The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-09-21
How Lila Met
Harry
n, JESSIE DOUGLAS.

81 know you'll like Harry" Mrs.
c..,o said leaning back on the chaise
.,,o and passing her hand, wearAy
'on .ess her forehead. Hes thirty-five.
$3.50 o. enough money, good habits and
''aI nu remarkable taste in old china"
''1 1,Is Gilbert answered. "Yes." doubt
fully. .,,,, oxoon+ Harry
I'D Harry's eligibility during her week.
.ud at Mrs. Craig's. She had come 10
h,,a his very name.
VI .,nnose he dOsen't even smoker
,he asked a bit scornfully.
~ ook here, my dear!" Mrs. Craig
.st m straight for moment and spoke
.o-cefully and to the point, Il like you
IA want yeu to be happy! know
rhot hind of life you lead In that one
wretched room, going out for your
maals every day of your life. know
,ou launder your waists and paste
,our hankerchiefs to the mirror and
color your last years straw instead OF
huy1pg a new one.
II Know because l did it once myself.
yonve never said anything, but l can
imagine lust 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 Slip"
Lila redeemed 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"
faint smiled curved Lila's lips,
I'm twenty-nine and not an illusion
left"
~rhere-Tye been q beast and I'm
sury," Mrs. Craig went on. sitting up
md patting Llla's arm. That's the
danger of red hair-you will say
things you think In spite Of years Of
oocial training. l want to tell you
something else, too. think you're
sweet. You are too sweet to go on
working your life out and pretending
that you're happy"
She stopped, for Lila's eyes looked
perilously bright and her lower lip
was caught between her teeth.
The very first time came into
Hemingway's Office and saw you and
you were so dear, to me, Thought you
we're rare I'm going to tell you
little secret. When l married Robert
promised myself the satisfaction Of
). doing eccentric things II l chose, and
y one Of these was to make friends
where and how l wished"
She leaned her head back against
her cushions and lifted ringed white
hand to her temple. "And now as I
told you, I'm going to ask to be ex-
cused. Lost sleep must he made up,
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; it
was as though she had unexpectedly
stepped on to the stage and this was
one Of those luxurious scenes in the
first act.
She leaned her hot cheeks against
me window pane and looked down
across the sweep of lawns to the Ital-
IAN pergola and the terraced garden
beyond.
She ought to begin to dress now for
dinner.
know he'll hate me-" Lila thought,
looking penSvely in the mirror at her.
seil. I'm not pretty-Only at times"
Sne studied her face with the dark
sweet eyes and level line of brow, the
"nlte forehead, the dusky hair. She
eoulo see nothing to allure in it, for
sne saw 1t in repose, without the
spark'e OF animation, the sweetness
u the smile, nor did she hear the
sweet, deep tones of her own voice
u others heard them.
Excuse me, mademoiselle," a law
.nuer clad maid said, ''but madame
vas retired and asks that you will
"ke her place at dinner"
.ua' alone. felt moment Of panic.
40 De responsible for Harry's enter
a'nment" she shivened at the
.ouent. She was shy anyway, and
we 'aea of sitting with him at that
"auo table, while the butler moved
painful. ' " ''
=. AND ana know Mrs. Craig has talked
,sn .m as much about me as she has
10 me about him !" she groaned.
an Miss Gilbert. Anne told me I
.s 70 nave this pleasure!"
st. -ua bowed. seeing In one glance
4s darry" was fat dumping of
.m. %ao with a shining bald head and
uo olue eyes behind thick glasses.
.nn'. spoke In a hurried tone and
~ """ occasionally at remarks that
h"'a A, nothing to Lila. But she found
u,s se'l seated opposite him under. the
| low wv y, shaded candles with great vel.
slI s roses separating them, while a
fectly. 'oAer served them per-
,, Inns was Harry! She didn't like
INV u. about him. His ridiculous
bod VI W.. talking, his way of tasting his