Show I II I I The Hope CheSt CheStI I IBy By Mark Lee Luther J II Ch Chapter pter 51 Midnight 1 of ot a Thursday saw them ready and early the tho next net morning Sheila let herself into the showroom made a final tour of or the tables and then with with- quickened breath and nd weakened knees threw wide the door to fortune She had ample leisure to regain res-aln her poise before Peacock Alley cane came to life lito and still another vast span of or I waiting before an any of ot tho the sex which needlework allures drifted by ly to toone toone one and nd all of advanced aneed years and it Ie I tho the time they sp spent nt In the dining room was Vas a a. fair measure of ot their appetite I they stuffed themselves wit ha recklessness recklessness reck reck- which might well prove fatal But why should only the aged ased eat cat Where were the tho younger fair the girls tho near girls the still moro more girlish matrons of or the tho forties who usually swarmed the tho corridors corridors cor cor- cor- cor I Dieting ill III Decamped Then Sophie robed In crisp whiteness white white- ness fleas camo smiling in and lifted her the from abyss of or her bier dark clark tures I Breakfasted 7 eho sho asked Hours ago abo But nobody else has that that Is nobody wh who counts This This- place looks like an nn old ladles ladle homo home toda today Youre You're the first woman under 8 seventy wenty Ivo Ive seed and tho the only creaturo crea crea- turo t in skirts skirt who has BO so much as glanced d through the doorway Where i aro are our customers Getting thc then then- l'- l' beauty sl sleep cp after aCter last nights night's dance There was a. a dance you know I do remember hearing music said Sella Seila but I 1 never on once co wondered about it Jt low How Ive I've changed Sho She stood amazed at her hor maturity Oh well It if Im I'm in tot for a a dull forenoon I 1 Iam Iam am 1 Is there hero anything I 1 can cart do while I wait aJl to make the tho display y moro more at attractive at- at Sophie's glance glanco skimmed the tho tables and with a L merry gleam came back bacle to I the girls girl's Irl's glowing loveliness 10 Yes sho she returned I have one suggestion You are arc an Important I part of ot the display yourself Stand wh where rc Y you u can be seen fro rathe door Sheila SheBa laughed and blushed Is that business D Ballantine and H Hoyt would think I I so Im I'm merely taking a a. leaf leat from I I their book Sho went her alert way to breakfast breakfast break break- I fast and her advice slipped from I Sheila's anxious mind Serving Ser a counter for tor Ballantine Und and Hoyt was waa a afar afar I Itar far tar more moro tranquil tr task than this Xo No o wonder sho she had taken no thought of the future in thos She could I have hase t felt lt scarcely responsibility than a butterfly Two gilded glIded youths sauntering from I the tha dining room spied her profile exchanged ex- ex exI j I changed a a. look of or artless j joy y Ii In their I discovery and nd promptly turned in at atthe j the tle door dOOl I j l Good morning mornin said White Flan Plan nels Are Arc these things s for sale Yes Ye said Sheila Shena gravely Aro Are you interested In needlework Rather Oh tremendously chimed In his fellow humorist in Norfolk Jacket and knickers Wo We want to see BC every eyer- I thing I Her gesture s bestowed the freedom of tho room lOOm but they seemed loath to I stray stra from hc her Immediate neighborhood neighbor neighbor- hood la Is 18 this tale raid for or the Belgians asked th Norfolk No o. o sho abe replied For Amen Ameri cau cans White Flannels applauded this InI in innovation In- In n novation and wished d her luck Juck I Thank you ou she said That s sampler ampler is very ery quaint isn't it 1 I Sampler I The one in your hands hande He perceived that he nad had hands and I t that hat they held a sampler I Seems to have ha a a. a motto on It ho r remarked Yos sho she assen assented Samplers often orten hame harne What does it ft say MY he asked Improving Im Jm- ImprovIng Im- Im proving pro tho chance for a a. closer ap approach ap- ap r roach Your eyes are aro younger than mine Modesty Modest is 1 the Handmaid of ot Virture Vir- Vir ture t ure sho she road read with careful enunciation He dropped the thc fabric as If tC it scorched his fingers and the Norfolk j j cJ Jacket et Inconsiderately laughed It was wasa a throated full laugh laush which carried to Peacock Aile Alley and drawn b its Hs by promice prom- prom i ice fcc ce hopeful faces facca blocked the tho thres thres- hold Then of or a sudden the tho room seemed choked with t glided youths athirst for tor information which only Sheila could impart Presently while Flannels won his WOl way through the her