The Washington herald., 1917-09-17

You got Mrs. Walker on the
phone?" threateningly.
No. sir. She couldn't come to the
phone. But I told the maid. She said
she'd tell her."
well, I'll see to this myself.
snorted Warren. stepping into the
elevator.
Before Helen could stop him. the
door closed and the car dropped.
Flying down the stairs that wound
around the shaft. she caught him as
he stepped out into the hall below
toweringly grotesque with his tousled
hair and blanket bathrobe.
"Oh dear. you're not going in there
not like that!" excitedly she caught
his arm.
He shook her off and strobe towards
the door of the Walker apartment.
"Oh, Warren. don't-DON'Tw in
frantic pleading.
Then as she saw him press the bell,
with shrinking dismay. she darted
back halfway up the stairs-out of
sight but within hearing.
Her pulses beat with sickeninS
dread. When Warren was once
aroused there was no stopping him.
What awful thing would he say or
do?
The sound of an opening door. then
his brusque.
Tell Mrs. Walker to step into the
hall Don't stand there staring-do as
J say"
A throbbing pause. then.
Mrs. Walker" curtly. This Is
Mr.. Curtis from the eighth floor.
I've had the hall boy phone you twice.
It'Q aftnF. tu-n Yntf,n hou a. IL
your guests to be more quiet. They're
disturbing the whole house"
why, I'm very sorry you've been
disturbed" her voice was supercil-
iously ironic. I'll see that you have
no further cause for complaint.
Thank you so much for letting me
know. 1t was 80 VERY kind of you."
Helen gasped. She could feel War
ren's disconcertion. His retaliating.
Don't mention it," as he stalkeo
back TO the waiting elevator, was
defiant but not convincing. Mrs.
Walker with her icy sarcasm had
dominated the situation.
Darting up the remaining stairs,
Helen reached their apartment as he
flung open the door. His face was
redeemed with an angry flush.
"Oh. Warren. why-WHY did you
do that? We have to live here!
Oh, why did you"
Now just cut all that" he
strobe back to the bedroom. Let's
try to get some sleep"
For an intensive moment the
gayety from below was undiminish-
ed. Then the pianola stopped with
discordant suddenness. and the
laughter died to a strained silence.
Mrs. Walker had told her guests.
well, 1 guess we've canned that
party" as once more he Topped in
to bed.
You could have phoned her
you needn't have gone down" be-
moaned Helen. "Oh. she was so
sneeringly sarcastic!'
"She was, eh? Well, she can just
ooze sarcasm. for all 1 care. Here
after she'll shut down those brawls
before 1 a. m. or there'Il be trou-
ble-with an upper-case IT,.
But we have to live here" per-
sisted Helen. trying to straighten
the tumbled bed clothes. And
she'll tell everybody in the house
that you came down in your bath
robe and"
Don't care a hoot what she
tells! 1 squelched those festivities.
all right. If she tries to pull off
another jamboree at this time of
the morning, I'll have 'em back up
the wagon-and they'll all get a
free ride!"
But for once his clustering failed
to impress Helen. She could not
Danish the memory of his gro
tesque figure as he confronted Mrs.
Walker-his plaid bathrobe too
short for his height. his striped pa
jamas showing beneath. his bare
feet thrust into heelless slippers,
and the ludicrous aspect of his
tousled hair.
Mrs. Walkers faultless evening
gown had emphasized his DIS
hevelment. and her cool sarcasm
had forced him to a hasty. undignf-
fled retreat, which all his bravado
could not carry OF.
Decidedly that nights perform
| ance had not contributed to Helen's
admiring faith in the unfailing
dominance Of Warren's forceful,
all-conquering personality.
Copyright, 1871