Omaha daily bee., 1922-02-26
Hslsns Insxeusable carelessnsss
Leads 70 Disastrous Social
Ottsnss

"HsH
up his coat collar. Lets get hom,
before i poufs"
Il hope a won't rain tomorrow
nlght-when the Reeds come"
well. give 'em a good dinner
Reed knows something about food,
Il thought ia have guinea hen
is more distinctive than chicken
And l'll Try TO get some alligator
pears for the salad, I'm glad this
was Anna's afternoon ot-msybe
she'll be more amiable tomorrow"
The portal lights OF their apart
ment house now blurred through
the misting Fain. Running ahead
Helen dlFted up the steps and into
the shelter OF the marble hall,
Lady aud gentleman was here 10
see YOU" the elevator boy handed
Helen card. They thought they
was TO have dinner with you all this
eyenin'.'
"Ths Reeds" Helen almost
screamed,
What's thati" Warren snatehed
the card. Great Scott, Il wasn't 10.
nighti"
"lt's their mistake! I've got Il
down for tomorrow, I'll show
your
Fumbling in her purse. she rushed
from the elevator. breathlessly down
the hall. But Warren had his key
out first.
In the library. switching on the
light, she dashed Ia the desk,
The calendar. pad was triumphant.
ly reassuring. Today's leaf held on
ly seribbled reminder-"Clean sil.
yer" aud Fix blue evening gown.
On tomorrow's. Fridays. was under
lined-"Mr. and Mrs. Reed for din
ner-7:50."
you see? It's their mistake. Oh.
how could they have got il mixedl'
I'm not so sure they did" War
ren was glowering over her shoulder.
You're always balling up dates.
Reeds pretty damned accurate. She
wrote you, didn't she! Where's her
letter."
Fcverishly. Helen rummaged all
the disorderly desk.
Wonder you can find anything
in that mess! Why in blazes don't
you keep your papers straight: I'd
get a helluva lot done ii | kept my
desk like that"
Here it is,' eagerly extricating
sheet OF pale gray note paper,
my Dear Mrs. Curtis:
Mr.. Reed and ! will be pleased
to accept your kind invitation to
dine with you next Thursday at
7:30. As ] have not been well, |
am looking forward with pleasure
to my first evening out for some
time.
Sincerely,
Alice L. Reed.
Thursday" thundered Warren
scanning the letter at a glance.
Stupefied, Helen gazed at that omi-
nous word. So firmly had Friday
been fixed in her mind, she had
thought Friday and even read this
etter Friday"
"Oh. how awful" How awfulP
covering her face with her hands.
Now cut the heroics and let's get
1t the root of this thing" sternly.
What day did you invite 'em for?
-an you dig that out of your ad-
He'd brain?" -
Thursday! | can't explain it
,ut / know now did say Thursday
must've put it down on the wrong
eaf and ever since I've thought
Friday"
"Well. of all the mutton-headed
linniesw exploded Warren. "She's
written Thursday plain as day. How
,ou could read that Friday beats
ne! What's your dome stuffed
"What will they Think" hysteri-
ally. And she isn't well-it's the
lrst time she's been out! Oh! Ohv
lropping on the couch, her face in
he pillow.
"Get up from there and let's see
What we're going to do about it"
"'Phone right now! You ex-
lain. Say I-Oh, what can you
ay?"
THAT you haven't the brains of a
abbit. But you'll do the 'phoning!
Ioly smoke, we don't know the
lumber. They've just moved-not
n the book"
Get it from Central" tearfully.
There's the address on her letter"
The address was not on the letter!
/ had been, but apparently Helen
lad scribbled a grocery list on the
margin at the top, for it was uneven
y torn off, leaving the penciled
'ragus' of asparagus"
1t was on Park avenue, Helen
NEW, but could not remember the
lumber.
"I've got it at the Office" an
lounced Warren. grinly. "You
write a letter! I'll have to take it
iown tonight and address it there"
Send it special delivery" tensely.
mo, that'll get 'em up before
breakfast. It's not 10 yet-if l mail
by II, they'll get it on the first de-
livery. Here" he cleared the clut-
cred desk with a ruthless hand.
Now, sit down and get busy ex-
Warren, can't | write something
hat'll seem more plausible? Can't
say l wrote her changing it to
1riday-and my letter must've gone
lstray?"
mo. you won'tw volcanically.
You'll do no lying about this! Put
iown Just what happened. You've
lueered US anyway-but you're 60
ng to tell the TRUTH
After spelling seven sheets of her