New Britain herald., 1917-04-09
What Possible Link Can There B Between Lillian Underwood and
 Robert Savarin?

Between Lillian Underwood and
 Robert Savarin:
 I feel exactly like the Painted Lady ir. The Passing of the Third Floor Back" said Lillian Underwood, smil- ing wistfully at me. Do you Temem- Der herr"
 nodded. I could not trust myself to speak just then for the lump in my throat. I had very vivid picture of the Painted Lady" as I had seen her in the play. I could see her pitiful. shrinking figure, as divested of the rouge and powder and dyed hair, which had made her look youthful. she crept into the lodging house sitting room.
 T dread to meet any one who has ever seen me before," Lillian went on, with a quick look into, the long mirror above my dressing table. and an even more swift averting of her face as she saw her reflection there. a face, like the Painted Lady's," shorn of it's makeup and crown of dyed hair.
 "But I've got to meet it some time, and I'd rather meet it first with you than with any one else. l haven't seen a soul except Harry and Betty since I began my transformation. unIll LOuay-JuSL SOulNAI oSNA " make the plunge"
 you understood, of course, that the Durkees were coming" l said, more for the sake of making conver- sation than because I doubted her knowledge.
 "Yes, I know" she returned, "but they are not formidable enough to keep me away from you. I've known Alfred Durkee since he was a lad. and his mothers a dear, the most kindly, tactful little woman in the world. couldn't have better people around me when I re-enter my little world as an old woman. 1t isn't as if there were going to be real strangers here."
 s'Lillian!' I cried sharply. Don't allude to yourself as an old woman again. 'You know it isn't true, and 1t hurts me. Just wait a few weeks until your hair gets really gray and your face fills out, and you'll be won- derful. know it. Are you not being a bit oversensitive just now?"
 LilHan's Strange Cry.
 was talking frantically against time, wondering how I should break the news to her that there was to be stranger at our dinner, and that stranger Robert Gordon, the man of mystery, who had shown such an un- accountable interest in me.
 Lillian's intuition, which to me seems almost uncanny at times, must have told her that I was worried about something, for she came toward me and put her hands on my shoul- ders.
 What is it, child ?' she asked soft ly. Something is troubling you,. l can see that"
 "Oh. Lillian, am so sorry,'' burst out. "but I couldn't help it. really, I couldn't. You see, he only telephoned this morning that he was coming. and it was too late to get you then"
 ''He? who?" Lillian interrupted my fncoherent explanation with stacca- to note.
 Why, Robert" stammered.
 She did not give me time to finish the name, but took the words from my mouth with little despairing cry. so unlike Lillian Underwood that I gazed at her in amazement.
 "Not Robert Savarin!" she said. "Oh, Madge, anybody but him! I could not bear him to see me this way, and hear the comments Harry makes sometimes" -|
 put aside my own bewilderment in order to rally to the necessity of re- assuring Lillian.
 Mot Revert Savarin,'' said sharp ly, Robert Gordon, you remember, the man who so annoyed me that day when you helped me buy my hat" Lillian quickly recovered herself.