The Washington times., 1921-03-24
BY Kathleen Norris.
Author Of "Mother,' ''The Heart Of
Rachel" "Sisters" and other
Famous Stories.

Famous Stories.
IED EATRIcE. eh?" smiled
& young Roger Chambers.
4 "No more Pansy, eh?"
"Is she home. Pat?" one or two
voices asked.
"Oh, Pat, had her to tea at the
Countrywoman's yesterday Chris
tine answered. That's what we're
3 talking about"
< She's plain, rather" Patricia
she rides and dances beautifully,
and Of course she finished at Far
raday's."
Exactly. DEAR" Mrs. Throck-
morton said. "She is like any
; other nice young girl. But 1 think
myself she is little out of place
At>the Countrywoman's. or course,
/, once was all right. But she will
find her own level, and really have
. better time than making herself
wretched trying To-
"To what?" Patricia asked. as
the good lady paused.
We'll, what shall / say? To get
into our set perhaps expresses it,
Mrs. Throckmorton finished. mot
that we are any better than she. 1t
tsn't that. But she simply isn't a
member of this particular group"
Exactly, Aunt Annie" Dorothy
approved. Patricia was silent. But
In that moment she committed her.
( self to the Palmer cause with a de-
termination that meant battle If OPP
posed.
sitting at the great table, in the
library at the Castle, she outlined
her campaign. Opposite her. lush
ed, scowling and earnest, sat Dan
Palmer. Lounging In a great chair
at the fireplace was Beatrice, lately
Pansy, looking lean. young. Ill at
ease in a remarka BILE walking gown
of velvet.
Patricia's heart had sunk at the
first glimpse of her, but she was
beginning to think the tall, awk-
ward young creature not such hope-
less material. after all.
Beatrice was like her mother;
she had q smooth, colorless skin.
silky. rather lifeless hair Of taffy-
!: yellow, and a wide mouth that she
incessantly rouged. She carried a
rouge-stick In her purse, and used
it without the slightest lself-con-
seriousness.
She had expensive clothes but
wore them badly. and at the wrong
times. She had come back from
school full Of buoyant chatter, tales
Of herself and her youthful triumphs,
plans for her first social winter.
For two of three days even her
mother and brother had been af-
fected by her gay self-confdence.
This was a week ago, however.
Since then Beatrice had telephoned
old acQuaintances, had paid a call
or two. At first she had very dis
tinctly indicated that she wished to
make these calls alone; later she
had asked her mother to join her,
and had been angry at that lady's
helpless refusal.
She had asked imperative ques-
tions about the Countrywoman's
Club and the Entire Nous Dances,
had been bewildered and silent
after her brothers brief replies.
A CLEVER GIRL.
Beatrice was clever. and she had
seen social aspirants snubbed in
Deerbridge before this. She might
rage and writhe under her rapidly
growing conviction. but she faced 1t
honestly. They were deliberately
cutting her.
1t was in the first humiliation OF
this discovery that her mother and
brother had introduced Patricia's
name. Dan, knowing mis- sister, put
the case plainly. Miss Chesbrough
was interested. She was confident
that she could manage Beatrice's
first Winter successfully. She had
already taken up the matter of the
Entire Nous
"WelI, she can't get me in there"
Beatrice had interrupted scornfully.
"I hate them all, anyway! But /
don't care. II you and mamma are
30 crazy about 1t. don't care what
I do!"
And in this manageable frame Of
mind Patricia had planted her first
lessons. She had filled the girls
day. French, riding, walking, les
sons in bridge and charities, Bea-
trice must take them all in turn.
The jewelry that Beatrice loved
must be foregone for a time, even
the "di'mon' larvaleer," as Mrs.
Palmer called 1t, that had cost
$1,000.
Patricia and Beatrice walked
downtown together in the autumn
afternoons, while the Palmer cars
stood idle. They shopped, went
into the club for tea. They were
always pressed for time. Such in
Productions as took place were
brief. you know Miss Palmer
Margaret" Patricia would say cas-
ually to friend, I'VE are running
away. Come, Beatrice, we're late
now"
Bewildered, but impressed, Bea.
trice accepted her guidance. Sc
cretly she adored Patricia with the
hopeless ache OF eighteen for
ID>>..l.i N-1-s-