The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-17


incredible. Whimsically or
dering chicken salad, rolls,
tea and pastry, Clancy considered
the past few days. 1t was the first
time that she had been able to
dwell upon them with any feel
ing of humor. Now, her analysis
Of Spofford's words. more than
the words themselves, having
given her confidence, she looked
backward.
She wondered. had always
wondered, exactly what was
meant by the statement that
certain people had lived"
She knew that many summer
visitors from the great cities
looked down upon the natives of
Zenith and were not chary of their
opinions to the effect that people
merely existed in Zenith.
Yet she wondered If any of these
gupercilious ones had ''lived" as
much as had Clancy Deane in the
last week. She doubted it. Life, in
the argot of the cosmopolitan,
meant more than breathing, eat
ing, drinking and sleeping. 1t
meant experiencing sensation.
Well, she had experienced a-plenty,
rs a Zenither would have said.
From what had meant wealth to
her she had dropped to real pow
erty. to bewiIderment as to the
source of tomorrow's dinner. From
the quiet OF a country town she
had been tossed into a moving
maze of metropolitan mystery.
She. who had envied boys who
dared to raid orchards. jealous Of
their fearlessnenss of pursuing
farmers, had defied a police force,
the press
And she'd liked it, This was the
amazing thing that she discovered
about herself. Not once could she
remember having regretted her am
billions that had brought her to
New York: not a single time had
she wished herself back in Zenith.
With scandal. jail, even worse, per-
haps. waiting her, she'd not weak
ened.
Once only had she been tempted
to flee the city, and then she'd not
even thought of going back to
Zenith. And she knew perfectly
well that had Spofford failed to
visit her this morning, and had
some super-person guaranteed her
against all molestation if she would
but return to her Maine home, she
would have refused scornfully.
Perhaps. she argued with herlsef,
1t was too much to say that she'd
enjoyed these experiences, but
she was glad she'd had them. Life
hereafter might become a monoton-
Gus round of renting furnished
apartments and houses; she'd have
this week Of thrills to look back
upon.
She ate her salad hungrily. Pay
ing her check, she walked to Eighth
street and took the street car to
Sally Henderson's office. She learn
ed that Judge Walbrough had tele-
phone once during the forenoon
and left message-which must
have been cryptic to Sally Hender-
eon-to the effect that he had met
the enemy and they were his.
Clancy assumed that Philip Van
dervent had seen Spofford and
that the man had told of his visit
to Clancy. She wished that Van
dervent hadn't told the judge; she'd
have liked to surprise him with the
news that Spofford. the one person
OF all the police whom she dreaded,
had called off the chase. Oddly,
she assumed that the Judge and his
wife would be as thrilled over any,
thing happening to her as if it
had happened to themselves. This
very assumption that people were
interested in her. loved her, might
have been one of the reasons that
they were and did. But it is futile
TO attempt analysis of charm.
She spent the afternoon with
Miss Conoyer, the dressmaker.
Business was temporarily slack
with Sally Henderson. Until the
effects of the blizzard had worn off,
not SO many persons would go
house-hunting. And the kindly in
terror decorator insisted that Clancy
yield herself to Miss Conover's
ministrations.
Clancy had an eye for clothes.
Although nothing had been COM
pleted, of course, she could tell, even
never. in Zenith, dreamed. Heaven
in their unfinished state, that she
was going to be dressed as she had
alone knew what 1t would all
cost. but what woman cares
what clothing costs? Clancy
would have starved to obtain
these garments. 1t is fashionable
to jibe at the girl who lunches
on chocolate soda in order
that she may dine in a silk