Show queen anne 9 s lace arf by frances parkinson boyes ca Q frances Parkin wn keya service CHAPTER X Contin continued vied 25 oh neal I 1 oh how lovely I 1 ohl oh l you cant afford idill it I 1 finished neal mockingly of course I 1 cani A man cant afford not to give presents to ills wife every now and then besides youre not to worry it Is all paid for I 1 had an unexpected check today an account long overdue paid up I 1 attended to all our monthly bills bang up just like that thail I 1 and still I 1 had enough left over for this too I 1 the pendant was pretty with the glittery dress in fact it was perfect and as anne followed by neal swept into the lassiter Lass lter drawing room while the butler beside the silk ered entrance announced senator and mrs airs conrad both were swiftly conscious of the fact that anne was unsurpassed in elegance by any other woman present senator lassiter Lass lter who was talking with the french ambassadress detached himself immediately from her side bide and hastened forward while his mother with less empress ement but with equal cordiality turned to greet them also we are arc so very happy to have you with us now let me see I 1 wish to be sure bure you meet every one here tonight have you met the italian ambassador and donna Martl nelll madame Es favl Is a friend already I 1 am sure the speaker of the house and mrs hastings senator and mrs lee senator and mrs stone the even cultured voice flowed on two servants in purple livery entered bearing silver trays laden with frosty cocktails and tiny savory sandwiches senator lassiter Lass lter offered his arm to the ambassadress and advanced with her beside him at the head of the procession which wound its way to the strains of music from an unseen organ through a second great drawing room across a galleried hall and into a long ions paneled dining room flanked with great carved sideboards anne feeling as if she had been transplanted to one of monte cristos Crl Cri banquets hoped that she was successfully concealing the swimming sensation which almost overcame her as she seated herself between senator stone and senor estall at the very end of the splendid table she must it seemed reorganize her ideas about entertaining as completely as she had reorganized them about dress but she resolved to do so swiftly tind completely ely and rousing herself she heard the small black bearded man with indefinable charm and distinction who was placed at her left asking hopefully francaes madame mals out she answered breathlessly her head clearing instantly and launching into her newly acquired but fluent french she began to chatter pleasantly with the agreeable little peruvian senator lassiter Lass lter appearing at her side bide apparently from nowhere in an incredibly short time after she had finished her coffee in the drawing room assured her that she would be much more comfortable on a deep brocaded sofa at the front end of the room i than in the small high chair 0 on n which she was then sitting find and shepherded dM her suavely and inconspicuously to a place a little apart from the tha other guests 0 now how I 1 wish he murmured throwing his handsome head back a little and speaking through half closed lips that once just once I 1 could young and pretty woman out to dinner I 1 but it Is always my fate to have middle aged not to say elderly am bassa dresses at my side it Is unthinkable that any man should indulge tn in airy persiflage with dowagers of rank I 1 because they would resent it As as an or because they offer no inducement to levity and indiscretion asked anne who was beginning to enjoy herself again both my dear lady you have no idea how virtuous I 1 am when there Is nothing about to tempt me but in the presence of lovely young matrons matrona with perfect complexions completions complex ions and a gift of repartee I 1 sometimes forget myself but they I 1 suppose always jog your memory said anne demurely oh no not always sometimes they are I 1 forgetful too hows your memory he inquired with a slight drawl excellent said anne with emphasis but senator lassiter Lass lter did not seem to be daunted and when a little later she ehe told him that she thought perhaps per haps breand and neal should he be leaving he informed her with evoli more of a drawl that they could not noi go until after the guests of honor had departed but they will go he said exactly on me tick often thirty that Is the law or of the medes medea and persians the worst of it ii Is that after that you will be arpa to go eo too you will no doubt take advantage of your freedom and I 1 do riot not feel at all sure whan I 1 shall ahal see you again 1 neal and I 1 have been asked to an at other her dinner said anne anna rn in honor of the hammels the are giving it I 1 think it la Is most awfully kind of them to invite us but what I 1 started to say was perhaps you will be there and I 1 might meet you then 1 I see said lassiter Lass lter suddenly grave thank you I 1 shall be there I 1 anne had the sudden uncomfortable feeling that she had made an appointment with him with hla his usual intuition he guessed this and with his usual smooth skillfulness ulness restored her ber composure and at many other festivities which you will attend lie he sat said casually we are certain to move in interlocking circles if not actually the sa same m e one as I 1 rather suspect may be the case I 1 hope you dance I 1 shall permit myself to look for you at the childrens hospital ball ile he bowed slightly in kind and superficial tribute near them a gilt clock chimed softly and struck tile the half hour our the ambassadress who was favoring neal with a few formal remarks instantly extended her hand in farewell and sought the ambassador with her eye what did I 1 tell you I 1 laughed lassiter softly goodby good by dear lady delight CHAPTER XI luncheons teas dinners calls official receptions charity balls evening musicals calls tuesday at III the e senate office building friday afternoons at the congressional club calls calls calls anne had been swept breathlessly into the swing of it almost before she realized what had happened she grew very thin and she slept badly her beauty took on a slightly haggard quality and there were dark circles under her eyes fainter color in her cheeks but what she lost in freshness she gained subtly in sophistication and distinction and she loved it all the overlapping engagements the stiff square creased envelopes delivered delli ered by hand the clanging telephone tile the long cardboard q luncheons teas dinners calls official receptions charity balls evening musicals calls calla flower boxes with their contents shrouded in moist oiled paper and tiny cards tucked in their corners the cool homecomings home comings when she left a heated ballroom just before dawn and felt the fresh breeze in her face as horace drove her swiftly up new hampshire avenue anne was progressing with a rapidity which was sufficiently rare to be remarkable even in that capacity where so many others have been tested and have proven beyond any possible question the fine adaptability of the fine american woman nothing perhaps was more indicative of her advance in savoir faire than the difference in the degree of composure with which she approached the white house when she first drove under its white pillared porte cocheres to deposit her card and neals on the small silver salver extended to her by the manservant in livery her fingers trembled so that she could hardly lay down the neatly folded bits of cardboard the deference which doth hedge in a king and which deny it though we may seems to many of us to hedge in a president also rose before her in all its grandeur terrifying her with its significance her sense of awe persisted all the afternoon and when mrs hammel told her she should follow up this ceremony of card leaving after a little interval with a note to miss bliss hopkinson mrs shaws secretary requesting to be received by the presidents wife her reluctance to take this bold step was as evident in her face as it was in her voice why mrs hammel Hami ael I 1 I 1 surely I 1 ought to wait for her to make the suggestion it if such a suggestion is ever to be madel certainly you ought nott not I 1 do you imagine that mrs shaw spends her leisure moments glancing through the tha cards that are showered upon her and deciding whom to favor with an invitation she never sees those cards she has no leisure moments but miss hopkinson the grim old dragon and a pretty good sort too when you get gel to know her I 1 has you all neatly docketed and knows whether you iivo done right by our nell and all that so run along home goldilocks and get note written I 1 I 1 TO BE BB |