Dont waste your time lime on those thoe bluffers he said They dont don't want to buy Do you I Y Yes s s. s he ho declared I 1 want that sampler thing thinS How much is It 7 She hid her amazement at it his de decision decision do- do and ho his at her price Ill take tako It ho he said gamely As she sho wrapped hID hio purchase sc she sho was stabbed with a sharp realization atton of or its Ils meaning the meaning tho scattering of ot her most cherished treasure had bad begun besun but she sho braced herself for tor tho the sacrifice flee fice and the sale complete smiled In gentle compassion lon on her first latron pa pa- tron You might frame Cromo it you know she sho suggested la 18 that what the they do with them Sometimes Ivo ive also seen them used In trays tras under glass class Great he exclaimed Ill Til ha have havo havea vo voa a a cocktail tra tray mado made for tor m my aen Sheila Shella felt that the puritan grandmother grandmother grandmother grand grand- mother whose whoso this was had righteous cause cause causo to turn in her grave e but tho the thought did no prevent her from trying to sell Ben other samplers for tor forthe forthe the same purpose An ancestress whose favorite proverb pro was Modesty Is the Handmaid of ot Virtue could not be expected to grasp the overwhelming overwhelm overwhelm- I ing scope of or Woman's Womans Renaissance Tile Tho 1 masculine invasion broke and melted away at Sophie's return and anda a se sedate ate procession of old ladies ladles be began began bO- bO gan to peer and finger and admire But they dont don't bu buy said Sheila Shena Never mind Sophie consoled consoled advertise Tho The visitors grew brew In number and andl andIE IE lessened in age ase From noon till un one o'clock the room was crowded with women But these too came merely to look Then the call of hunger thinned their their- ranks and presently there remained only three who suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly wheeled and boll bolted d for the tho dinIng din din- dinIng Ing InS room abreast think it over during luncheon luncheon lunch lunch- eon said Soph Soph to Got Get something to 0 cat tt at yourself and be ready for tor them bern The returning tide set In a a. little before two and half halt an hour later the tables were wore hemmed about like bargain counters in a Christmas rush Soen Seen from rom Peacock All Alley the scene was vaa one to d dismay l may husbands From J Sheila's point of ot view It had the air of ot a museum where even on admission was free Once again there was the tho semblance rather than the tho substance of prosperity No spendthrift frenzy no shopping madness seized her vis Hors Ono One of tho the mornings morning's callers after aCtor lon long deliberation selected a dozen napkins Another more moro ex ex- ex bought a tea cloth Then lured b by motor rides the bathing beach bridge veranda gossip siestas and tho the evenings preparatory rites' rites they ebbed away and four o'clock saw only Sheila and Sophie putting to rights their dl disordered ordered stock in trade Bettor Better run over or and see sec your faher fa father fa- fa ther her now said Sophie Ill Til look after things for Cor or another hour though Its It's hard hardly I worth our while to keep open The girls girl's eyes ees filled Un Havo 0 we wo failed 7 Failed What a question Of Ot course we wo haven't When you OU consider consid consid- er or that our bellwether has strayed ot off bounds I think weve we've done remarkably well A Oh said bald Sheila I didn't know we w had one to consider Theres Theros always a Hero Here at tho the Grafton Gratton Its name Is Mrs T T. Spencer Witherspoon Just why she sho ho should be bo the tile local law lawgiver I dont don't know but lio ho is Js and she sho has haa gone gono yachting for tho the l tin day l Tomorrow If It she sho Isn't too sunburned or still seasick sea sea- sick Ick she sho ho may cheer us with tho light lIs-ht of t her countenance Whether she docs does or not these things will sell but a purchase or two on her part might s stampede the flock That night She he pointed out the re to- to doubtable lady as as squired by her eon lSon re-I- re she sho trailed augustly down tho the vast acreage of ot the tho dining dining- room Why its it's Whito Flannels gasped ed Sheila Who 7 That bo boy with her Ho no was my first t customer The prince royal rojal Was Waa he tho the In innocent in- in who bought the sampler for a cocktail tray Yes She Sho gazed round eyed across tho table What If It ho he tells her It may spoil spon everything Sophie throw threw a laughing glance after the youth Perish the thought she sho said Surely White Flannels Is one of ot those deep silent souls sOUI who tell nothing I To be |