The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-04-11
E. PHILLIPS OPPENEIEIM
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Inc Dutier met MIN as ne drove up De
fore the porch.
"Sir Timothy begs you to excuse
him this morning, SIR he announced.
'His secretary has arrived from town
with a very large correspondence,
which they are now engaged upon"
"And Mrs. Hilditch?" Francis ven
.tured.
II have not seen her maid this
morning, sir" the man replied, "but
Mrs. Hilditch never rises before mid
day. Sir Timothy hopes that you slept
well, sir, and would like you to sign
the visitors book"
Francis signed his name mechan-
ically, and was turning away when
Lady Cynthia called to him from the
stars. She was dressed for travelling
and followed by maid, carrying her
dressing-case. Isfa
"Will you take me up to town, Mr..
Ledsafn?" she asked.
Delighted" he answered.
Their dressing-cases were strapped
together behind and Lady Cynthia
sank into the cushions by his side.
They drove away from the house,
Francis with backward glance of re-
greet. The striped sun-blinds had been
lowered over all the windows, thrushes
and blackbirds were twittering on the
lawn, the air was sweet with the
perfume of flowers, a boatman was
busy with the boats. Out beyond,
through the trees, the river wound its
placid way.
"Quite little paradise" Lady Gym
thia murmured.
Delightful" her companion assent
ed. Il suppose great wealth has its
obligations, but why any human being
should rear such structure as what
he calls his Borghese villa, when he
has a charming place like that to live,
in, ! can't imagine"
Her silence was. significant, almost
purpOseful. She unwound the veil
from her motoring turban, took 1t off
altogether and attached 1t to the cush-
ions of the car with hatpin.
There" she said, leaning back, "you
can now gaze upon a horrible ex-
ample to the young women of today
You can see the rayages which late
hours, innumerable cocktails, thirst
for. excitement contempt of the sim
pie pleasures Of life, have worked
upon my once comely features. was
quite good-looking, you know, in the
days you first knew me-"
"YoC were the most beautiful debu-
tante of your season." he agreed.
"What do you think Of me now?"
she asked.
She met his gaze without flinching.
Her face was unnaturally thin, with
disfiguring hollows underneath her
cheekbones; her lips lacked color;
even her eyes were lusterless Her
hair seemed to lack brilliancy. Only
her silken eyebrows remained unim-
paired, and a certain charm Of express
sion which nothing seemed able to de-
strOy.
"You look tired" he said.
BE honest, my dear man." she re-.
Joined dryly. u am a physical wreck,
dependent upon cosmetics for the looks
which / am still clever enough to
palm off on the uninitiated."
sWhy don't you lead quieter llfe?'
he asked. "a month or so in the coun-
try would put you all right If you
were my sister, I'd take you away for
fortnight and put you on the road to
being cured"
"Then wish / were your sister,"
she sighed.
Don't think I'm unsympathetic," he
went on, because I'm not. It is just
you people who are cursed with
restless brain who are in the most
dangerous position, nowadays. The
things which keep us healthy and nor
NAL physically games. farces, dinner
parties of young people, fresh air and
exercise-are the very things which
after time fail to satisfy the person
with Imagination. You want more out
of life, always the something you don't
understand, the something beyond.
And so you keep on trying new things,
and for every new thing you try, you
drop an old one. Isn't it something
like that?''
81 suppose it is" she admitted
YEARLY.
Il could point out the promised land,
but how could lead you to itg' he
answered.
"You don't like me well enough"
she sighed.
II like you better than you believe"
he answered her, slackening his speed
q little. ''We have met, suppose,
dozen times in our lives. / have
danced with you here and there, talked
nonsense once, I remember, at a musi-
cal reception"
81 tried to fiirt with you then" she
interrupted
He nodded.
II was in the midst of great case"
he said, land everything that hap
pened to me outside it was swept out
of my mind day by day. What I was
going to say is that nave always