New Britain herald., 1920-07-22

Tor my enforced Companlonsnlp "ltn her tho next few days. It was so cminently characteristic of her to | have kept the drawing-room check | which Dicky had given her to use if I didn't catch the train. instead of handing tt to me upon my arrival. Like her also was the fiamboyant | tnsistence upon "our drawing-room." It was the ineradicable instinct for display and the claiming of any petty distinction which was her right. I told myself contempttrously that she would have awakened every sleep ing passenger in the car if she could in order to impress upon them the fact that she was travelling in a "drawing-room."
 Alfred Intcrposcs. Right at the end here. Miss" the porter said. after a hurried scrutiny of the check she handed him. "Is 1t ready?" still with shrill i'm patience.
 Wont take but jest a few minutes. Miss" the man returned with the ready cvasiveness of his race. Well. hurry as fast as you can then !' she demanded mperiously. "I am exceedingly tired" Suppose you tell us first where this other room is located?" Alfred Durkee's voice drawled behind us. ! holding out tho check for the quar- ters which Leila and Edith were to 1 occupy. 1 saw Rita Brown bite her | lip at the rebuff. but her color didn't heighten. It was too cleverly put on to be capable of change with any emotion.
 There was an almost imperceptible Il hut distinct cha IT q manner as he turned to Alfred. Long experience with Lillans Betty and | other colored servants has taught me | that no people in the world can so | unerringly draw social distinctions as they. I knew that our colored att | tendant had ticketed Rita Brown as
 decidedly mot quality in his own | vocabulary. but that he distinctly
 approved of Alfred Durkee. Woman | like I foolishly writhed under the
 fear that because we shared the same
 room he would pin the same mental
 ticket upon me that he evidently had
 given Rita Brown.
 She Gets the Cloak.
 He scrutinized the ticket carefully then turned with a beckoning ges. 1 ture.
 Right this way. sah. It's jest the
 next car" and then. looking at me, he
 said deferentially:
 And yoh. Miss?''
 she is with me-" Rita Brown put
 in quickly, insistently, while I won.
 dered anew at her effrontery. Evi.
 dently she would stick at nothing ir
 her petty. ridiculous desire to be con
 sidercd the leading spirit of the ex
 petition.
 | The nnrfar hntprI
 direction and looked at me.
 "Ef yoh ladies will jest come aloni
 10 tho next car" he said deferentialIy there's a vacant section where ycI can all be comfortable until I get vol berths made up."
 Thank you" I said quietly. bu Rita Brown bristled. "I never saw such accommoda tions:' sho said grossly. "Fanc, having to go into the next car to wal for ones berth. I've never had to d, that before"
 reflected sardonically that in al probability she had traN eled as Httl or even less than I, and as I couI, mako no comment agreeing with heI I said nothing, but follow cd the DOT 1 ter down the aisle.
 As VIC walked past Major Grant land, Rita Brown looked demurel at the handsome cloak which sti Il hung upon his arm. Aren't you afraid to keep so won 4 derful a ;hing as that in an ordinar berth ?" she asked provocatively.
 It was patent to the most unoh servant person that she expected hir
 to ask her to take charge of tho beau \ tiful garment. But he hcsitated oddl ] before he replied.
 "T intended 10 ask Mrs. Graham
 she perhaps would like to keep it wit her. These rooms ge. very col
 sometimes" he said.
 Far better trust it to me-" Kit l Brown retorted !nughingly. "Mr Graham is too shy to make use of on her own initiative if she froze { J death for tho want of it. She fairly pulled the cloak froI
 his arms, for he made no movemer 4 to give it to her. And as I followe N her down the aisle I didn't kno H which emotion WAS tho stronger with VI in me--anEer at her effrontery
 panic at the cold wrath which ha
 gathered in Dicley's eyes.