The Washington times., 1918-07-01


I've invited, to say nothing Of you.
And when we, come back from the
honeymoon you'll have the manage
ment Of the house to yourself, no
one to interfere with you-it will
be just you and me, my Angela"
He always attributed her shrink
ing ways to a sense OF propriety,
exaggerated, perhaps, but natural
in a girl so young. never to aver
sion to himself
He went to his offiee as usual
that morning, and at o'clock,
when the guests began to assem-
BILE. he had not returned. Lillian
and Rachel exchanged meaning
glances. Was it possible that on
this nlght-of all unfsvorable sea-
sons-the strange tendency to alb
sent himself from his home had
overtaken him? OF late-since his
engagement-nothing of the sort
he'd happened.
AngelR's- mother-the parent OF
whom she stood so much in dread
was inclined TO be irritable. 81
call 1t too bad of him." she said.
Business is all very well"-Rachel
had done her best to explain to the
company that her brother had evil
portant financial matter-"But T
: think. Rachel, this is an occasion
when business should be put
aside"
81 saw Won Geldenstein in the
. city at lunch time" said Brindle,
in his loud, self-assertive voice.
He spoke then OF going home quite
early. / don't know OF anything
more import9nt on in a business
way that can have detained him"
And still there was no sign OF
Won GeIdenstein, nor had he sent
any form OF message TO explain his
delay.
Lillian gave little attention to
her partner that evening. She had
been taken down by Mr.. Brindle,
who discoursed to her eioquertly
or city matters. He was always
pleased enough to hear the sound
of his own voice. and an occasional
yes or mo" In reply was as much
as he expected. Lillian, therefore,
could allow her thoughts to wan
der.
Could Re No WeddIRE.
To her. Il was quite evident that
Won Geldenstein had succumbed to
one of his strange, unaccountabIe.
hts5- and, that being so. It was more
than probable that he would not
reappear for days. She had never
known him to stay away for so
short a space as twenty-four hours
What, then. would happen on the
morrow-the wedding day? There
There would be no wedding; of
this she felt assured. Still, as yet,
IL was impossible to speak.
There was nothing to be done
but excuse Won Geldenstein's abb
sence from the dinner party as rea-
sonably as circumstances would
permit and to wait; tomorrow, II
the bridegroom failed to appear,
naturally it would become neces-
sary to postpone the wedding, and
then-Lillian glanced across the
table at Angela, a pretty picture
OF girlish innocence in her simple
white frock that contrasted
strangely with the diamonds she
wore-presents. Of course, from the
prospective brIdegroom-and she
wondered II fate or Providence had
intervened to save the girl from a
future which she abhorfed.
The dinner passed of as well as
could have been expected under the
circumstances. Won Geldenstein
had contemplated speeches and
toasts, but OF course these had to
be abandoned. Someone suggested
drinking the health OF the bride,
but the proposal met with no sup
port 1t seemed absurd to do SO in
the absence OF the host
Subsequently, in the drawing
room, the gorgeous drawing room
OF red and gold. Mrs. Barnard. An
Eela's mother, took her seat by
Rachel. and-as she would herself
have expressed it-spoke her mind.
Mrs. BarnArd-she had married
again since the death OF AnEeIa's
father-was a woman who always
spoke her mind.
81 suppose he will return to-
night" she said
Il suppose so," returned Miss
Rachel helplessly.
what, Don't you know"
Gone for weeks Sometimes
mo. cannot say. I'm sure. He
is sometimes away for weeks with
out giving me notice"