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Show ,fij : g The Married Life of Helen and Warren I By MABEL HERBERT URNER B T Originator of "Their Married Life." Author of "The T Journal of a Neglected Wife," "The Woman Alone," etc ? Helen Is Awed by Their English Valet, but Warren Re- I fuses to Be Impressed f (Copyright, 1915, by the McClur Newspaper Syndicate.) "Well, the valet ought to put some of these best things away." "Don't you worry; that agent was mighty keen about our reference. They're not taking anybody in here without knowing who they are." "I love this lamp shade doesn't it give a soft light? Look how it's made just strips of Japanese embroidery. Some girl made that for him." Then musingly, "That's just what I'll get for our library." But Warren was busy exploring the sideboard. From a lower drawer he produced a corkscrew, a shriveled lemon, some cloves and a broken spangled fan. "Huh, a gay old codger! That valet overlooked a lot of things." Helen was examining the fan. It still held a faint fragrance. "Can't you picture an after-theater supper here and she forgot her fan? Maybe that's she," glancing at a photograph photo-graph in a silver frame. "Maybe it isn't," scoffed Warren. "That imagination of yours'll get you into trouble yet." Then as he stepped into the bedroom, "Say, how about this bed? Looks mighty narrow to me." "Why, dear, we've often slept in a three-quarter bed." "Well, if we're going to stay here, I want a good wide bed. I'll speak to that agent tomorrow." "But these are Colonel Craigs' things. They couldn't change the bed." "Well, if they've rented these' rooms to two people, they've got to put in a bed two people can sleep on. See here, this ought to be locked." He had opened the door of a narrow closet crowded with boxes, papers and letter files. "We're not going to be responsible respon-sible for all this truck. Where's that valet? How do you get him, anyway?" any-way?" "I don't know; he's been here all day. Wait, I'll try this bell. Just think, dear, when we get back we can say we've had a valet over here!" "Not on your life?" scowled Warren, who loathed any form of pretense. "Any blowing about this valet business busi-ness we'll can jight now!" Helen flushed. "Well, Mrs. Stevens Is always talking about the way they travel, and the wonderful rooms they have. I'd like her to know " "Mrs. Stevens can blow all .she wants to. But don't let me hear you " "Did you ring, sir?" Leopard stood in the door. "Yes, you'd better lock up this closet. We can't be responsible for all these things." "Yes, sir, the key's been mislaid, but I'll have one fitted, sir." "Well, see to it tomorrow." "Yes, sir; thank you, sir. What time shall I draw your bath, sir?" "That's all right; I'll draw my own bath. You can serve our breakfast at eight-thirty sharp. And order me the ! Times. That's all." "Thank you sir." At the door he hesitated, "I I don't find any boot-trees boot-trees in your trunk, sir. Perhaps you left them at the hotel, sir." Breathlessly Helen waited for Warren's War-ren's answer. It came crisp and curt. "Never had a pair of boot-trees in my life." "I I beg your pardon, sir," and Leopard departed precipitately. "Oh, what made you say that?" gasped Helen. "What'd you want me to say that 'my man in New York left them out?' " mockingly. "Of course not, but he needn't know " "Know what? That I'm not aping any of these bounders over here? Jove, you love pretense! Fairly wallow in it don't you? Want everybody to think we've a pile of money, eh?" "Warren, I don't," Helen flushed painfully. "You know I don't!" "Huh, I know you nMke things out a whole lot different from what they are. Both times we've been over here it's been on business and on the cheap, too. You're a darn sight more careful of the coin than I am. Yet to hear you talk, anybody'd think we came abroad every year for our health, and spent money like water." "That isn't true," indignantly. "You can't tell me one thing I ever said " "I can't, eh? How about that hot air you always get off about buying your clothes 'abroad?' And we never have anybody to dinner that you don't manage to ring in something about getting our china in England. And all you ever bought over here was six teacups!" "But, WTarren " began Helen feebly, fee-bly, the color flaming her face. "I've stood for that, but I'll be hanged if I'll stand for any talk about 'our valet.' The first time you put on that company air of yours and spiel off something about 'the valet Mr. Curtis had in