Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-26

| ciSssS Y ~. -" ssouu tnLVusn
her brain working fev4rithly, I. Tkere
was no other telephone IN Doucoster
nouse the nearest telephone bon wa1
fully ten minuteg' walk. Her neigh.
b6rss the ClAveridges, had 4 telephone,
Of course, but By the time she could
| ct to it--stitl, Nadia might be out.
She RAM. and ordered her car. com.
| poeedly. Theed. OF course. would have
taken taxi. IL Nadia were at home
no would BE- talking to her by now. II
she were not, the telephone would be
auseless in any case. Five minutes later
Lady, DouceSter, Immaculate, unruf1ed
% to cci6ure and veil, was being driven
toward Crescent street,
As the chi, turned the corner, Lady
Doucester bent forward and scrutiniseil
that side 6f the street on which the
house stood. Nothing--no one All,
wait 3 moment ! Al her car slowed, the
door on No. Topened and the obese and
unmistakable form Of Theed began to
descend the steps. Aghe went, he drew
on his gloves with the air OF man
who hds brought delicate task to an
en1inently satisfactory conclusion.
Lady Doucester's hand shot out to the
speaking tube.
''3runt. don't stop at Mrs. stra-
nack's. I've changed my mind. want
to 80 to Cornish Terrace. No. 3. Be
a. quick ~ you possibly can" n
she drew back in hef corner, but the
precaution was an unnecessary one.
Theed was intent on the second button
Of his left hand glove. Lady Gloucester
looked at him almost affectionately. IA
great man, she thought.
1t seemed to her but few seconds
later that the car stopped. She looked
| out. Cornish Terrace She put up
her lorgnette and studied the front OF
Claudine Crayne's house; II looked, she
considered, far more respectable than
Gloucester House. She was conscious
Of slight establishment as she
descended from the car and approached
the front door.
The appearance of the liveried foot
man, however, sent her spirits up
OF the staircase up which she was led
made her eyes dance in anticipation Of
the amusement In store. BY the time
she was admitted to Claudine's amaz.
ing boudoir she was thoroughly enjoy
Ciaudine drew her sunset colored
draperies forward for the prescribed
inch or two, and then fell to studying
Lady Doucester's car with the Icy sur.
prise that had annihilated 30 many in.
truders. Lady Gloucester spoke first.
"Oh yes. you know perfectly well
who ] am" she said briskly. you've
been blackmailing me for years"
"I-well, really--''
Claudine laughed. She was NOT
amused, but laughter seemed safe, and
something told Claudine that she must
play for safety.
"Please sit down." she invited.
Lady Gloucester looked round doubt.
fully.
is there something to sit on that
isn't the Aoor?" she asked. And then
as Claudine pushed forward small
divan: THANK you. have a great
deal to say to you, and, as you know,
I'm old enough to need cushions IL
my back while l say it,
Claudine put out languid hand
and dipped 1t into the elaborate ciga
rctte box. Then, with a mockery Of ar
excuse. she offered the box to Lady
Gloucester. =,
Lady gloucester, however, took q
cigarette and lit it skillfully. r
Its q curious thing" she said, "but
women like you always suppose that
women like me don't: smoke. It's moi
n question Of age this time. It's a
|
tion that Is entirely on your side."
"Theed Has Double. Crossed You"
Claudine leaned negligently against
the much. photographed mantelpiece.
''I'm afraid ! don't follow lii the
least" she murmured.
women like me always expect women
like you 10 loll on divans all day, smok-
ing, or else trail about in-well, in the
kind Of thing you've got on. DO you
ever go to the cinema? All this
Lady Gloucester waved her cigarette at
the orientalism round her--"is just the
sort Of scene they use for in her luxuri-
GUS apartment, the snatcher Of souls
of course, we never really expect you
to be like that. l don't believe It yet.
Now you, on the other hand, have
settled once and for all that spend
my days knitting counterpanes and
taking family prayers and disappearing
of the bare back vogue, and not allow.
Ing tobacco smoke In the drawing room.
It's an easy idea, 80 you cling to It..
That's convention. I wish you'd sit
down. like to look at people am
talking to, and you are 30 tall. Taller
even than your daughter, I think"
Claudine did not start, but she ground
her cigarette into the ash tray and,
after a seconds hesitation, dropped on
to some cushions opposite Lady Dou.
cester's couch.
"Your daughter is one of the people
have come to, speak to you about,
Mrs. Jarroman.
"Who are the others?"
Lady Gloucester nodded her admira-
tion OF the parry.
"Your husband" she returned, your
self, and our mutual friend, Augustus
Thced."
Claudlne waited. Lady Gloucester
waited longer.
"IIow did you come across my daugh-
ter?" inquired Claudine. restlessly.
Zone Of those abominablc detective
agencies found her for me. They
watched Theed's Office until she came to
1t. Theed is really careless in some
ways. you know. But then so are you
Ito work with Theed."
Claudine stared.
~ must be quick" said Lady Dou.
cester, glancing at her wrist watch.
He will probably be here in few min.
utes.'' ,E
"Hs will not be shown up here until
we have finished our-talk," said
Claudine. Lady Gloucester settled back
against her cushions. ~.
Good" she said, reaching for an
other cigarette, but let us discuss him
| first, all the same and get him out Of
the way. Mrs. Jarroman you are far
from being fool. At least, you black
mail beautifully. But you are letting
yourself be made fool Of by Theed.
He is--he has" Lady Doucester