The spectator., 1921-09-06


 q have finished" she suddenly an nounced
 Finished what?" asked Eileen.
 Finished shopping" said Pamela. I've been keeping account. and I've spent almost the whole check"
 "'The whole check?" exclaimed Eileen. Why. you haven't touched 1t. That's the beauty of charge accounts. You can keep your checks to look at. I've got some that father gave me three years ago."
 Pamela smiled smile of much wis dom and made for the nearest exit. As a matter of polite formallty. when they reached Fifty-ninth street, she asked Eileen to come up for lunch from the bachelors buffet in the basement. and she could not help slight feeling of relief at the news that Miss Milyuns had promised herself elsewhere.
 But I'll break away and come for tea at five, if you'll let me- saf6> E- leen. "I simply must help you try them all on."
 "All right do," said Pamela. inward ly pleased that she would have some one beside Tomlinson upon whom 10 flash the first dazzling vision of her metamorphosis.
 The first thing she did when ste reached the apartment was to ask if Mir. Randolph had called; the next was to summon the office of MilyunS Branch X Mlyuns on the telephone to know what steps had been taken in the new search. She was somewhat sur prised to learn that the entire firm had gone out to lunch in body, and stin more startled at the information, ob- tained three hours later from the same supercilious voice at the other end of the wire 10 the effect that none of them had come back. She was young: she believed it.
 There is no doubt that in five min utes more Mir. Gloom would have as sumed full sway in the late apartment of Mir. Robert H. Randolph had not long procession of parcels begun 10 ar rive in the nick of time. Tomlinson brought them into the bedroom. one, two. three at haul. and Pamela her self cut the knots with Mr. Randolph's best nail-scissors and laid out the goods. tilmy fold upon iilmy fold.
 By the time Eileen turned up the apartment looked like the staterooan de lux of millionaire young lady re- turning from Paris with nothing to wear and preparing to swear to it be fore all the customs officials in Goth am. Tomlinson was ordered 10 fill the cellar with wrapping paper, tissue-pa- per, cardboard boxes and string. burn ing what was left over in the back yard.
 AS soon as sufficient space had been cleared for action. the two girls set to work. and were soon involved in such an orgy of trying on" as only the heathiest stamina of youth could have endured without falling over in dead faint from exhaustion. Even Eileen divested her person of every thing but. and experimented with such dear garments as it seemed impossible Miss Thornton could get round to In the allotted time.
 Having tried to show the public how charming was Pamela in and without her cheap clothes. no puerile and gasp ing effort will be made in these pages to measure the effect upon her of the lateSt creations of the raiment dream gods of Fifth avenue. Suffice it to say that, in one hours twinkling of the eye, she became such n radiant vision as chokes mere words down into the pit of mans stomach. makes his jaw work like that of fish on hot side walk, fills his eyes with the pleading light of calf-love and inspires >ussss1a hands with an overmastering desire to reach for It.
 For two. four. six days. week. two weeks. Pamela lived in breathless an- ticipation of the moment when she could burst upon the eyesight of one Robert Hervey Randolph, and when all these days-and weeks-passed with out any news Of him. her lips that were made to smile. to kiss. and to bless the aIr with words softly spoken and carried on the fragrance of clean young breath began to droop pitifully. ! Mfr. .Milyuns' efforts In several dlrec- tions had so far proved In vain. He hnd advertised in every paper in Goth- am, from the New York Epoch to the pink Police Gazette: he had offered rewards; he had set traps and was now supporting large corps of rap Idly fattening individuals who called themselves ''plain-clothes' men--a name that would have fitted them ad- mlrabiy had the last syllable been omit ted His net results were the infor- nation that Mir. Randolph. in a repre- hensible state of intoxication and at seven o'clock of the morning of which he had disappeared. had exchanged his swell evening garments at second hand emporium on Sixth avenue for suit of thicks and eighteen dollars In cash. stating, as he left the place. that