The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-07-18
ADELE GARRISON :


Hofer she managed to conceal it beau
tifully. Only a constant, watchful
strained look in her eyes told me that
she wished me anywhere in the world
luncheon dishes. And In her anxiety to
appear cordial she became effusive.
"Oh, how Iucky!" she exclaimed. 81
have some chickens, beauties, ready
to go on the fire this instant. They
were ordered for lot of people who
came in unexpectedly little while
ago-not my regular customers, under
Standard I'll just steal one of those
for you. They are pigs, anyway. 1t
won't hurt them to wait a littlel And
now what else do you want? If you
are so hungry, you won't want to wait
long. What you bet now, I remember
just what you like? Shall / tell your"
please do" / said enthusiastically,
but inwardly I was cody dissecting
and appraising the little speech she
had just made.
There was a false ring to it. Nine.
Hofer was a shrewd woman, with an
eye to the main chance. It wasn't like
her to Inconvenience a large party for
the benefit of one patron. Either she
was telling a falsehood in order to
flatter me--something which for some
reason or other didn't believe-or
she was giving me the fowl on account
of some concealed motive of her own.
A Feat of Memory.
I-had 1t! She couldn't refuse to
serve me altogether for fear of arous-
ing suspicion, but she could hurry my
luncheon so as to get me away from
the place as soon as possible. Even
as I listened to her was resolving to
unger as long as I could over the
luncheon.
seYou will WISH" Nine. Hofer was
saving reflectively-two fingers at her
forehead in a palpable attempt to
register absorbed thought-"now po-
tatoes from Virginia, creamed, fresh
asparagus tips, right from our own
bed. a salad of romaine, watercress
and chives, some large strawberries
with the stems, and pot Of coffee
with those little cakes-you remefn-
ber?"
II remember perfectly" I said, and
;ndeed the menu she recited was
familiar one to me. The dishes were
esnecial favorites of Dicky's and mine
r. was q. more elaborate and expensive
1,,ncbeon than I had planned, but al
Though the dishes were all those Wnich
required little time Tor COOKING
could nnger over SO bounteous a lun-
cheon indefinitely.
Sharpened Wits.
"That will do splendidly!" l SAID
aAnd now I'll freshen up a Bit "hlle
I'm waiting, If you don't mind:
T started toward the house as II ~
were the most natural thing Tor me 10
lead the way. Nine. Hofer muttefoo
on exclamation beneath her breath'
which only suspicion sharpened ears
i've mine could have heard. The next
,,,onoent she had caught step with me-
and was smiling broadly, a smile that
was sure had anger, perhaps rear.
az will take you to my own pain
o,o I" she said confidentially. THESE
neonle here today are running ali over
tbe Mace and it will be pleasanter LOT
Won In my own apartment. JUST Sonie
round this way"
She started around the sloe u eno
house. But I affected not to near he ,,;
.oHow pretty the place is this year!
axciained. "Are the big hall ana oln-
irp-room as quaint as ever? must
have a look at them. really have been
fa,r1v honesick for the place.
ran lightly up the steps and into
the wide hall with as good an imitation
~ Fanoinine impetuosity as / could
roustar And as l reached the arcned
a-,+rence into the dining room saw
whv Nine. HoHer had tried to get me
to come round to the side door.
For 1t ever a delegation from the
party of perhaps eight men and two
Fatherland sat in council it was the
women who surrounded large table |
made up for the occasion in the rear
of the room. They were talking gut
turaIly in their native tongue, but as /
entered one Of the men said something
in a quick undertone, and two or three
broke into careless conventional re-
marks couched in perfect English.
Bottles and the remains OF a first
course showed that they were cele-
brating some event. The papers of the
day before had chronicles a German
victory I had no doubt that no mat
ter what the reason for their being to-
gether, they'd been drinking to the
success of the Teutonic arms, and
was also sure that they had counted
upon Nine. Hofer's being able to pre-
vent any unfriendly person from en-
tering the dining-room.
To make conviction sure. my eyes
sharpened by the stress of the mo-
ment distinctly saw the edge OF a
small silk German flag peeping out
from the blouse of one woman's
gown, where she had evidently thrust
it hastily when they saw me in the
grounds outside.