Evening star., 1927-06-03
The Showdown.
F anybody had told Edith Kent as
she sat dawdling over a late break

T F anybody had told Edith Kent as
she sat dawdling over late break
fast that Spring morning that she
| Il would receive an invitation to
dine with Mrs. Jasper French that
| evening she would not have believed
| 1t, for, although Mrs. French had al
ways taken pains to be gracious to
| Edith, her friendliness had never gone
so far as an invitation to dine.
| Edith was having a holiday. Her
employer had been called unexpectedly
out of town and the office would be
| closed for day or two. That was
why Edith was enjoying a leisurely
, breakfast instead of hurrying to her
work 1t was q real treat, for in
Edith's life, since her parents death,
there had been all too few times that
she could idle away a bit of time. She
was wage Garner and had only re-
Gently arrived at time where her
earnings made it possible for her to
have two rooms in which to work out
Semblance to a home for herself
True. to most people her home. as she
called it, would have seemed poor
enough, but to Edith, long used to hall
bedrooms, this sunny room, with its
couch-bed. tea wagon and few pieces
of ancient furniture. seemed
paradise
1t is true that Edith did not expect
to pass an idle day, for there were
many things for her to do. There
were stockings to darn, her office suit
to be sponged and pressed, and new
recipe for spongecake which she
wished to try. Therefore. when Mrs.
Hess, who owned the house in which
Edith had her home came toilinS
up the stairs to announce in wheezy
voice. "Phone, Miss Kent" Edith had
no idea what was in store for her.
When Edith had taken down the
receiver and called, Hello" she re-
ceived the announcement that it was
Mrs. French, and that she wished
Edith to dine with her at 6 that
evening. Perfectly informal" Mrs.
French assured Edith. "Orly Miss
Gordon and my nephew. Harry Case
whom you already know. Afterward
we will have game or two of cards"
At Edith's ready acceptance Mrs.
French murmured conventional
phrase or two and said good-by.
Edith was in the seventh heaven
of delight To dine with Mrs. Jasper
French, who up to this time had
merely been pleasantly neighborly. To
French's cozy home, which from the
glimpses Edith had caught through
the lighted windows as she passed to
and from her work must be lovely. To
meet the beautiful Miss Constance
Gordon. whom she had long admired,
but never met, and to be in the pres
ence of Harry Chase. whom she had
known since their school days, but had
seen little of since. Edith's heart
fairly danced for joy. She pinched
herself to make sure she was awake
and not dreaming.
Upstairs she flew. There would not
be moment to waste. The organdy
must be put through the dye bath and
pressed, her hair brushed until it
shone. Oh, there was much to be done
before she would be presentable. And
all the time she worked, her heart
sang a merry little accompaniment to
the grateful thoughts which danced
through her mind at the kindness of
Mrs. French to ask her-little Edith
Kent-to her house.
At quarter before 6, when Edith
ran down the street toward Mrs.
French's house. she was still ioyously
happy. Snowflakes were falling and