The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-14

supply nall MS regiment; and when
he had left the hospital after Sc.
rious attack Of influenza it had
been for the house in Gramercy
Park. where he could have re-
NAMED indefinitely had he wishd.
But in all the years of their In.
timacy never before had she
BROKEN" given a hint that she
felt the long generation between
them. He found her more inter-
esting in talk than any girl. ex-
cept when he was briefly In love,
and her absence Of vanity, her
contempt for sentiment in any Of
it's forms, filled him with a blessed
sense Of security as he spent hours
stretched out on the sofa in her
upstairs sitting-roon, smoking and
discussing the universe. She was
not an intellectual woman, but
she was sharp and shrewd. a
monument Of common sense AMI
worldly wisdom. It would be as
easy to hoodwink her as the dis
embodied Minerva, and it was
doubtful IL any one made even q
tentative attempt. Clavering won.
dered which of those inner secret
personalities was to be revealed to-
night.
AS he stood. in the drawing-room
waiting for her to come down he
examined for the first time in
many years the full-length picture
of her painted shortly before her
marrisg to James Oglethorpe. She
was even taller than Mary Eat
tiany and in the portrait her waist
was round and disconcertedly
small to the modern therapeutic
eye. But the whole effect of the
figure was superb and dashlng,
the poise Of the head was almost
defiant, and the hands were long.
slender and very white against the
crimson satin Of her gown. She
looked as If about to lead a charge
of cavalry, although, oddly enough.
her full, sensuous mouth, with its
slightly protruding lower lip, was
pouting. Beautiful she had never
been; the large bony structure Of
her face was too uncoverable, her
eyes too sharp and sardonic; but
handsome certainly, and. no doubt.
for many years after she had stood
for this portrait in the full inso-
lence of her young womanhood.
She retained not a trace Of that
handomeness today. Her hands
were skinny. large-veined, discol-
ored by moth patches. and her
large aquiline nose rose from her
sunken cheeks like the beak OF
an old eagle-an 1ndomitable old
eagle. Many women Of sixty-eigh:
had worn far better, but looks
need care, spurred by vanity, and
she had a profound contempt for
both. No doubt If she had made
a few of the well-known feminine
concessions would have looked at
least ten years younger than her
age, for she had never had a days
illness; eight lyings-in were not,
in her case. to be counted as ex-
ceptions. No doubt, thought Claw
ering, as he turned to greet her,
she had thought 1t quite enough to
be imposing.
Very Impressive
She certainly looked imposing
tonight in spite OF her old-fash-
toned corset and her lron-gray
hair arranged in flat roll and
puffs on the precise top Of her
head, for although flesh had accu-
INFLATED 1umpily on her back, her
shoulders were still unbowed. her
head as haughtily poised as in her
youth, and the long black velvet
gown with yellow old point about
tho square neck (the neck itself
covered, like the throat, with nett,
and falling over her hands, be-
came her style If not the times.
"Well. Lee" she said drily. II
suppose when you got my note
you thought had gone bug-house,
as my fastldious granddaughter
Janet would express 1t. But that
is the way I felt and that Is the
way I feel at the present mo-
ment."
Dear Lady Jane! Whatever 1t
Is, here I am to command, as you
see. There is no engagement
wouldn't have broken"
"You are a perfect dear, and if
were forty years younger
should marry you. However, wen
come to that later. want to
talk to you about that damnable
Janet first-wen have to go in
now"
When they were seated at a
small table at one end of the
immense dining-room she turned
to the butler and said sharply:
"Get out, Hawkins, and stay out
except when we can't get on
without you"
ITO BE Continued Tomorrow
Copyright. 1923. by Gertrude Atherton)