The Press., 1921-06-23
False and True
 .ea By MARTHA Me. WILLIAMS

said plaintively to her newest victim,
 Selden Moore.
 He laughed, softly answering, Praise be for that. In this day of musical prOdigality, you're an oasis"
 "In a desert of melody! Thanks for them kind words" Linnet flung back, settling herself comfortably in a nest of rainbow cushions. Yet even they could not make her look washed out, so vivid was the yellow of her hair, I the violet of her eyes, the healthy
 scarlet of her very perfect mouth. Her skin had the texture of a camel lia petal-she was further shapely, and extra well finished. There was a look of race to accent all this.
 What wonder that she had gone rather to the heads of her cOuntrymen at least that mOiety of them lucky enough to know her? This in spite of the fact that she danced without enthusiasm, was a dub at tennis, and refused even to look on at golf. Polo 1 she lOved-but sex and convention for bade playing it. So she took to going cross-country in any weather, never : flunking the stiffest jumps, nor mind i ing hazardous spills.
 The spills were few-she had ap- parently as much influence over hunters as over men. Anything bittable became pliant to her will after a few miles-tO the disgust Ot Amaz0nian hOrsewOmen who got re- suits with malice afOrethOught. She was so cOnfOundedly, so cOnfounded- ly feminine, with her side saddle. her soft collar, her picturesQuely untidy tam that had always a bright knot tucked amid its folds, 1t was disgust ing to have her almost always in the first flight, and not winning prizes solely through refusing to compete 1 for them. She mounted herself well but not extravagantly. "Any good horse will golf you get the best in him." she explained more than once. Which moved her much tired mother | to add: If only you'd be as sensible about men as horses, 1t would take load off my mind and heart" 1 Being interpreted, this meant, con cretely, shrinking estate, and the Wendell King millions. All through Linnet's bringing up Mrs. Ware had had the millions in the back of her mind. Retrieving them was poetic justice, since they had been unjuStly diverted from Linnet's father through his elderly uncle's marriage with the beautiful Widow King.
 | He had settled them upon her in the first flush of infatuatiOn-when tEe pair went down with their ship upon along wedding tour, the wrong was put beyond fighting. Wendell, a quiet, kindly, dull-witted lad of fifteen, had inherited them from his mother in trust for possible children. So it had been out of his power to do more than make handsome gifts to the Wares.
 Linnet, an elf1n, no-cOlOred child, had appealed only to his pity until at if teen she blOOmed with that beauty of the devil which works so many evil miracles. Seeing her round and flush and glow, his plan of life changed. When she was twenty she must marry him, and begin a fairy tale existence. Until then let her play to her hearts cOntent-he knew he could trust her besides, there was her mother.
 Mrs. Ware was far from heartless- indeed, love for her child was the spur to her WOrIdlineSS. She said nothing to Linnet of the future beyond advis- ira wise choice if any. She knew Linnet would rebel against a cut-and- dried family arrangement-much bet ter let her continue to think of Wen dell as a liberal pseudO-kinsman who regarded her as a child to be leased and spoiled. When she had had her fling playing with the youngsters Lin net might sensibly drift into love with her dOting fairy endfather.
 Linnet showed zest in playing with the youngsters equal to her zest cross country. yet until the era of Selden Moore her mother had never been the least uneasy. For her girl had played the game with the fine reserve of e geDtleWOman, making her safety in numbers and surrounding herself with an aura of untOuchableness beautiful to see.
 7 But Moore was different. Toward him she glOwed as gem, a star often when he had left her she sat silent, smiling happily or rousing to hug her mother tight and whisper: ''Is there anything like real love?" Moore was only rich enough to be a competent idler. Living was, he said. business enough for gentleman wherefore why swamp himself with the risks and the turmoil of active work. when he was so much more valuable as an example of moderation?
 Linnet scarcely sensed the question: but her mother pOndered 1t deeply. To her it meant either that Moore had no thought of marriage, or that his wife needs must bring with her an income equal to his own. Linnet could not do that-already living ex- penses were trenching upon their mod est principal-she must either marry money or become a drudge, else a pensioner upon Wendell King.
 Impossible to think of either alter
  sleep and flesh in considering them Watching Linnet narrowly, she noted subtle change in her. She laughed more and smiled less-wAs by tHrns Overeager and overlistless-aIsO, she had no more joy in playing the game of hearts. A bad sign, thought the anxious mother, especially now that she was well past nineteen.
 She had not found PriRce Charm ing, plus even a scant milliOn-it was that she would find him be- fore Wendell King required decision. She could not blame him-he had been almost unreasonably patient and trust full. He would not try to force Lin nets inclination, but it would hurt him sOrely to find he had waited in vain.
 She sat thinking things over upon & stormy afternoon when Moore was the only caller at tea time. Despite