The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-09-10
.UNEXPECTED GUEST.
BY ISABEL FROST.

!, Mrs. Latimer prided herself on the
complete system to which she had re-
duced hospitality Her weekend par
ties were select little affairs, where you
smight be sure of never meeting anyone
outside your own charmed circle.
There was never anything to jar ones
sense of the fitness of things. One
week she would have celebrities, the
next week society crowd, and the
next she would pay back little social
obligations of her own with a careful
selection of persons whom she did not
honor with her personal friendship. 1t
was on this last list that she had
placed Shane O'Moore's name. After
receiving cards to his private view of
pictures, she had deemed it a graceful
thing to write him little note, invit-
ing him, If he had the time to spare
from his arduous artistic labors, out
for a weekend at Oakesmere.
Imagine her utter amazement, then,
when he arrived absolutely without
warning in the midst of a house party
composed only of the ultra select. He
bounded up the steps and made for the
spot where Mrs. Latimer stood spell
bound at his temerity.
Il knew you wouldn't mind nay COM
ing out today instead of next week"
Shane said in his buoyant, artless way.
ITS so perfectly splendid of you to
think of me. l love your place out
here"
Bareheaded, he turned to survey the
landscape, and the nearest object his
glance fell upon was Geraldine Rogers.
Shane stood perfectly rigid, the light
of appreciation dawning in his blue
eyes, and Geraldine smiled at him. 1t
was very seldomS She met any man who
looked interesting at Oakesmere. Later
on that evening Mrs. Latimer found
time to stop in at Geraldines room.
'You don't know, my dear, what
relief it is to me TO have you take that
impossible boy off my hands. always
have horror of people that you never
can tell what they're going to say next
One has to think so to keep up with
them, and if you only say really or
doubtless you don't know what you've
committed yourself to. It's sweet of
you to be bothered with him."
"Oh, but I'm not bothered atsall,"
Geraldine replied promptly. Hes the
only interesting man I've met here. |
have. an idea he is a man first of all,
and like him."
OMoore was the hit of that particu-
lar house party. He was prodigal with
his talent in entertaining.
1t was toward the end of his stay,
Geraldine and he had just finished a
swift bout on the tennis court and
were coming up the hedge-bordered
walks that led to the terraces The
hedge was too thick to see anyone on
the other side, but voices penetrated, !
and suddenly they heard Ralph Merkle
saying in his easy drawl to Mrs. Lati-
mer:
ITS a good thing that Gerry won't |
know anything about it until she gets |
back to town. 1t would cut her up |
fearfully. Although she'll hardly for
give us for not telling her."
"Oh, wouldn't breathe a word Of |
it for the world" Mrs. Latimer said
though, frankly, I've been expecting
1t for long while. They've both had |
too much money ever since their father
died. Jack ran through his the first
year, and I'm perfectly positive she's
been holding him up ever since to keep
back scandal"
On the other side Of the hedge there
rose suddenly 2 -rollicking Irish tenor