The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-02-23

fAl llNI ilIo anu III liti eyes.
She pictured herself walking smart
ly through the lobby; she saw lettering
heads turn as she passed. She even
rehearsed the racy moment when the
steel Of her knife sank deep into the
red of the steak. the quiet dignity of
her keep the change and the OBJ
SequiouS how of the waiter The new
boarder in the adjoining room lurched
noiSily about, and with the WEAKNESS
born of experience she closed the Win
dow which opened out on the joint
fire-escape landing and turned the key
in the bureau drawer which contained
her Bible and mother-of-pearl card
case; incidentally she turned her back
on Minnie.
There is a parlor in the highest
priced and highest-StOried hotel on
Broadway, which is done in pale gold
and pink; it is like a small, rare jewel
box softly tufted in satin and lighted
with opal globes; through its graceful
ly hung doors you can see into the
glistening lobby beyond, but the only
sounds that penetrate are strains of
far-away music and the soft swish Of
wOmen's gowns.
Within this golden retreat Minnie
dropped into the soft embrace of a
brocade divan and gave herself up to
its luxury; closing her eyes ever so
slightly she could imagine herself
journeying through Lady Audrey's gar
dens, in a gold and crystal sedan chair,
with a graceful ennui in her pose and
Gala lilies in her hair The hush of
velvet rugs and faint music lulIed Min
MES dreaming senses, her tense hold
on the tan purse-one dollar and thir-
ty cents-relaxed, and she nestled
deeper in the pink brocade
! man in a frOck coat and shiny
patent shoes dropped YEARLY on the
farthest end Of the divan. His hair
was gray at the temples and his eyes
were surfeited with too much living;
he was the typical clubman and diet
tante of the seventh-day world.
Minnie regarded him with the little
intake of breath which proximity to
those Of his sphere invariably caused
her. From the supercorrect cut of
/ coat to the shining fngernails he be-
spoke Inverness coats and cabs. Min
ME did not exactly know what consti-
tuted an Inverness coat, but no draw
ing-roOm novel was complete without
one. She could also picture this tired
eyed man in the dark mahogany quiet
Of his den, or strolling the white and
brass deck of a yacht Her half-closed
eyes to all intent and purpose were
regarding an oil painting which hung
| beyond his head, but none of his de-
tails was lost upon her; she knew that
his cane had a gun-metal knob and
that his shirt studs were gold
She had rehearsed her hour for so
long that she was not even surprised
when he leaned toward her and spoke.
"That is a very warm and rich bit
of work You admire his School?' He
! referred to the oil painting, and his
tones were deep and serious.
It's just beautiful" replied Minnie,
who had not even observed the por-
| trait
Her temples were throbbing violent
ly. She felt that she was contaminat-
ing this seyenth-day creature in even
| replying and that he would resent her
if he knew, just as she resented Mr..
Snuggs in the white goods.
q see you riding in the park quite
often. Only few mornings ago I was
bold enough to canter after you, ad-
miring your mount"
Thank YOU" she replied, taking the
plunge and fitting her small head bit
THE women in my family have al
ways ridden we'll"
'If you bespeak the race, doubt it
not"
He spoke the words with patrician
grace that thrilled her; she groped for
a suitable reply, but none came. There
was a pause; she observed that he
wore crested ring on his right hand
She felt it incumbent upon her to JUS
tify her unattended presence, and
glanced with well-restrained impa-
thence into the lobby beyond.
He was on his feet Immediately.
you are waiting for some one. Can
I be of any assistanceT
"Thank you; no. My maid will be
here presently; she is unnecessarily
long"
She sank back and let her eyes rest
on a misty landscape framed in silver
He followed her gaze.
81 have the twin Corot to that rare
bit in my private collection. 1 am
very fond of it,"
"Oh!" she murmured. "How lovely ~
There is something compelling in
the strength of that stretch of mere
meadowland."
yes" she agreed cautiously. AZ
love the country"
He adjusted a pair Of pince-nez and
regarded her as if seeing her for the
first time.
you are an exotic, and yet you
crave the natural?"
She closed her eyes and the delicate
line Of her profile met the pink
broCade