London' well, there'll be trouble. trou-ble. Now just remember that!" "Where do you want this, ma'am?" the porter lowered the trunk from his shoulder. "Right here behind the door," Helen shoved a chair out of the way. "That small one you can put there by the dresser." While he unstrapped the trunks, Helen got out her purse. Would a sixpence six-pence tip be enough? But at the last moment his brass buttons and gilt braid made her fumble hurriedly for a shilling. When the door closed after him, she began an eager, delighted inspection of the rooms. They were the "bachelor chambers" of an army officer now in the war. "Bedroom, living room and bath; valet and catering," the advertisement adver-tisement had read. As they were to be in London several sever-al weeks longer, Helen had rebelled at th's hotel room without bath, for which they were paying an exorbitant price. This place she had found through sheer luck and the London Times. The furnishings were ideal. There was an air of distinction about the low bookcases, the carved sideboard and the walls hung with deer heads and foreign trophies. To Helen it looked like the stage setting of a bachelor's room in a Pinero play, the scene where the indiscreet in-discreet young wife is discovered by her husband. There was even a screen for the lady to hide behind. "Shall I unpack Mr. Curtis' things now, ma'am?" With a start Helen turned to find Leopard, the valet, beside her. "I beg your pardon, ma'am, but if you'll give me the key to Mr. Curtis' trunk " Helen thought fast. Her knowledge of a valet's duties was vague, gathered mainly from what she had seen on the stage. She did not want this man to unpack Warren's trunk, but she was too much awed by him to say so. Nervously she watched him take out the things and arrange them in the closet and chiffonier. On account of the war they had brought few clothes, and she was nncomfortably conscious that Warren's wardrobe must appear very meager to this smart English servant. She tried to seem absorbed in her own unpacking, as with elaborate care he refolded a pair of worn, faded pajamas that she had thought Warren could wear once more before she threw them away. Warren's soiled linen he had already carried off, while she looked on helplessly. help-lessly. Now he threw a suit over his arm and started off again. "Is there anything of yours you'd like brushed, ma'am?" "No, I think not," relieved to have him go. But with soft-footed stealth he kept reappearing. He brought back Warren's War-ren's suit, then took away his shoes. Then he came in to look after the open fire. He did not knock, and Helen found herself looking nervously over her shoulder to see if he was there. Disconcerting as was his presence, it gave her a delightful feeling of affluence. af-fluence. Helen's idea of luxury had always been the luxury of the English novel and play. And now that she was in something of that atmosphere, she tried to "live up" to it. Instead of unpacking in her cotton-crepe cotton-crepe kimono, she slipped on a silk negligee. And when at four o'clock the valet brought her tea, she leaned ack in one of the luxurious leather chairs while he served it before the ire. It was after six when Warren came. ?he greeted him joyously. "Hello, all settled?" as he hung up his overcoat. "Oh, yes, dear, isn't it wonderful? I could hardly wait till you came. I'm wild about these rooms!" "Looks like we're going to be pretty comfortable here." "And just think it'll not cost any more than the hotel." "Not as much not so many tips. How about that valet? He showed up yet?" "Dear, he's been here every minute! He doesn't knock, and he walks so softly, you can't. hear him." "Don't like him gum-shoeing around, eh?" "Oh yes yes," hastily, "if I could only know when he's coming." "Might mine the entrance hall," grinned Warren. "Hello, where'd thio. . come from? Been having a high-ball?" as he took up a half-filled syphon from the sideboard. "Oh, I found that down here." Helen opened the cupboard underneath. "The valet must have overlooked it. And these, too," taking out a box of cigarettes. ciga-rettes. "Look they're crested and initialed." in-itialed." "Huh, don't think much of a man who has his' cfgarettes initialed. One of those monocled, white-spatted Johnnies." John-nies." "But, dear, he does have good '.hings. Did you notice this sideboard? And this rug," turning one up with her foot, "it's an antique Bokhara. You wouldn't think he'd rent these rooms." "Guess he need3 te coin," shrugged Warren. |