San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11
The Married Life of Helen and Warren
WARREN EXPOSES TO RIDICULE HELEN'S ARDENT AND
MYSTERIOUS ADMIRER.
BY MABEL HERBERT HARPER
" Sign here !"

ed on the line indicated by the grim!
finger. d-
ing flowers? ..
CLOSING the hall door on the retreat
ing delivery boy, aglow with expect
nncv. she took the box into the
library.
There could be no mistake-the tag
said plainly Mrs. w. Il. Curtis.
The writing not familiar, it was PROB
ably addressed by the florists CLERK
Ii could not be from Warren. lie
never troubled to send flowers ex-
cept on her birthday or their wedding
anniversary-and not always then.
With feminine indirectness, she ex-
amined the tag, the box, and the gilt
lettered name of the florist for some
clue to the sender. No doubt there
was a card within, but she wished TO
prolong the delicious uncertainty.
The florist was a prominent one
with several branch stores. This had
been sent from the main Fifth Ave
nue. shop-but that was unenlighten-
ing.
The square box suggested violets,
sweet peas, or lilies of the valley.
At last with Hurried eagerness
Helen slipped off the string, raised
the lid, disclosing beneath folds OF
waxed paper, a great bunch OF
orchids.
Orchids! She had not even thought
OF orchids.
SiI of them! Who could have sent
10 extravagant a gift?
A card envelope lay under the
flowers. For several moments she
held it unopened, trying to vision the
name within.
Then flutteringly, she drew out the
.Mr. Robert K. Rodman
: The Carleton Club"
Rodman? Who was Mr.. Rodman?
The Dalton's dinner-that tall dark
man who sat beside her and talked so
little. But she had met him only
that once.
The card turned over. with height
ening color she read:
. "For Mrs. Curtis,
x "a tribute to her delicate
tiaE loveliness and charming femin-
II inity-so rare in these days Of
~ strenuous, assertive women"
The intoxicating glow that comes
only from masculine admiration swept
over her. That long forgotten thrill
she had not known since her mar
riage.
She was still young and attractive
she could still elicit this! The sense
of feminine power, long submerged
by Warren's unresponsiveness, now
famed up.
"D'you want that eggplant baked
or fried?" demanded Anna from the
door.
"Oh!- starting almost guiltily.
"Why, either way-no, baked. And
bring me a yase-that low wide one
/ think it's on the top pantry shelf. :"
Carefully Helen took off the laven-
der silk cord and green tinfoil that
bound the stems. while Pussy Purr-
new shifted inquiringly at the
feathery fern.
Six large blossoms! At least three
dollars n piece. Eighteen dollars!
what d'you call them flowers?"
asked the. girl when she brought the
vase.
"Orchids. The most expensive
flower there is" unable to resist this
chance to impress the supercilious
Anna.
Where should she put them? Where
would Warren be more apt to notice
them? On the library mantel? No,
the dining room table. She wanted
him to ask who sent them.
Friday they were dining with the
Stevens. Would the orchids be fresh
enough to wear? If only they were
going somewhere this evening or to-
morrow.
She would wear one tonight any
way. Just one, so the rest would
stay fresh.
But the old charmeuse that had
been good enough for a dinner at
home seemed suddenly shabby beside
the expensive loneliness of the
orchid.
1t was not quite six. She would
have time to change before Warren
came.
Eagerly she slipped into her new
chameleon taffeta. The orchid pin
ned at her waist and her excited
flush were radiantly becoming.
Company tonight?" was Warren's
greeting, as he kicked off his over
shoes.
"No, dear. why?-
"What're you all dolled up for?s
Then without waiting for her answer.
"Hole in these rubbers. Haven't /
got another pair?"
mo, you lost your sandals" eug-
gestively adjusting the orchid.
But Warren, after the first brief
glance, did not trouble to look at
her.
At the table he was equally obtuse.
Intent on his cream of spinach soup,
he did not even see the orchids,
placed conspicuously before him.
In the interval between the soup
and the roast, Helen tried by va
rious manoeuvers to direct his atten-
ton to the flowers.
Got those new files in TODAY.
Great! Hold more and take up less
:. Not in the least interested in office
files. Helen once more adjusted the
dolly under the orchids.
Coin to chuck all those old ones.
Think I'll move that safe,
Dear, aren't those lovely?p she
blurted out, her patience exhausted.
81 thought you'd see them-but Won
never see anything"
EN-" staring at the exotic patri-
cian flowers. "Where'd you get
Someone sent them to me. Cues.
who?" ''
How should ] know" with un.
I'M HNES@@