The Washington herald., 1921-04-27
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. PEGGY.

XCTII-IRRESPONS fEGGf.
"oh. you poor darling" cried
Nancy. STOPPING down. and gather
ing Semiramis into her arms
What have they done to you?"
She buried her chin in the poor.
bedrasgled remnant of what HAD
formerly been his fluffy white ruff.
1t smelt strongly of burnt hair, and
Nancy had an instantaneous vision
of the incorrigible Harding baby
touching a match to her cats lovely
silky fur.
The little brute! I'd like to
wiring its neck"' she said between
her teeth. "Semmy, darling, do
they hurt avfully?"
There was a tap on the door, and
before Nancy could say Come" il
opened impetuously. Peggy Lewis
few in in whirl Of American
Beauty tulle.
Nancy, darling. what a treat!
How glad am to see you'll Isn't 1t
splendid you came in time for the
party! Mother and Dad were so in
debted that they just had to enter
tain. I knew you wouldn't mind II
they gave one wee little dinner.
How lovely you look! Do you miss
Gerry awfully. Are a lot OF other
men making love to you?
Peggy. for Heavens sake"
Kasped Nancy. stop for breath,
and let me catch mine, too! Tell
me what you've done to Semiramis.
I'm much more interested in that
than in your dinner party"
"Oh. that" Peggy shrugged her
shoulders above an American Beauty
bodice, which was clasped to her
slender form by a single ornament
Of rubies.
You're certainly an optimist If
you dare shrug in that gown, re-
I.arked Nancy. But what does
oh, that mean? He looks like d
remnant of a fire sale"
We'll. you see" explained Peggy,
"Semmy scratched the baby when
he was playing with him on the
hearth in your sitting room, and
the baby dropped him right into the
gas logs. It's amazing what tenn
per baby has inherited from his
father"
You may call it temper. but 1 call
it incendiarism" remarked Nancy
grimly. Just look at poor Semmy"
Well. you ought to see baby
declared Peggy Indignantly. He
has a horrid scratch clear down
his arm"
Nancy murmured something about
serving the little beast right" put
down the cat, and begun to unfasten
her gown.
Let's not discuss it, Peggy; I'm
late now for a dinner engagement
with . man who hates to be kept
waiting. Can you spare the maid
to draw my bath and help hook me
up when I'm ready?"
oh. my dear, I'm afraid we
can't. She's just taking in the
cocktails"
Nancy turned in surprise from
the mirror where she was starting
to take down her hair.
Lucky Peggy! Where did you
get it?"
Peggy looked a trifie confused.
why. we-er-we found some
bottles In the buffet that Gerry had
evidently opened and forgotten
about 1t really isn't good to keep
that stun standing around. once
it's been opened. so We thought we'd
use 1t ana get you fresh bottles.
Now. wasn't that thoughtful of us?l
Very" agreed Nancy. grimly.
Your consideration Is quite over
whelming."
7 knew you'd think so," de-
clared Peggy. Nancy, how lovely
you look! So much prettier than
when you went away. 1 believe
you must be in love"
How clever you are. Peggy. You
know precisely the psychological
moment to compliment one, don't
your
Peggy pouted prettily, and Nancy.
helf-vexedly and half -amusedly,
put an arm about her and propelled
her gently out the door.
dressed"
She was tust ready for her tub,
when the stage comedy maid ap-
peared:
Or. Langwell is on tn. phone,
MIS- Burrard. He said to tell you
he Ii waiting in the lobby"