The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-01-28
CHAPTER CLXXXVII.


 How gorgeous!'' cried a voice that seeped through the empty apartment like honey and gardenias. How perfectly gorgeousfy gorgeous. May l just touch it once?"
 I looked up and beheld standing in the open hallway door a girl who might have been 16 as far as the the cool softness of her pouting mouth were concerned. But she had amber eyes beneath plucked brows penciled into the Wide sweep of swallows wings. Lacquer-black hair undufated back from a low forehead and scooped out into two pannierS 1 over pink ear-iobes from which long jet pendants dangled against a viv- idly white throat.
 There were pinkish pears nestling against that throat, and black chif- 1 ions swirled away to join the satin of 1 a tight-skirted, transparent waisted i little gown. The fragrance of san l daIwood and geranium hoated in | waves from this strange young crea- ture. She was young, yet seemed as old as woman's love of jewels and or | nament and beauty-as old as the | world.
 l I'm so sleepy I've gone and dream l ed her right out of seeing this robe and all that gyptian and Indian stuff at the studio,'' l told myself. 1 . And then the voice that was as slow and sweet as honey and as smooth and creamy as a gardenia | spoke again:
 | "You're Mrs. Jim Harrison, aren't you?" she asked, and at my nod went l on: I'm Mrs Cosby
 Mrs. Cosbyl" I gasped. ''Welcome! But you weren't expected till tomor- row.
 ..I never do what's expected of me- she explained with her slow sweet ! ness, smiling enga gingly across two rows of very small, short white teeth. ''How did you find me?" I asked. so puzzled that I couldn't help being categoric.
 Nothing seemed too much for the | slow, sweet calmness of the other | woman. Perha ps I was almost rude,
 hut either she was very patient or that creamy skin of hers was thick and she didn't know it.
 T decided to come today l always
 do whatever I decide" she explain ed
 simply. And when I got to the sta-
 ton I phoned Lanes office and they
 told me he'd gone upstate. But l
 knew. you had an apartment in the
 building, so I came here knowing. of
 course, that you and your husba nd
 would look out for me My maids upstairs unpacking. Lane took our
 place furnished, you know : .'I didn't know I said. wondering l if this were a pretty spoiled child, ol
 a sophisticated selfish woman. Well. now you know that I'm 2 f perfectly trustw orthy person, do le me have that gorgeous brocade il
 my own hands. Oh. it's so lovely
 What is it? A negligee? Do yo, [ wear it ~often?"
 I i've never worn it." said, gfvin. I it over to the hands held osst to ciutcl I it.
 2 And she took the robe my eve V focused upon her ha nds. They wer = dead white and they moved slowl e and Iingeringly. Not all Valeri = Cosby's beauty could ever make m = forget her hands = that I knew a 6 once. I hope I'd never have to toucl them. And yet I knew that thei = wilderness and the pinkness of tn h shining nails that tipped the Ions t full, slightly curved fingers might ap = peal to some persons.
 Suddenly without a word of ex h planation or apology. Valerie Cosb s slipped, nonchalantly out of he n satins and chiffons. stood reveale
 for a moment in a nimsy undergar
 ment of blue chiffon and lace an