The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-10-13

| broad-sIouldered figure bent down +.
kiss Alice very rererently, but she
pushed him off. ''Time for that later, y
she said Something has gone wrong
In the pantry. The refreshments
haven't come. There's not enough
butter on the sandwiches E;0thG1r5 Is
in stew. She says you're genius,
so go to it and prove you can get the
needfuls for tea inside of ten min
uteS."
The door closed silently. Alice APP
peared calm and unruffied in the re
ception room and refused to answer
any of the signaled inquiries from
her distraught stepmother. She Sim
ply urged the guests who had sug-
gested leaving to wait few minutes
for tea. 1t had been a little delayed,
she said Then the bell rang ever so
lightly and Alice sped down the hall
again. Immediately she returned
with an enormous tray-a lacquered
! reed tray that had not come from the
hotel kitchen. It contained a spirit
lamp with hot water ready to be re-
lighted, a silver dish Of chopped ice
and shaved butter, inimitable light
biscuits, dishes Of jam, and neatly
piled sandwiches Of a dozen different
mixtures.
Five minutes later, when tea drink
ing was in full swing and there were
expressions of praise from the guests
at the delicious refreshments, Morton
Gray strobe quietly into the room.
Mrs. Penley Bradley first eyed him
with disapproval. She had not ex-
pected him, but as her longtime bust
ness associate she could not fail to
greet him cordially. He took hts
chair, his tall, broad form balancing
rather grotesquely on a small gilt
chair of the apartment hotel variety
in the group Of guests over which
Mrs. Bradley presided. Presently
Alice stood beside her stepmother.
81 am going to tell you something,
before all Of your guests" Alice be-
gan, at first timidly and then with
more courage Morton Gray and
are engaged. We thought it would be
a nice little surprise to announce it
now at your party. You and Morton
are such old friends, know you will
be delighted"
And Mrs. Bradley really was. She
forgot all about Roger, Tom and
Harry, looking rather insignificant
and inefficient in the proximity Of the
presence of Morton. Then she rose
from her chair and before Morton
could rise from his chair she planted
a kiss on his cheek by way of mother
ly congratulation.
Then Penley Bradley himself ap-
peared and the guests delayed depart
ure until longer, for Mr.. Bradley had
brought still more delicacies that suf
feed for an informal supper
1t was after Morton had departed
and Alice had gone to bed that Mrs.
Bradley thought to inquire as TO the
miraculous appearance of Morton and
the tea equipment. cit was a simple
matter" said Mr.. Bradley, laughing.
THE thing was all cooked Up. We
knew what sort of service you'd get
at this hotel. I got in touch with Nor
ton and we ordered the things from
the club chef this morning. Morton
went over in taxi to get them. and |
telephoned the steward here to stop
operations on the tea order here. I
wanted your little tea party to be
success"
Mrs. Bradley's eyes filled with tears.
''Penley," she said huskily, "now that
it is all settled for Alice. II think
I'll give up this sort Of life and the
Job at Burton's. I'd like to settle
down in the suburbs somewhere-
with plenty Of room for your books
and pipes and things. You see,
thought that Alice would have bet
ter chance in the city. I knew she
loved Morton, but never thought he
cared for her. That's whyiI got Roger
and Tom and that Bainbridge individ-
ual here this afternoon"
ri my 0E THE c0AST RANGE