The Washington times., 1918-08-31
By Ann Lisle.
CHAPTER XIV.
Copyright, 1915, by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)

N the morning aIter Jim
went to Washington,
woke to the loneliness OF
- my room in the Walgrave
with a full consciousness of how
ugly a hotel room can be. / began
to wonder IL Jim's train was in
where he would have breakfast, how
early the war offices opened.
And so it all came back to me!
Ny husband had gone to Washing
ton to be examined by a special
board convened to pass on his lit
ness for active service, his fitness
TO go back to France.
1t wasn't patriotic or noble, but
turned over on my face and
sobbed a little zig-zag rivulet down
the FELLOWSHIP. Then I called my
self a goose, got up, and took my
bath and faced the astounding fact
that 1t was only s o'clock and
had the long day to get through
somehow.
To order breakfast sent up to our
room seemed impossible. To break
fast in the cold formality Of the
walKrave dining room was more
impossible. Suddenly all my loneli-
ness and longing for my Jim right
upon one intense desire-to have
nv boy there to smile at me over
his coffee cup. But he would not
be there all day! Three lonely
meals, set up like milestones on the
long days journey. 1 felt / could
not bear them. And tomorrow?
] dared not think OF tomorrow. 1
smiled through my tears as 1 de-
cided to elude one OF those mile
stone monuments to loneliness. I
could not touch a morsel of fcod
now. / plunged into a seance with
Jim's khaki colored socks ! don't
like mending-few business women
do-but l darned some OF my love
for my husband into the kinder
gartsn mats I put into toes and
heels.
At 10 there came a telegram:
Arrived safe, fine trip; write
later; hope you are we'll Jim"
Not a word of love-just a cold
s'hope you are we'll" l started TO
feel very mournful about that. and
then 1 realized that 1t was from a
soldier-not a husband. Still. the
morning didn't rush by on winged
feet as q result of that telegram
There was nothing for me to do
IN the room, and there was nothing
TO tempt me out of the room The
chambermaid's visit was a golden
moment Toward noon the phone
rang.
Mrs. Harrison? This is Mason
Tom Mason
Evelyn Just phoned that she
was in town for the day and would
meet you for lunch at the Rocham-
Shall
urge herr"
laughed:
"Did you call me up to discuss
the advisabiIity of lunching with
your pretty cousin?"
He laughed. too-not a deep
throated, boyish chuckle, like my
Jim's, but q staccato laugh that
had a queer note Of suspense in it
81 telephoned to dicusss the ad-
Visibility OF inviting my pretty
tenant TO lunch. Will she conner"
swho is she?" / asked.
well IL she isn't a certain Mrs
Harrison there's going to be no
tenant I have a sense of the fit
ness of things. That Italian living
room of mine just belongs to you.
my lady"
It was rather exciting to be told
that a beautiful Italian room ~be-
longed" to me. ! had seen pictures
OF lovely italian women with
creamy skins. smooth brown hair.
amber eyes and coral lips. Did
Mr.. Mason think l was like them?
with a vanity I had not known 7
possessed, I put up my hand and
smoothed my hair.
I'm not sure We can take your
apartment. Perhaps my husband
won't want to bind himself by a
lease -" began. the more Sc
verely because l was ashamed of
my vanity.
"a telephone isn't the proper
means for persuading an irate land
lord to come to terms. Do come
down to the Rochambeau for lunch"
he replied.
"And chaperon Evelyn" I asked
pertIy. But felt a surge OF relief.
After all. need not endure even
yet one OF those lonely meals that
had been the nightmares OF my
~bachelor-girl' days.
Talking TO some one who knew
Jim seemed to bridge the gap of
loneliness between me and Wash
fngton.
I arrived at the Rochambeau ten
minutes late. / had calculated il
so. for I didn't want to appear too
eager in the eyes of the Mason
cousins.
On the broad. white-pillared por-
tico OF the old-fashioned white
frame hotel. stood Mr. Thomas Ma
son, a smile OF greeting on his
cynical lips, a keen glance of ad-
miration in his lazy eyes.
welcome. Lady Tenant. Thrice
welcome. Your humble landlord
greets you. May he say you're even
lovelier than he-remembered?"
And where Is my humble land
lords beautiful cousin?" I replied
in the same bsntering tone as
shook hands with Mr.. Mason.
"She phoned half an hour after
spoke to you TO say that she WAS
detained at some Red Cross meet
ing"
"oh. why didn't you let me
know" exclaimed instinctiveIy.
Let you know? And lunch alonet
No. fair lady. Here's the Rochan-
beau and here am $50 Why
shouldn't you be here?"
cit isn't proper. What would my
husband say
your husband would probably
say. Buy her a good lunch. Tom"
Mr.. Mason was smiling with calm
assurance. He slipped his arms
throuRh mine a. r-epared to lead
Hrss the halle -ward the din
fTo o, little table for
h. - window, Louis"
s@0' hoa..g to the captain in
-