The Washington times., 1923-12-01

the opera as an old superstition.
far too long-winded and boring
for enterprising young radicals.
Against the red backgrounds he.
saw the austere and homely faces
OF women who represented all
that was Oldest aud best in New
York society, and. they wore
their naughty bones unchastened
by power. There were many
more Of the succeeding geher-
alton, Of course, many more
whose ancestry derived from
gold not blood, and they made
up in style and ritual what they
lacked in pulchritude. Lack Of
beauty in the parterre boxes was
as notorious as the ':horssshoe1 it
self, Dame Nature and Dame
Fortune, rivals always have been
at each Others throats some
century and three-quarters ago,
and little more friendly when the
newer aristocracy Of mere
wealth was founded. All. the
New York Society Beauties were
historical, and the few who had
survived the mere prettiness Of
youth entering a private Hall Of
Fame while still alive. s.
It had begun! For one pair
of opera glasses in the parterre
then another, then PRACTICAL all
were levelled at Mrs. Ogle-
thorpe's. box. Young men and
old in the omnibus box remained
in their seats. Very soon white
shoulders and black in the orches-
ira chairs began to change their
angle, attracted by the stir in
the boxes. That comment was
flowing freely, he made no doubt.
In the boxes on either side OF him
the occupants were staring less
openly, but with frequent amazed
side glances and much whispering.
Madame Zittiany sat like an idol.
She neither sought to relieve what
embarrassment she may have felt
ii she felt any! thought Claver-
ing-by talking to her escort nor
by gazing idly about the house
comparing other wonnen's gowns
and crowns with her own, She
might have been nasterpiece
in museum. ..ss
The Diversion.
al diversion occurred for which
Clavering M ieaat was grafefaI.
The door opened and Mr.. Dinwid-
die entered, linping and leaning
on a cane He looked pale ana
worried. Clavering resigned his
seat and took one still further in
the rear. But the low-pitched
dialogue came. to him distant1y.
Is this prudent?'' nurmured
Dinwiddie, as he sat himself
heavily beside her. There win
be nothing else talked of in New
York tomorrow. So far there
have been only rumors. But here!
You look like Mary Ogden risen
from the dead. There's a rumor,
by the way, that she is dead. =
''She was alive the last time I
heard from Vienna. But why inn.
prudent? Mr.. Clavering told me
Of your kind concern, but / as
sure you that am neither a
political nor marital refugee"
''But you have q secret you wish
to keep. Believe me, you can do
so no longer. The Sophisticates
are generous and casual. They
take you on your face value and
their curiousity Is merely human
and good-natured. But this! In
Jane OgIethorpe's box! It is the
nature Of an invasion. You hardly
could have done more If you had
forced yourself into a drawing
room unlimited. You must either
come out tomorrow and tell
them who you are. establish your
self or .Or-"
"well!' Madame Zattiany was
smiling, and, probably, the most
serene person in the house.
'T-I-think you had better go
back to Europe. I must be frank.
Anything less would be cowardly.
You interest me too much
But can only suppose that your
secret is Of the sort that il dis
covered-and they will discover 1t!
would cause you grave embaF-
rassment."
'You mean Il / am Mary Eat
tiany's illegitinaate daughter?''
ST don't think they would have
minded that il you had brought
letters to them from Mary asking
them to be kind to you--and il
you had. made a good marriage.
But to have it flung in their
faces like this-tfey will never
forgive you.'
And you think | am Mary
Zattiany's daughter"
T-yes-I think l have gone
back to my original theory. But
there must be s9mething behind.
She never wou11 have let you
come over here with a letter only
to Trent. She knew that she