The Washington herald., 1921-07-23
CHATTER CLXvIII.
TWO SOULS ADRIFT.

Nancy spent the next few days
getting her apartment into shape.
She succeeded in locating the
irate Anna, who had left under the
Harding regime. and by great tact
and reinsurance that such an in
vasion of homes sacred precincts
would never occur again, lured her
back.
Going over the apartment. bit by
bit. while Edith was busy shopping
and winding up affairs. preparatory
TO her departure for Europe, Nancy
found the damage done by the
Hardings oven greater than she had
first imagined.
Bits of rare pottery, fragile glass
ware. small pieces Of fine en-
broideries were gone from their ac-
customed places. Some of them
turned up in fragments in the bot
tom of the kitchen cabinet; others
had disappeared forever. Table
covers and sofa cushions, moved
from strange and ungraceful posi-
tions revealed that their arrange
rnent had been for concealment and.
not for art-great Jagged scars
showed on mahogany tables and
ineradicable stains on damask
couches.
A hideous fire-screen jammed into
a corner of Nancy's primrose draw
ing room, when taken away, showed
the remains of an accident in
Papa" Harding's portrait-painting
career. Apparently, easel and PAL
lette laden with oil paints had over
tipped, reproducing a splendid rain
bow on the wall.
1t was probably the most truth
full work of the painters dilletante
career.
Nancy bravely withstood discov-
cry after discovery of a similar ma
ture. She was too happy at having
q home again to be really angry
or resentful.
She was even a little bit glad to
have something to distract her mind
and make her forget the rift be-
tween Connie Stanley and herself.
That affair lay heavy against her
heart. II hurt her incredibly TO lose
Comics friendship even though it
had frequently been demanding and
irksome.
She made no effort to see Connie
and no word came from the house
across the park. She had sent Anna
for Semiramus and he had been de-
livered- to the maid without COM
rnent or question. Anna had given
the Eratuitous information that
Mrs. Stanley was just coming in
from a motor drive when she had
left the house with the Persian.
Nancy and Edith were as happy
together as two women in their
position could be. They dined at
home every night. generally going
afterwards to a theater or to a con-
cert
Edith was away most of the day
so Nancy did not know whether or
not she saw DR.. Langwen.
IL was not until the night before
she sailed that Edith came into
Naucy's room obviously ready for
condolences.
Nancy. prepared for bed. her
blonde hair hanging loosely over
shoulders and peignoir slipped
over her niGhtrobe. stood by the
open window. her chin resting on
her crossed hand. A gentle breeze
from the river waited the scent OF
sprlEg across from the Jersey hills.
She was looking out across the
darkness. trying to find in the mys-
terious purple night and the slow
moving river a physic wave which
would bring her in touch with
Gerry.
She turned around at Edith's
footstep.
1t was the old Edith Of boarding
school DAYS who stood there. Her
hair was braided demureIy on either
side of her face and she wore a lit
tie white muslin gown. as plain and
simply as nuns robe. Only her
eyes were those of a woman who
had lived and loved and found suf-
fering in both.
Il wanted to tell you" said Edith.
that | have seen Frederick I told
him that am leaving him forever
and shall keep my word. I don't
know what he intends doing"
Copyright, 1921. Wheeler Syndicate. Inc !