The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-07-23

paper, is the only series now being
written by Mabel Herbert Turner.
Having darkened the room, Helen
threw herself on the bed with a re-
Taxing sigh. 1t was half-past four.
If only she could get short nap be-
fore she had to finish the salad. look
over the table, and dress.
Her arm ached from stirring the
mayonaaise. Her back ached. too.
| She h bee. on her feet since break
fast. oiling the furniture, fixing her
dress, washing her hair, and helping
Nora with countless details that al
ways preceded a company" dinner.
Today the preparations were excep-
tionally elaborate because the guests
were Mr.. and Mrs. Forbes. from Pitts
| burgh. Mrs. Forbes had been Flo
Arnold" one OF Warren's old sweet
! hearts. whom Helen had never seen.
There was a picture Of her in his
college album, a girlish picture, strik-
| ingly pretty in spite of the high-ratted
pompadour, then fashionably dishgur-
ing.
How much had she changed? Won
dered Helen, stretching her aching
arm under the pillow. How did she
wear her hair now? She would look
older, but she might be even more
attractive without that hideous POM
padour. She would be well dressed.
| for her father had left her great
! deal of money.
Fretfully, Helen turned on her pill
| low. Any way she lay she could not
| escape the painful pressure of the kid
| curriers'. She was too tired to sleep.
Why had she oiled the furniture?
How foolish to have worn herself out.
when tonight she wanted to look her
| best.
Finally she dozed of, an uneasy, I'M
restful doZe, in which she never lost
| consciousness of the clock, and the
need = be up in a few moments.
At half-past FIVE she was up, feeling
even more tired and dragged. In spite
of all her work and planning not to
be rushed at the last, six thirty found
her still in the kitchen with only half
an hour to dress.
When at five minutes to seven Mr..
and Mrs. Forbes were announced, she
was still struggling with the intri-
cate fastenings Of her dinner gown.
| Her hair, too. long on the curriers'
was obnoxiously frizZy. Recklessly
she tore out the hairpins and shook
! IL DOWN TOT inc lIllEu llIlC'
| Warren would have to receive them
she was not going in until her hair
was right" With rough, vigorous
strokes she brushed out the offending
crimp and did it up again-a hastily
braided coil, uncomfortably loose.
Unhappily conscious that she was
looking far from her best. she hur-
ried in to meet Flo Arnold"
| Was this large, stout woman the
slender, spirituelle girl in Warren
album? She was handsome in a
stately way, and she was extensively
and smartly gowned, but the years
had hardened and slightly coarsened
her face.
Helen tried to talk to Mr.. Forbes,
and at the same time to listen to his
wife and Warren, who were absorbed
in laughing "reminiscences.
who do you think met the other
day? Belle Watson! You'd hardly
know her. She's a widow now with
two children"
Yes, heard she's had a pretty
hard time" unused Warren. HE ran
through his money and most Of hers.
Living with her father, isn't she?"
"She was, but now she's started a
tea room down near Washington
! Square. irene BalleyS running II
with her. You remember Irene?'
| Dinners served" announced Nora.
As they went into the dining-room
Helen was exultantly conscious Of her
own girlish slimness which Mrs.
Forbes stout figure seemed to
emphasize. She hoped Warren was
noting the difference.
At the table she had a better oppor-
tunity to study her guest. Was the
pearl necklace real? Her gown of
| black tulle over silver was most ex-
pensive and cleverly designed to con-
ceal her stoCtness.
Reluctantly Helen admitted that
Mrs. Forbes was not only attractive
but strlkingly stylish, with an unmis-
taxable cir of affluence and we'll
bred poise.
Warren, we've taken a house at
Tuxedo. Can't you and Mrs. Curtis
come down for a week-end?"
The almost caressing intimacy with
which she kept repeating Warren"
seemed to Helen an unnecessary
Haunting of their former friendship.
We'll have house party-some of
the old crowd. Minnie Turner and
Joe Dudley-do you ever see him?"
Then to the maid who was passing
the riced potatoes, mo. thank you"
whats the matter, Flor" demands