South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-15
= REVELATIONS OF :
A WIFE
X X X x X X X X X x X X X X X
WHY DID MR.. DRAKE ASK do
YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW
ROBERT GORDON?"
ROBERT GORDONP"


Here's the missing chatelaine of
the. castle, Drake, properly peni-
tent"
Dicky led me forward to meet the
guest he had brought home with him
for dinner with a little air Of pride
which I secretly resented. He be-
haved as If he were showing off
some possession that he had pur-
chased.
I felt decidedly foolish as I stood
: before this unknown with my arms
full Of his flowers. Dicky had insist
ed upon piling the roses Mr.. Drake
had brought me as a dinner courtesy
into my arms before 1 came down
stairs. and with the strong conscious
ness Of looking ridiculous upon me.
I could hardly summon courage to
raise my eyes to those of my guest.
do you always reward hardness
in a hostess in this way. Mr.. Drake %
I asked the question, indicating the
roses as I spoke. hoping that the
sound OF my own voice utterly the
triviality would restore my self-pos-
session.
| II Is BOOu Oh YOU " Cdll II Il re-
ward" he said, bowling with an air
that I knew could only have been
! acquired abroad There was no
: trace Of accent in his voice, however.
even though his next words were
hardly those in which the average
American would couch his recogni-
ton OF a courtesy done him.
MY poor roses are too much hon
Ored." he said impressively. Il am
afraid they are too heavy for you
IT shall put them in water direct
~" returned "Dicky. will you get
me that tall brown jar in the Ii
brary?"
Dicky obediently departed. and I
put the roses on a table near me.
and busted myself in their arrange
ment I was glad of something to
occupy me, glad that 1 could avoid
meeting the eyes of our guest.
Two Keen Eyes.
For there was something in those
eyes that disquieted me, which made
me want to lower my own.
oddly attractive eyes they were,
with long lashes that any woman
might envy But there was nothing
womanish in the expression OF the
eyes which 7 had caught when their
owner Strengthened after his low
bow to me.
II was a glance as keen as a
rapier's point that had flashed at me
from the gray eyes behind the fem
mime lashes. lashes which I felt in
stinctively their owner must find
convenient as a mask behind which
ne could watch and appraise people.
| So searching was the glance that
he had given me that it startled
even alarmed me. It made me Won
der vaguely if there might not be
some unknown motive behind the
eagerness with which this new ac-
quaintance of Dicky's had accepted
his invitation to our home. The look
he gave me was exactly the kind he
would have bestowed upon some one
he had planned 10 meet beforehand.
And vet I knew that I never had
seen or even heard of this man
whose eyes were still appraising me.
7 was glad when Dicly came back
with the brown jar for which 7 had
sent him. He had thoughtfully filed
it with water. and I fingered over
the placing OF the roses within It.
hoping that Dicky's usual flow Of
conversation would take the
strangers attention from me.
The Situations Key.
But my hope was vain. True. he
listened 10 Dicky's talk-I had al
most written chatter-for I felt an
1
tation at my husbands unusual To-
righteousness. with every appearance
Of interest. But there was more
than the usual courtesy due
hostess in the manner in which he
managed 10 include me in every turn
Of the conversation all through the
dinner which Katie, pale. but with
no other trace Of the strange agita-
ton in which had found her earlier
in the day. served Us.
| Katie had outdone herself in the
preparation OF the dishes. They were
delicious. and her service was very
good indeed But my housewifely
I pride in the success Of the meal was
spoiled by the behavior of our guest.
And yet there was nothing In his
1 actions 10 WHICH COulQ nave taken
the least exception. II was simply
that he appeared to be studying me-
1 7 felt as If were some queer species
; OF insect under the microscope of a
/ scientist
There was a subtle fascination
about the man. TOO, that recognized
I I'm spite Of the distaste felt for the
mental scrutiny which knew he was
/ giving me- After the first long. keen.
/ searching glance at me he was care
| full. or so I imagined. not 10 startle
me again by any direct glance. But
I had a queer consciousness that
! there was no movement, no utter
ance OF mine that escaped his careful
study.
/ I think I have never met so we'll
/ informed a man as our guest OF that
evening. A cosmopolite 10 his finger
I tips. and with an unusual gift OF
turning effective phrases, his vivid
pictures carried us into the worlds
l busiest marts. and its most remote
places. while we listened spellbound
And then came the key 20 the stu
ationl
! Carelessly. and I could not help
but admire the adroitness ~i''