The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-05-15

~
pillared, porticoed. The door opened
as they drew up at the entrance. A
maid in cap and apron stood in the
doorway. "A man appeared at the side
Of the car, coming seemingly from mo-
where, greeted Paula civilly and drove
the car of. The glow of an open FIRE
in the hall welcomed them. Hell
bring up your Bag said Paula.
How're the babies, Anna? Has Mr..
Storm got here?"
HE telephoned, Mrs. Storm. He
says he won't be. ont till late-maybe
ten or after. Anyway. you're not to
wait dinner''s 70
Paula, from being the limp, expert,
fearless driver of the high-powered
roadster was now suddenly very much
the mistress of the house, quietly OBJ
servant, giving an order with lift
of the eyebrow or nod of the head.
Would Dirk like to go to his room at
once? Dinner at seven-thirty. He
needn't dress. Just. as he liked. Ev-
srything was very informal here.
They roughed it. dirk had counted
thirteen servants by noon next day
and hadn't been near the kitchen.)
He decided to battle and change into
dinner clothes. and was glad of this
when he found Paula in black chiffon
before the fire, in the great beamed
room she had called the library. Dirk
thought she looked very beautiful in
that diaphanous stuff, with the pearls.
Her heart-shaped face, with its large
eyes that slanted little at the cor
ners; her long slim throat; her dark
hair piled high and away from her lit
tie ears. He decided not to men,
ton 1t.
Dirk told himself that Paula had
known her husband would not be home
until ten and had deliberately planned
tete-a-tete meal: He would not,
therefore, confess himself little! net,
tied when Paula said. "I've asked the
Emerys in for dinner; and Wen have,
game of bridge afterward Phil
Emery, you know, the Third. He used
to have it on his visiting card, like,
royalty"
The Emerys were drygoods; had.
been drygoods for sixty years; were,
accounted Chicago aristocracy; pre-,
ferred England rode to hounds in pink
coats along Chicago's prim and startled
suburban prairies They had a vast.
estate on the lake near Stormwood.
They arrived trille late. Dirk had
seen pictures of old Phillip Emery
("Phillip the First" he thought, with
an inward grinJ and decided, looking
at the rather anemic third edition, that
the stock was running little thin.
The dinner was delicious but surpris7
ingly simple; little more than Selma
would have given him, Dirk thought,
had he come home to the farm this
weekend. The talk was desultory and
rather dull. And this chap had mill
lions, Dirk said to himself Millionsl
No scratching in an architects Office
for this lad.
AT bridge after dinner Phillip the,
Third proved to be sufficiently the son
of his father to win from Dirk more
money than he could conveniently af-
ford to lose.
Theodore Storm came in at ten and
stood watching them When the guests
had left the three sat before the fire.
Something to drink % Storm asked
Dirk. Dirk refused but Storm mixed
a stiff highball for himself, and then
another. The whisky brought no flush
to his large white impassive face. He
talked almost not at all. Dirk, nat
urally silent, was loquacious by COM
parison. But while there was nothing
heavy, unvitai about Dirk's silence, this
mans was oppressive, irritating. His
paunch. his large white hands, his
great white face gave the effect Of
bleached blOodless bulk. 81 don't see
how she stands him." Dirk thought
Husband and wife seemed to be on
terms Of polite friendliness. Storm ex-
cused himself and took himself off
with a word about being tired. and
seeing them in the morning.
After he had gone: "He likes you,"
said Paula.
important" said Dirk, "if true"
"But it is important He can help
you lot"
"Help me how? l don't want"
"But do. / want you to be sue
cessful. I want you to be. You can
; be. You've got it written all over
YOU. In the way you stand, and talk,
and don't talk. III the way you look
at people. In something in the way
you carry yourself. It's what they
call force, suppose. Anyway, you've
got it"
"Has your husband got it?%
Theodore! No! That is"
There you are. I've got the force,
but he's got the money"
"You can have BOTH" She was
leaning forward. Her eyes were bright,
enormous. Her hands-those thin dark
hot hands-were twisted in her lap.
He looked at her quietly. Suddenly
there were tears in her eyes. Don't
look at me that way, Dirk" She
huddlod hack in har chair linn Che