San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11

| liz w nat SOh
flowers for:"
IN show you the card that came
with them," darting into her room.
With the knife still stropping the
steel, Warren glared down at the
card she laid by his plate.
"Of all the fool mush. How long
you known him."
why l only met him that once. /
can't imagine Why he sent me flow
ers."
Huh, he didn't seem to be having
sucs heluva time! You both sat
there like a couple Of clans"
Another disguised grunt, as he
glowered at the card that still lay by
his plate, but he did not again refer
to it.
Helen was vaguely disappointed.
She would not have admitted that she
hoped he would be jealous-but at
least he might have shown some in
terest.
This rare chance to impress him she
could not dismiss so easily.
Dear, aren't orchids very expen-
sive now? What do you thinh those
cost?"
How in blazes do / know?
Haven't bought any. A postcard Of
the Woolworth building is my limit
for a skirt I've only met once. What's
the matter? You hipped on egg
plant? Had 1t every night this
week"
"Only last night. They sent two
such big ones. She kept one for to-
night"
No further reference was made to
the orchids, but when they left the
table Helen carried them in to the
library mantel.
The card she took into her own
room. Not knowing what to do with
it, she propped it against the bottle
of toilet water on her dressing table.
At the Dalton's dinner, she had sat
on Mr.. Rodman's right. Several
times she had glanced up to find his
dark eyes fixed upon her. Now be-
fore the mirror, with hand-glass she
studied her left profile.
He was much taller. He had look
ed down. She tried to get that an
gle.
Yielding to a swift impulse, she ran
| to the closet and took out the tulle
evening gown worn at the dinner.
Knowing Warren was in the IL
brary safely engrossed in the evening
paper, she coiled her hair low, as she
had worn it that night, and slipped
on the gown.
Then again with the hand-mirror
she viewed her left profue-trying to
see herself as he had seen her. She
should always wear her hair that
way and never be without a gray
blue gown. The soft quakerish color
was most becoming.
| When would she meet him again
Should she thank him for the flow
ers or ignore them? Or must she
write and thank him? How could she
write a formal note in answer to so
ardent a tribute?
"Delicate loneliness and charming
femininity." glancing at the card.
What il he should call her up?l
Send her more flowers or shower her
with attentions? He might. The
magazines were full Of such stories.
Suddenly from the library came
Warren's loud guffaw.
"Ha, ha, Kitten; this's great! Come
in here."
ain a minute, DEAR" starting to
take off the dress. al can't just now
Some NOW! This is too good to
keep"
"In just a second" her Hurried
fingers struggling with the hooks.
Before she could get off the be-
traying gown, he strobe into her room.
For once. she was grateful for his
careless oblivion to what she wore.
| Without even a glance at her bare
neck and arms, he thrust the paper
at her.
"Read that" he chuckled, rapping
the item.
@Wealthy Clubman Sent to
Private Asylum
Relatives Secure His Con-
finement.
"Robert K. Rodman has been ad
| judged incompetent and trustees ap-
pointed for his estate. One of his
eccentricities has been his mania for
sending flowers, with an ardent note
| or poem, to every woman he meets.
Last month his florist bill was over
$500. His relatives claim -"
] AS Helen read the item, her scorch
ing humiliation crimsoned her face.
"Ha, hal" roared Warren. Lucky
he didn't send 'em G. o. d. Only bird
you could get to send you flowers is
a nut! What's that he wrote? spy
ing the card on her dressing table.
She tried to snatch it from him, but
holding it out of her reach, jeering-
ly he read it aloud.
"No wonder they clnpped him IN a
padded cell. He's batty, all right"
Warren, you needn't keep rubbing
IL in! You're cruel to"
Huh, you were so darned cocky
and lit up about it! Preening all
through dinner. And / bet you were
in here lamping yourself in that mir
ror!"
Helen caught her breath. Would he
notice her dress? Would he guess all
of her silly vanity; But his careless
innttention spared her that.
Still without seeing her evening
gown, he took up the paper and strobe
out with a final uproarous,
"Ha, ha, bats in his belfry! When
he started to say it with flowers 10
you-they put him away. Next John
ny you try to vamp-pick one who
isn't ripe for the bug house"
Copyright, 1923 nv Mabel Herbert Harper