United States or Yemen ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"If I thought—" began George, but Simmy had slammed the door and was directing the chauffeur where to take his fare. Half an hour later, Mrs. Fenwick's tables were deserted and the dance was on. Simmy Dodge, awaiting the moment of dispersion, lost no time in seeking Lutie. He had delayed his departure for Anne's home, and had been chafing through a long half-hour in the lounge downstairs.
Lutie replied that if George was strong enough to carry the washing back and forth from the customers', she'd manage to support him by taking in dirty linen. Then Mrs. Tresslyn broke down. Damme, Brady, it brought tears to my eyes. You don't know how affecting it is to see a high and mighty person like Mrs. Tresslyn humble herself like that. She didn't cry.
She was paying for him now, just as Lutie had paid for George, only in Lutie's case there was the assurance that the sacrifice would bring its own consolation and reward. Anne was going ahead blindly, trusting to an uncertainty. She had his word for it that the sacrifice would bring no reward through him, and yet she persisted in the vain enterprise.
Would you mind leaving us alone together for a while? I must make sure of one thing. Then I'll be satisfied." Lutie regarded her keenly for a moment. "Just remember that you can't afford to make a fool of yourself," she said curtly, and went to the door.
By Jove, that's what I like most in you. You never knuckle." "My dear, you are picking up a lot of expressions from Lutie." The early evenings at Anne's place in the country were spent solely in discussions of the great war. There was no other topic. The whole of the civilised world was talking of the stupendous conflict that had burst upon it like a crash out of a clear sky.
"Everything, my dear," said Lutie, who did everything by extremes, and who wore the highest pompadour, and the highest heels, and who had the smallest waist and the largest hat that Anne had ever seen, and who always used the superlative when telling a tale. "They stole every single thing down to the very shoes, and the kitten from the rug."
"Oh, did you bring any letters for me?" she cried eagerly. He held out the two he had kept in his hand. "Oh, goodness, Nat only from mama and Lutie Bissell. You excited me so!" He spread a tarpaulin amid the clutter amidships and they sat down.
That's good," said Thorpe, more to himself than to his companion. "Never saw her looking more beautiful than the day she sailed," said Simmy, peering hard in the darkness at the other's face. "She hasn't had much happiness, Brady." "Umph!" was the only response, but it was sufficient to turn Simmy off into other channels. "I suppose you know that George and Lutie are married again." "Good!
Bates called in." "All right, if you insist. But—but you'll stick around, won't you, Brady?" Thorpe nodded his head. He was watching the sick man's face very closely. Half an hour later, Lutie Tresslyn and Anne Thorpe entered the elevator on the first floor of the building and went up together to the apartment of Simeon Dodge.
She drew back as if he had struck her a blow in the face. "I—I beg your pardon," he muttered, and then strode across the room to thump violently on the door to Lutie's bed-chamber. "Come out! I'm going. Can't keep the nation waiting, you know." Two minutes later Anne and Lutie were alone.
Word Of The Day