The Washington times., 1937-09-17

AS0NA4GAJy 1OS094 e9ANogS
had mostly taken their leave, he
wandered into the smaller draw
ing room adjoining his mothers
boudoir, where Elisabeth was play
ing the piano. He motioned her
to continue and sank into q chair
by his mothers side.
"Debussy," he murmured. What
a touch! Shall we liSten?"
His mother nodded. He took her
fragile fingers in his and stroked
them softly. Presently the melody
faded away.
do go on" he begged.
IF you wish that I play Seri.
ously," she said, II must fetch my
music. You eXcuSe-yes?"
"Of course, my dear" Lady Ma
tresser acquiesced. "You are giving
us so much pleasure. We shall be
here waiting for you"
She smiled and disappeared
through the parted curtains-an
exquisitely graceful figure in her
simply cut white satin gown.
you were satisfied today, Ron
nie?" his mother asked a little
anxiously.
DREW NO INCOME
More than satisfied, my DEAR"
he assured her. II took all the
outsides I could and couldn't find
a single spot where the shoot has
been neglected in any way. Hum
phreys seems to me to be just as
good as he was 10 years ago and
both his sons are capital fellows"
Because If you were really go
ing to settle down-and you are"
she insisted, you must have your
shooting perfect. You know there's
nothing to prevent it. You have
been drawing absolutely no income
at all for the last two or three
years. Mr.. Purvis tells me that
you keep him quite busy invest
ing"
Capital" Matresser exclaimed.
well show them something when
we start entertaining, mother"
"Bemrose Is looking forward to
that time, can tell you,' she went
on. "It has been rather hard on
him the last few years. N expen-
! sive family, too, and three unmar-
ried daughters. I know when your
father had the county, and that
was before my money came into
the family, he used to find that it
squeezed him.
who was this mySteriou
stranger, Ronald, who came and
died upon us, or rather upon poor
Doctor Andrews?"
"CAME TO SEE ME"
mo one knows for certain" he
told her, "but between ourselves I
believe he came here to see me
rather, to bring me an invitation.
In the language Of Humphreys he
was 'furriner.' It shows what
a self enclosed county we are
everyone who looks or dresses a
little differently is 'furriner. ,"
1.-THE most remarkable 'furriner'
you have produced here for a very
long time is your Dutchman," the
Countess observed. II can't be-
lieve he is real, half the time.
! He is so enormous, so unbending
and SO precise. How is 1t one
has not heard Of him before"
ST never saw him myself until
the night of the storm" Matres-
ser confided. HE has been spend
ing the last eight Or 10 years, he
told me cruising. After 1 had
asked him to dine, I wondered
whether I ought to have told him
that we should be wearing tails"
HE looked the picture of civil
ization tonight" Lady MatreSser
observed.
"Might have been turned out
for a royal dinner party" Mat
resser agreed. Clever fellow to
carry a wardrobe as comprehen.
siye as that on a fifty-ton ketch." "
did you know anything about
him, Ronnie, before you asked
him to dine?"
mot a thing. That's the worst
of having son reappear from
the wilds. suppose I ought not
to have done such a thing. He
came to pay his respects, which
after all, is the courteous thing
to do-if a little un-English-but
the harbor is mine, the port and
all the rest Of it, and it seemed
so natural to ask him to shoot. and
nearly everyone who shoots at
Matresser's dimes. So there you
are!"
MY dear, don't think for a mo
ment that I was criticizing," his
mother protested with 4 delight
full sigh. ut was sheer curiosity