The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-11-25
CHAPTER XII.

1" The consciousness OF thls
H truth impressed itself upon
her sisters mind many
tines during. the winter OF 1861.
For It was = rather gay winter in
FHirlands The war on the other
side of the Atlantic furnished nu-
nitrous excuses for entertainments
Of various sorts, the Proceeds of
which went to the Red Cross. Bel
gt3n Relief, etc.
The Brent girls were active in all
s1kh affairs. Although their regu-
Lar work occupied most Of the. day
neht hours, they were never TOO
tied to take part in charades. tab
le3ux or other entertainments from
which profit was gained by means
ofIpieasure.
1t all Of these functions Mildred
WIS as happy as a child and always
ready to add TO the gayety of the
OCCASION by her merry chat and
infectious laugh. ~
That she was a success from a
sVfial standpoint WIS a, foregone
EXCLUSION. She was not intellec-
ttA neither was she capable OF
gtezt depths of feeling-but these
aff not essential to popularity.
fHonora-much less attractive to
IN unthinking obserVer-had
chfrn Of manner and a warm sym
ptfhy mat won her the genuine
Hing of those who really knew
hkf. While she was lGware that Mil
did was more winsome than she,
81 watched her little sister with
OFT any sensation of jealousy
safe, perhaps, where Arthur Bruce
WIS concerned. And It was in this
cShnection that she decided that
Mildred was a fiirt s2r-
tfYou are sure you do. not care
ATTY more for Arthur than you Old,
Atiy?" the older sister questioned
Obj evening as the pair drove in a
taficab to a big Red Cross dance
gifen in the home of Mrs. Denton,
a Fairylands society leader.
ifNot a bit more" Mildred re-
gppnded. "Why do you want to
know?" .s- --z---
tfBecause last night when he was
al the house you told him that If
he got your dance card tonight be-
fdte anyone else did, he could I'LL
81 with as many dances as he
w,iBhed."
fNo: you are wrong" Mildred
corrected. 81 said that the first
man who got my card would have
tRh chance to I'LL it with his own
mime for as many dances as he de-
SIZED"
IL Was a Challenge.
lfThat amounts to the same thing"
Honora insisted. You said IL to
Ahhur. knowing perfectly wen that
h would try to get your card be-
fore anyone else could. In other
words, IT was a challenge"
Il suppose IT was" Mildred suick-
fBut, dear, you know how much
id love he has been with you-and
IL Deems like encouraging him"
lion. he can look out for himself,p
t1k other shrugged her shoulders
i1Aifferently. by the way, you
sbkak as IL he had loved me, but as
il he did not now. fancy he stin
dbks-but perhaps he has changed. /"
TO this remark Honora said moth
ilk. She wished that she herself
child be certain whether Arthur's
fittings for Mildred had altered.
she believed that they had. In that
cate 1t was net kind to add fuel to
a bre that was dying down.
itAnyway," Mildred ventured when
her sister did not reply. Il said
j9tt the same thing TO Tom Chand-
tTom Chandler HoRora exelaim-
ed oh Niliyyi Z CkSonld hots say
s$kh things to a chap like Tom
itwhy not2" Mildred argued. Hes
l5ts of fun"
ttYes, know he is-and thor
ottEhly untrustworthy.a=-
Efhb an ell il you give him an inch.
Add there are some rather uncom-
feftabIe stories afloat about him
itThat he drinks, you mean? Well.
w4at il he does take an occasional
glass? ! like a man with enough
s2Sp to do as he pleases. or
csbrse. = she added, seeing her. sisr
tSf's disappeovfpg. loolS.,s'I do mot
m(an that 7 could stand attention
fi4m a man who really drank hard.
BIT ! do not believe that Tom
dis"
itEven so. why throw the gauntlet
dbsgn to him as you did when you
al good as dared him to NIL your
dAhce card?"
itBecause I want to have my little
fth with him" the other answered.
'r1o you know what / did? 1 told
Ahhur that ! would be at the
DlsntonS' at s;45. told Tom I
W6uld be there at $50. So he will