Williams news., 1918-01-03

though you don't resemble him in tn. least-rather, I fancy, your mother"
 "You knew my mother2' Lydia asked eagerly.
 "No. Won't you sit down? No; Tad Craven has always been a confirmed bachelor in everybody's esteem since I've known him. Is it true he means to marry again?"
 "Yes," said Lydia; and opening her wrist bag produced Cravens note. 1 "No-please don't rise," interrupted Mrs. Ellsworthy, crossing to her. MT. l Craven mentioned this over the wire. l Pardon"
 Taking a chair beside the reading lamp, she opened and scanned the mes sage with careless interest. A nod con- frmed evident foreknowledge of it's contents. Folding the note distracted | ly, Mrs. Ellsworthy seemed for some moments preoccupied. But Peter Trait had claims not long to be disregarded, and presently Lydia stirred restlessly, with an inquiring look ready for the eyes that her hostess then lifted from the carpet. You've met -ah-Mrs. Merri- lees, no doubt?" Mrs. Ellsworthy queried unexpectedly. "Is she then such a. beauty as they say?"
 'She's very beautiful" Lydia re- turned, "and I'm very fond of her. But if you don't mind, Mrs. Ellsworthy, have another appointment; in fact, with Mrs. Merrilees and my father"
 ''Oh, I beg your pardon, my dear" Mrs. Ellsworthy assumed a convincing look of contrition. ''So thoughtless of me. I quite forgot to tell you: MT. Craven wants you to wait for him here, rather than keep the appointment at the Margrave."
 The Margrave again!
 "The Plaza," Lydia corrected absent ly; then in a breath remembered. "Pm sOrry," she said, rising, 'but I can't wait. If daddy's coming here, he'll get the answer from you personally; i; so there's no need," here Mrs. Ellswor- thy rose in her turn. ''And-I left a friend waiting in the taxi"
 "A friend?'
 It was none of Mrs. Ellsworthy's af- fair, but quite automatically Lydia an- swered, "Mr. Traft.''
 "But really hadn't you better wait? I'm sure MT. Craven won't be long now.''
 Mrs. Ellsworthy was moving slowly toward the door, as if she didn't really expect her objection to avail, an effect heightened by her manner, which con- tinued to be perfect, lacking anything but gracious interest.
 Lydia, however, was quite settled ir her determination to wait no longer. Craven could lose nothing by being obliged to follow her to the Plaza; and anyway in all fairness, she owed his wishes little consideration-he who was little enough considerate to her. and below in the taxi all earthly hap piness waited.
 ''Tm Sorry," she repeated mechanic ally. "You're very kind; but I really don't think"
 At this point she was interrupted by a shrill-tongued electric bell down stairs. Mrs. EIlsworthy started nerv- ously, eyed the girl fugitively with what seemed a trace, of doubt, and darted toward the door.
 t'The teIephone!" she said indistinct- 1y Forgive me if I-'
 Her hand caught the knob as if thoughtlessly; but the slam of the door cut short her words emphatically enough to have wakened her to appre- ciation, had her act been. really thoughtless.
 For an instant Lydia paused in amazement. The thing was incredible, preposterous, outrageousi
 None the less the door remained ob durately shut, mutely testifying that the incredible was an accomplished fact.
 With little cry of indignation the girl tried the knob. It turned freely, but without engaging the latch. Infuri- ated, she caught it with both hands, braced a knee against the wall, and pulled with all the strength of her 1.-the and vigorous young body; but failed to budge the door by so much as hairs breadth. And the only discoverable keyhole was in the knob itself-a thin, irregular slit for combination latch key, lacking which the door, once closed, could never be opened, but only hewed or battered down.
 Examination proved the room a veritable stronghold. It had only the one door. The sashes of the two win dows were guarded with locks requir- ing a key; through the panes closed steel blinds with hasps and padlocks were to be seen. There was not bell button on the walls; and the telephone on the desk yielded no response to the girls manipulation of the receiver hook-evidently an extension cut off from the main line.
 At length Lydia yielded to the inevit- able, sat down, composed herself to the