The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-10-20
How Lila Met
Harry
By JESSIE DOUGLAS.


81 know you1l like Harry" Mrs.
Craig said, leaning back on the chaise
Tongue and passing her hand wearily
across her forehead Hes thlrty-five,
has enough money, good habits and
really remarkable taste In old china"
Lila Gilbert answered. YES" doubt
fully.
She had heard nothing except Harry
and Harry's eligibility during her week
end at Mrs. Craig's. She had come to
hate his very name.
III suppose he dosen't even smoker
she asked a bit scornfully.
Look here, my dearl" Mrs. Craig
sat up straight for a moment and spoke
forcefully and TO the point, IL like you
and want you TO be happy l know
what kind of life you lead in that one
wretched room, going out for your
meals every day Of your life. | know
you launder your waists and paste
your hankerchiefs to the mirror and
color your last years straw instead Of
buying new one.
You've never said anything, but ! can
Imagine just what kind OF man old
Mr.. Hemingway Is to work for-and
here you have perfectly good
chance to say good-by to all that, and
you're going to let 1t slipw
Lila reddened perceptibly and opened
her mouth TO speak, but Mrs. Craig
went on quickly.
"You may be younger but you look
twenty-seven. and yet you have all the
Illusions of youth"
a faint smiled curved LlIas lips
"rm twenty-nine and not an illusion
| left"
| "There-rve been n beast and I'm
sorry" Mrs. Craig went on, sitting NJ
and pattink Lila's arm. That's the
danger of red halr-you will say
things you think in spite of years OF
social training. l want TO tell yor
something else, too. think you're
sweet. You are too sweet to go oil
working your life out and pretendin,
that you're happy"
She stopped, for Lila's eyes looked
perIlously bright and her lower LII
was caught between her teeth.
"The very first time came int
Hemingway's Office and saw you ant
you were so dear, to me, thought yo'
were rare. I'm going to tell you
little secret. When I married Rober
promised myself the satisfaction o
| .t.tn II oh
one of these was to make friend
where and how I .Yished,f
She leaned her head back agaIns
her cushions and lifted a ringed whit
hand to her temple. "And now as
told you, I'm going to ask to be es
cused. Lost sleep must be made VI
and I've had two late nights"
Lila went across TO her own charm
ing room that overlooked the gardens
Nothing was quite real TO her yet;
was as though she had Unexpected
stepped on TO the stage and this wa
first act.
She leaned her hot cheeks againi
the window pane and looked dow
across the sweep OF lawns to the Ita
Ian pergola and the terraced garde
beyond.
She ought to begin to dress now ft
dinner.
IL know he'll hate me-" Lila though
looking pensively IN the mirror at he
self "rm not pretty-only at times
She studied her face with the dar
sweet eyes and level line OF brow, II
white forehead, the dusky hair. 81
; could see nothing TO allure In It. II
she saw II I'm repose, without Il
sparkle of animation, the sweetne
Of the smile, nor did she hear Il
sweet, deep tones of her own vol,
as others heard them.
;. Excuse me, mademoiselle." la
ender clad maid said. ''but MADAM
has retired and asks that you w
take her place at dinner"
n Lila, alone, felt moment OF pan
r "To be responsible for Harry's cnts
4 tainmentl' she shivered at 4
Q thought. She was shy anyway, al
n the ldee Of sitting with him at tn
v round table, while the butler NOV
: noiselessly behind them, was terrib
o painful.
i "And | know Mrs. Craig has talk
l. to him as much about me as she h
talked to me about hlml |" she groane
"Ah, Miss Gilbert. Anne told me
D was to have this pleasure y
Lila bowed, seeing In one CLAN
:, that Harry" was a fat dumpling
a man with shining bald head a
small blue eyes behind thick glass
He spoke In hurried tone a
), chuchled occasionally at remarks III
meant nothing to Lila. But she fou
herself seated opposite him under {
!. light OF shaded candles with great y
!, low roses separating them, while
silent stepping butler served them p
a fectly.
This was Harry She didn't Il
ANYTHING about him. His ridiculC