for when Helen
mas IN thls mood she reveled in Ser
wretchedness. -N 'ie'
He no longer cared! She ALWAYS
came PACK to that. His indifferanca
ana selnshness were growing unon
MN. In few years she would Iosa
her youth and attractiveness-ar
theh "hat? The little love he stin
mad FOR her would then be gone
one pictured herself as a sbon o;r,
as a Notwithstanding nictnra,
from frequent indulgence IN suob
morpidity. Separation, deso,a tion
poverty and struggling self-supnort"
were the stages Of Helen's imapin.-
tlon at every fresh evidence of War
ren's neglect.
me rain still swished against the
mihaoW and the dark day grew dark
er with approaching dusk.
Inc bans of a door, then voices q,
the adjoining room. She could Mt
catch the words but there wa. a
man deep tone and the careIsss
gayety or a woman's laugh. Tben
came the sound of a running h,th
Ihey were dressing to go dow 10
dinner. That woman was NOT alono
her very laugh implied a sacnr;,,,
In her happiness. ''
100 "retched to get up, Helen Law
staring at the windows, now grown
mstily black. The room was IN
darkness save for a faint gleam from,
the nan through the transon. She
nag gone without 1unch-she wouId
s% withouS dinner. Perhaps Warren
would feel touch Of commune ction
wnen ne knew, Her unhappy brood
lngs nnally merged into a worried
trouble-burdened doze.
A clamorous knock, An innat,ant
Eattllng Of the knob,
-