Evening star., 1936-02-16
February 10. 1896

yOO 10 iOl hC W jump ihtO thC u
tomac."
You'd better keep out of rivers.
You found me in one. If it hadn't
been for me, you'd be Mrs. Philip
Rutledge, swelling round Fifth Ave
nue."
"And you'd be Mr.. Hazel Perley, in
ten-gallon hat and gold shoes"
The next morning Mrs. Clifford
was very glum as Hazel poured out
her praises for Captain Rivadavia.
Never have | had such a day as
yesterday. Reevy is Centaur. and I'd
rather ride than eat. He says we'll
spend half our lives on horseback and
the other half dancing and feasting.
His father lives like king with a mob
of subjects and Reevy's the Prince of
the Pampas. Neal Douglas is terribly
nice, but he doesn't know which side
of horse to climb. His whole ambi-
ton is to do big things in an Office AS
for dancing, he acts as if he were
scared to death of me. He's never
really asked me to marry him, and
Reevy does nothing else. What do you
honestly think, Miss Gray, of the two
men, and my chances of happiness
with either of them? II take Reevy.
I've got to jump, because he's going
away. How did you find Neal Douglas
last night?"
With glance at Mrs. Clifford, who
dismally gave consent with hopeless
look. Valerie obeyed her orders: II
think Captain Rivadavia is too won
derful for words. don't see how any
woman can resist him. Life with him
would be very exciting.
AS for Neal Douglas, he's stodgy
person chained to desk and glad of
it. He would probably make you
miserably unhappy; but perhaps not.
because you'd never see much of him.
He'd be in the Office all day and in
slippers all evening"
Hazel was as puzzled by this
twisted nonsense as Valerie was. She
said: you don't seem to think much
of Neal. Was he such a bore last
night?"
Again Valerie obeyed orders and
succeeded in giving the effect of lie
by telling the strict truth: "Oh, l
found him charming, wonderful, most
congenial. We took to each other at
once. But then I'm as stodgy as he is.
He's the kind of man I'm looking for.
We held hands all evening"
Hazel laughed, not believing her for
a moment. Neither did Mrs. Clifford
believe her, but watched the effect of
Valerie's strategy on Hazel. 1t was
most disappointing. for Hazel said:
We'll. if you can get Neal to hold your
hand, that's more than can do. But
then you're intellectual and I'm
horsey blonde. guess Reevy is more
my type"
At this moment the conversation
was interrupted by Titus Clifford.
home from the office Unexpectedly
and plainly very i'll. He frightened his
wife horribly by his scarlet, feverish
face, his sepulchral voice and his most
uncharacteristicg gloom and irascibility.
He snapped at her and thrust her
aside as he staggered into his bedroom
and fell across the bed.
Valerie recognized the symptoms;
influenza. While her heart was torn
with sympathy tor Gifford's wife and
Hazel, she could not help thinking
that he would probably die, to re-
move the final torment of hope from
her life and Meals. She would lose
her job and Neal his last chance of
escape.
But Clifford did not die, though he
wanted to. While Valerie had no work
to do as social secretary. she was
kept busy sustaining Mrs. Clifford.
The old woman could not endure
Hazel's company and banished her to
the consolation of Rivadavia. Mrs.
Clifford no longer cared what hap