| Show j I 1 queen anne abot W aich xa C 0 e ISM frances ale g IT abye S servias Ser 0 francea parkinson keyes 1110 CHAPTER X continued 23 25 oh neill neal oh how lovely 1 oh 11 you ton cant afford it finished neal mockingly of course I 1 can caal I 1 A man cant afford not to give presents to his wife every now and then besides you youre I 1 re not to worry it Is all paid tor for I 1 had an unexpected check today an account long overdue paid up tip I 1 attended to all our monthly bills ban bang up tip just like that and still I 1 ha bad enough left over for this too the pendant w was as pretty with the glittery dress in fact it wa was s perfect and as anne ande followed by neal swept into the lassiter drawing room while the butler beside the silk cred entrance announced senator and mrs airs conrad both were swiftly conscious of the fact that anne was unsurpassed in elegance by any other worn wom an present senator lassiter who was wals talking with the french ambassadress detached himself immediately from her side and hastened forward while his mother with less nt but with equal cordiality turned to greet them also we are so very happy to have you with us now let me see I 1 wish to be sure you meet every one here tonight have live you met the italian ambassador and donna martinelli Al adanie Es tavi is a friend already I 1 am sure the speaker of the house and mrs airs hastings senator and mrs airs lee senator and mrs airs stone the even cultured voice flowed on two servants ints in purple livery entered hearing silver trays laden with frosty cocktails and tiny savory sandwiches senator lassiter 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 paneled dining room flanked with great real carved sideboards anne feeling as it if she had been transplanted to one of monte alonte cristos banquets hoped that she was successfully concealing the swimming sensa sens a tion which almost overcame her as she seated herself between senator stone and senor estabi 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 and 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 francais ma ala dame mais oui she answered breathlessly lessly her head clel clearing 7 instantly and lan launching nelling into her ne newly aly acquired hut bill fluent french she be began gan to chatter pleasantly with the agreeable little peruvian senator lassiter appearing at her side apparently from nowhere in a an n 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 thin than in the small high chair on which she was then sitting and shepherded her suavely and inconspicuously to a place a little apart from the other guests how I 1 wish he murmured t throw ing his handsome head back a little and speaking through half closed lips that once just on once ce I 1 could take a young solin and pretty wom woman in out to din 1111 tier ner but it is always my fate to lo have middle aged not to say elderly am bassadore bas bassa sadre dresses ases at my side it is able that any man should andul indulge ge in airy persiflage ige with dowagers of rank 11 because they would resent it as an In pertinence or because they offer no 1 inducement to levity and indiscretion t 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 girt gift of repartee 1 I sometimes forget myself but they I 1 suppose always jog your memory said anne demurely oh no not always sometimes they are forgetful too hows your me memory moryl he inquired with a slight drawl xeN lent said anne but senator lassiter did not seem to be di daunted tinted and when a little later she told him that she thought perhaps she and neal should be leaving he in formed her with even more of a drawl I 1 that hat they could collid not go until attie after r the guests of honor had departed but they will go he be said exactly on the tick of ten thirty that is the taw law of the medes and persians the worst of it is that after that you will be free to go too you will no doubt take advantage of your freedom and I 1 do not feel at all sure when I 1 shall see you a again ain 11 neal and I 1 have been asked to another dinner said anne in honor of the nam Ilam mels the Stan dishes are giving it I 1 it is most awfully kind of them to invite us dut 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 suddenly grave thank you I 1 shall be there anne had bid the sudden uncomfortable feeling that she had bad made an appointment with him with his usual intuition he guessed this and with his usual smooth skillfulness restored her composure and at many other festivities which you will attend lie he said casually we are certain to move in interlocking circles if not actually the same 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 he ele bowed slightly in kind and superficial tribute near them a gilt clock chimed softly and struck the W 11 1 14 A 1 11 ek V LA ful A 0 luncheons teas dinners calls official receptions charity balls evening musicals calls half hour 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 laughed lassiter softly goodby good by dear lady delight li 0 ht CHAPTER XI luncheons teas dinners calls ofil cial receptions charity balls evening musicals calls tuesday at the rne senate office building friday afternoons at the congressional club calls calls calls anne ande had been swept breathlessly into the swing of it almost before she realized what had happened she grew very thin and she slept badly iier her beauty took on a slightly haggard quality and there were dark cirl circles cles under her esq eyes fainter color in her cheeks checks but what she lost in freshness she gained subtly in sophistication and distinction and she loved it all the overlapping engagements the stiff square creasea creased envelopes delivered by hand the clanging telephone the long cardboard cardboard 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 pro progressing grossing 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 tine fine adaptability or 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 tile 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 aliss hopkinson mrs airs shaws secretary reque requesting ting to be received by the presidents w wife ire her reluctance to take this bold step was as evident in her face as it was in her voice why mrs airs hammel I 1 surely I 1 ought to wait for her to make the suggestion if such a suggestion is ever to be made certainly you ought not do you imagine that mrs shaw spends her leisure moments glancing through the 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 to know her has you all neatly docketed and knows whether you have done right by our nell and all that so run along home goldilocks and get your note written TO BE CONTIN CONTINUED |
