The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-07-20

returned Rodney's nod pretty sttfly. as
was natural enough, since Rodney's
grin had distinctly frightened up at
sight of him.
Eleanor said, rather negligently:
Hello, Rod. We're just dashing off to
the Palace to see a perfectly exquisite
little dancer Bertie's discovered down
there. She comes on at half past nine,
so we've got to fly. Want to come|
NO" Rodney said. II came over to
see Jim. Is he at home"
The maid was holding out the coat
for Eleanor's arms. But Eleanor, at
Rodney's question, just stood for a
second quite still. She wasn't looking
at anybody, but the expression in her
eyes was sullen. Eyes, he's at home"
she said at last.
BUSY, 1 suppose" said Rodney.
Her infection had dictated this reply.
"Yes, he's busy" she repeated alb
sently and in q tone still more cOldly
hostile, though Rodney perceived that
the hostility was not meant for him.
She looked around at BERTHE.
"Wait two minutes" she said, "if
you don't mind" Then, to Rodney,
Come along" And she led the way
up the lustrous, velvety teakwood
stair.
He followed her. But, arrived at
the drawing room floor, he stopped.
>olx ha ir1tc hIIC "
"Oh, don't be too dense, Rodney y
she said. "a man has to be busy
when he's known to be in the house
and won't entertain his wife's guests.
Go up, sing out who you are, and go
right in" She gave him a nod and
hard little smile, and went down.
stairs again to BERTHE.
Rodney found the door Eleanor had
indicated, knocked smartly on it, and
sang out at the same time, "This is
Rodney Aldrich. May come in?"
"Come in, of course" Randolph
called. I'm glad to see you" he add
ed, coming to meet his guest, "but do
you mind telling me how you got in
here? Some poor wretch will lose
his job, you know, If Eleanor finds
out about this. When I'm in this
search, it's a f1rst-class crime to let
me be disturbed" 1t didn't need his
sardonic grin to point the satire of his
words.
Rodney said curtly: Eleanor sent
me up herself. 1 didn't much want to
come, to tell the truth, when 1 heard
you were busy"
Eleanor" her husband repeated, 81
thought she'd gone out-with her poo
die"
Rodney said, with unconcealed dis
taste: 'They were on the point of 60
ing out when 1 came In. That's how
Eleanor happened to see me-"
With a visible effort Randolph re-
covered a more normal manner. I'm
glad it happened that way" he said.
"Get yourself q drink. You'll find any
thing you want over there, l guess, and
something to smoke; then We'll sit
down and have an old-fashioned talk"
The source of drinks he indicated
was a well-stocked cellarette at the
other side of the room. But Rodney's
eye fell first on a decanter and siphon
on the table, within reach of the chair
Randolph had been sitting in.
81 don't believe want anything more
to drink just now," Rodney said. And,
as he followed Rodney's glance, Ran
dolph allowed himself another sardonic
grin.
The preliminaries were gone through
rather elaborately; chairs drawn up
and adjusted, ash-trays put within
reach; cigars got going satisfactorily.
But the talk they were supposed to
prepare the way for, didn't at once be-
gin.
Randolph took another stiffish drink
and settled back into dull, sullen alb
straction. Finally, for the sake of say
ing something, Rodney remarked:
"This is wonderful room, isn't it?"
Randolph reused himself. "Never
been in here before?" he asked. "Well
then, here's two more rooms you must
see."
The first one, opening from the study,
explained its purpose at q glance, with
a desk and typewriter, and filing cabi-
nets around the walls. Rubber floor"
Randolph pointed out, 'felt ceiling; alb
solutely sound-proof. Here's where
my stenographer sits all day, ready
like a fireman. And this" he conclud-
ed, leading the way to the other room,
sis the holy of holies.''
1t had q rubber floor, too, and, Rod
ney supposed, felt ceiling. But its
only furniture was one chair and O
canvas cot.
"Sound-proof too," said Randolph.
"But sounding boards or something in
a dictaphone, and talk in any direc-
ton, anywhere. It's all taken down.
Here's where I'm supposed to think.
make discoveries and things. l tried it
for while"
They went back into the study.
Clever beasts, though-poodles," he
remarked, as he nodded Rodney to his
chair and poured himself another
drink. Learn their tricks very nicely.
But, good heavens, Aldrich, think of
him as man! Think what our Amer
lean married women are up against,
when they want somebody to play off
against their husbands and have to fall
back on tired little beasts like that.
Eleanor doesn't mean anything. She's
trying to make me jealous. That's her
newest experiment. But it's downright
pitiful, l say"
Rodney got up out of his chair. 1t
wasn't a possible conversation. 'Ill
be running along, I think he said.
"Ive a lot of proof to correct tonight,
and you've got work of your own, I
expect"
"Sit down again" said Randolph
sharply. I'm just getting drunk. But
that can wait. I'm going TO talk. I've
got to talk. And if you go. l swear
I'll call up E1eanor's butler and talk
to him. You'll keep it to yourself,
anyway" He added, as Rodney hest