San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-28
CHAPTER /

| Hope Ranger walked down the hall
to her mothers sitting room.
The moment she had passed inside
and closed the door behind her, a ma n
servant stepped out OF the automatic
lift a little further a.yag the corridor
and followed her noiselessly. He had
some letters on n tray. out it appar-
emily was not his intention to deliver
them at once. Instead, he paused close
to the sittingroom door, his head in
clined. listening.
As Hope entered. her mother looked
up with smile from some notes she
was writing.
"Going out, darling?" she asked.
I'm to meet Lucia at the Plaza"
Hope explained. "Her mother will be
there with some people, but we shan't
bother with them. After luncheon.
they are going on to a matinee-that
| is. Lucia and her mother are--but it's
'Philander,' and I've seen it three
times. you know, so l begged off. I'll
pick UP some wells and few things /
need, and then home"
The man outside had his ear against
the door now, unwilling to miss a
word of the conversation: but at the
same time his eyes were watching
alertly along the hall and down the
staircase.
81 don't know, though" Hope re-
considered, 'but that I'd better drop
into Silcott's and hurry him up with
those fittings. If by any miracle he
is ready. could telephone you to come
down. Or, better still, come to lunch
con with us, and then go there with
me. Do, mother" she urged.
moo; I'll not tag. You and Lur
will enjoy yourselves more alone. Be-
sides. I've no ed of things to look aft
er. Are You driving down dear?"
81 need the walk" Hope shrugged
lightly. "My skin is crying for air and
exercise" She scrutinized her reflec-
ton in dim mirror with a quaint.
furnished gilt frame.
Everything in this intimate room of
Mrs. Rangers was old and family tar
nished. In her day she had been a
beauty, Southern as her name, Mary
Louise Beauchamp Carter-poor as
poverty with generations of wealth be-
hind her-bOrn, to a leaking family
rooftree, old family silver, old family
pictures. old family servants, the latter
dwindled in number until none re-
manned.
Her mother had pinned her last hope
to Mary Lou; but before the rash girl
was 20 she had lost her head over a
rising young nobody at all. Loring
Ranger. with less background than
chipmunk and no particularly substan-
tial foreground. and had recklessly
married him. Mrs. Carter shed tears
steadily, and only abandoned them for
equally steady smiles when $, realized
the genius of her son-in-law for making
money hand over hand-lucky hands
that turned everything they touched
into gold. Then, completely recon
ciled. she give them her blessing. be-
slowed upon them the family hcirlooms
and departed this life in peace.
Hope turned now from the inspec-
ton of herself in tile glass. ga,
Mischievously she ruffled her moth
er's sleek head cutting her affection
ately first on one ear and then on the
other, and, bending down, kissed her
check.
"Goodby."
tI, WdlJ lnO0eul. AlTS. hdiiStI
caught her hand. 81 forgot 10 tell you.
your father won't be home this even
ing. He's having some out-of-town
men at the club. Why shouldn't you
and | do a play:"
NO reason on earth Hope
nodded. Choose something neither of
us has seen. 4 slushy. wcepy one
the kind you like"
She had reached the door when her
mother stopped her again.
You'll telephone from Silcott's. Won
say. if he's ready for your fittings?
That will be about three o'clock, !
SUPPOSE
''Or even earlier"
The man servant was at the head of
the stairs with his tray of letters as
Hope came out.
Anything for me, Fitch?"
mo, Miss Ranger; they're all 70:
Mrs. Ranger"
Hope ran down the stairs. A mo-