The midland journal., 1917-07-13

relei objected.
"Oh, offer your own price for Ger
ties fiat if you like it. They're crazy
for tenants. It's cheaper than hotels
If you want to save money"
Lorelei was surprised to find her
friends quarters not only richly but
lavishly furnished. The decorations
were harmonious and bespoke reck-
less disregard of cost A fluffy jap
anese spaniel with protruding eyes and
distorted visage capered deliriously at
it's mistress feet
But the objects that intrigued the
visitor most strongly were several
paintings. They were of a kind she
had seldom seen, and in the afternoon
light one stood out with particularly
startling effect. 1t was dusky land
scape; there was stream, meadow
edge, trees just growing black against
a dying sunset, herd of cattle COM
ing out of the west. Before this pic
ture Lorelei paused, staring with wide
eyes of wonder.
/ Lilas flung her hat carelessly into a
humidor, then turned with the spaniel
in her arms and, beholding her guest
with rapt, upturned face, remarked,
with a laugh:
"Looks like the real thing, doesn't it?'
"Oh-it's wonderful-so clean and
cool and quiet! I've seen cattle in Vale
that looked just like those, when
t., &6n
"Some Dutchman painted this
names on the corner He's dead now,
1 believe. It used to hang in some
museum forget where. 1 like pic
lures Of women best, but" She
shrugged and left the sentence unfin-
ished. "There's a dandy in my bed
room, although it didn't cost half as
much as that barnyard thing. The
frames a foot wide and covered with
solid gold"
81 had no idea you lived like this"
Lorelei peered through a pair of
French doors and into perfectly ap-
pointed library, with massive mahog-
any table, deep lounging chairs, writ
ing desk, and dome-crowned read
ing lamp.
"My study" Lilas laughed, shortly.
"That's where 1 improve my mind
not. The books are deadly. Now come;
Hitchy Koo must have dinner ready.
His name isn't Hitchy Koo, but it
sounds like it, and he's the cutest
little thing; got the cutest little
swing" She moved down the hall,
humming the chorus of the senseless
popular song from which she had
quoted.
Everywhere was the same evidence
of good taste in decoration and luxury
of equipment, but a suspicion had en-
tered Lorelei's mind, and she avoided
comment Hitchy Koo was cook, but
ler and house-boy, and in view of Miss
Lynn's disorderly habits it was evil
dent that he had all he could do to
keep the place presentable. His mis-
tress ate without appetite and in
hypercritical mood that took no ac-
count of the wasteful attempts to
please her. Quite regardless Of the pa
tient little Jap, she found fault with
him savagely, so that Lorelei was
often painfully embarrassed.
$50 you like my home, do you?" she
queried. after time.
"I've never. seen one so beautiful"
Lilas nodded. "Hitchy sleeps out,
and that leaves me the whole place.
Jarvis furnished it, even to the books,
and I'm studying to be lady" Again
she laughed mockingly. 81 make
bluff at reading, but so long as talk
about Napoleon he never thinks to
question me. know that French gink
backward"
81 wish had hobby-something to
interest me, something to live for"
said Lorelei, lamely.
Eyes 1t gives you something to
think about when you're alone. 1t
helps you to-stand things" For the
first time Lilas showed a trace of feel
ing in her voice; she dropped her chin
into her palm and, leaning upon the
table, stared as if at vision. Her
dark eyes were somber her brows
were lowered and drawn together.
The slipshod informality of the meal,
the constant faultfinding of the host
ess, made it something of trial. Lore
lei was not sorry when it was over
and Lilas took her to look at the va
cant fat.
Miss Moore's apartment offered
wide contrast to the one they had just
quilted, being very small and very
modestly furnished; but it was on the
second floor, convenient to both 'eleva-
tor and stairway, it boasted piano,
and the superintendent allowed his
prospective tenant to name her own
terms. She descended with relief, feel
ing that she had made not bad bar
gain.
She stated, as she sank into Lilas'
big library chair, Il feel quite inde-
pendent at last. The rent is ridicu-
lous, and 1 can do my own cooking"
Don't make fool of yourself. You