Middletown transcript., 1917-11-17

What does all this mean?" hysteri
cally.
"Oh, come now, none of that! Il
you've pinched anything you got il
down here, for I was wise to you the
minute you came up"
"Send Mr.. Gardner to me at once y
Helen almost screamed. 'IIl know
from him If stupid servants can insult
his guests"
"Mr. Gardner?" leeringly. $50 that's
your game? Going to pretend you're
In the wrong house?"
wrong house" breathed Helen.
Come now," roughly throwing her
wrap about her. "That's too old You're
lucky you're getting off so easy, but
Mrs. Van Klein don't want any news
paper publicity. You came near fool
ing her, because you didn't look the
part. Now you make quick getaway.
Want a taM?"
With sobbing cry Helen broke
away, and dashed down the wide hall
toward the bronze doors, her wrap fall
Ing lrOln ner SQOulQerS.
'Let me out Oh, you must let
me out!' wildly, for footman, alertly
suspicious, had placed himself obstruct-
ingly before the door,
"It's all right, Hopkins, let her out"
called the man who had followed from
the dressing room.
The door opened, and Helen found
herself stumbling down the steps un-
der the wind-fapped awning.
AS she gave one fearful backward
glance, for an instant the gilt number
"21" on the outer glass door held her
petrified. The cabman had mistaken
the slanted-top zone" for "seven."
The lounging chauffeurs sat up in
wondering attention as Helen flew by,
her bare head, flowing wrap and white
satin slippers, an incongruous figure in
the chill, mist-driven night.
Turning the first corner to more
quickly escape, she sped down two
long blocks before she stopped breath
less, painting and still half-dazed.
Must she 60 back to 1872" That
would be within few doors of the
other house. The thought made her
sick with fear and revulsion.
1t was the quiet dinner hour, and
the streets were mostly deserted, but
the occasional passerby stared at her
curiously
Pausing at crossing, desperately
she signaled an approach ching taxi. She
was too unstrung-she would 60 back
home. But the cab drawing nearer,
through the glass door she caught
the CLEAN of white shirt front and q
high silk hat.
AS the driver slowed up for the
crossing, the door was flung open and
the passenger sprang out. He was
coming toward her Terrified, she
started to run-then stopped with a
piercing: Warren! Warren!"
The next moment he had her in the
cab, where her taut nerves gave way.
Striving vainly to calm her, Warren or
dered the man to drive around the
block.
With broken incoherence Helen
finally sobbed out her story.
"Well, that was some adventure,
Kitten" smoothing her hair with un-
accustomed solicitude "Too upset for
the dinner? Want me to take you
homer"
But with throbbing lurch, the cab
now drew up before "27," a modest
brownstone house, very unlike the os-
mansion a few doors be-
yond.
Come on" urged Warren. You'll be
better off here than brooding over it
at home. We're pretty late, but I'll do
the explaining"
"Oh, I'm all to pieces" tremulous-
ly. Il left my gloves-and look! ~
out foot, it's slender white
ness splashed with mud.
"Now, never mind about the Slip
pers. And don't go Sticking down your
hair-leave it loose like that. Come
- He had sprung to the curb and
was lifting her out.
That's the house-the one with the |
awning!' with q terrified glance at the |
Dretentious entrance just ahead.
Looks like Van Klein's new place.
By George, that's what it s!'
Van Klein?" excitedly. "That's |
he name! You know them?"
"Lunched with him Saturday. Guess
can fix this up" grimly. "Van Klein
md his crowd want to keep in with me
ill they get their new franchise. You'll
lave letter of apology from Mrs. Van
Klein within week or I'll miss nv
guess. Buck up now," briskly, as he
helped her up the steps. ''Think of the
humble pie that 'umptious DANES got
n dipoct -,