, 1918-09-12

two respectable maiden schoolmarms
to be prowling around looking for lost
keyholes," giggled Bert Wainwright to
Louise Laurent, as they were vainly
trying to get into their rooming house
without waking the other inhabitants.
81 never knew that we were her.
metically sealed up from the rest of
the world, once we were inside this
castle. Let's ring the bell"
".Oh, no; this is so funny! Here, we
can stand on this stool, reach that roof
and walk right along to the verandah."
And get shot Well, give me you
hand"
And in n minute more Of giggling
and c~lambering they both stood on the
upper %verandah, when just ahead of
them a blind ran up and the window
opened, but evidently merely for air,
as they heard Il mans voice humming
softly, and the wind blowing aside the
curtain they beheld a man at work
Both were rooted to the spot, for 1t
was most unusual work.
Mr.. Reginald Santerre was draping
q manikin with yellow gauze.
"Oh," breathed Louise. "How ador-
able !"
"Sh-for the love of Mike!" whis-
pered Bert, as the draper backed
gracefully away from his work, walked
to the dresser and picked up a photo
graph. "Mei"' again whispered Bert,
when the draper leaned the photograph
up against the face of the manikin and
smilingly eyed it in mental perspec-
tive. She tried to keep Louise from
seeing. Was he coming to the win
dow? Hastily they turned the corner
and climbed hurriedly into their own
room.
oh! OH Oil" laughed Bert as
she rocked back and forth on the floor.
AOh, wasn't that the funniest thing?
If YOU ever tell it, Louise Laurent, III
murder you! Obi Obi"
"Tell 1t? OF course L won't. But
isn't it the sweetest thing you ever
saw?"
"What?" demanded Bert. "That
dress for me?"
"Bertl That's the dearest dress I
ever laid eyes on. 1 always knew Reg
gle was a wizard in dry goods. You
are the luckiest thing 1 ever sawl
Think of him, working all his evenings
designing a dress for you'll Aren't you
crazy to get into it,"
mol What do 1 want with a dress
like that? You know"
"Oh, yes, 1 know you'd rather. get
into a corduroy hunting suit and tramp
all over the country. But you'll have
to quit that and settle down. The wife
of Reginald Santerre-"
"Hush, Ouida. Think of a man
dressmakeri
Shame on you. BertI Think of
Worth"
"Worth-lessi OF course, not just
that; but have 1 no ambition but to
be a dummy to-hang-things on-a
Christmas tree?"
"Now. Bert wainwright, ever since we
were in school in No. 6 I've thought
sometimes that you were conceited.
You ought to be the proudest girl in
the world"
But Bert put her hands before her
face, and a hard, dry gurgle, much
more like a sob than a laugh, escaped
her. Don't talk to NEEDN'T. I'm
going to bed"
"Are you crying, BERTHE? Are you
sickT" came softly out of the darkness.
mo, l was just telling Reggie good
bye. l was giving him to you"
Louise bounded u of bed, turned
on the light and got the thermometer.
"You are sick, Bert. You've got a
fever. Open your mouth"
"FudgeI Take that thing away OF
I'll bite the end off, and you know
what happened to willy
'Twas a chilly day for Willy
When the mercury went down.
"Tm not sick. You couldn't understand
in a hundred years, Louise, but I
couldn't any more marry MI. Santerre
Why was I such a fool as to think 1
could?"
you'll be all right in the morning"
"You listen to me-"
And then and there Bert unfolded
the scheme of presenting her lover to
her lifelong friend. arranging all the
details of the remuneration. Louise lis
tened, at first to humor her, but as she
went on planning in the darkness she
knew hat she meant every word of 1t.
So when morning came she felt a lit
tie panicky, but Bert was as cool as
though they were swapping sweaters,
and things happened just as she had
planned. 1t was Sunday. and they met
at the breakfast table. The girls re-
lated to Reggie how they had gotten
in. and were afraid they might have
Weakened him, saying nothing of the
dress.
swell, now. isn't that stranger 1
worked late last night hesitating a
moment. Il had n Inspiration for a
gown for Miss wainwright"
"Adorablei Lucky Bertl Could we
see it?''
"Rippingl" smiled Bert. "And here
I am all logged out for a hike. Is 1t
as nice as this?" smoothing out her
a