| Show d if fill 01 drueen A n n e IS lace ale BY ly francaes Franc tes arkinson keyes keyei k 0 frances parkinson keyes service arkel J E t i i ell 6 CHAPTER XI continued 26 0 anne used up tip sheet after sheet of other her new monogrammed paper before he achieved a letter that pleased her j but finally it was written and dis i patched when no answer was imme td dla lately tely forthcoming she experienced a sensation sensation ensa tion of shame surely she ought bever never to have written that notel she N was being snubbed for her temer temerity ityl 1 J teben then when she had resolutely dis L missed the matter from her mind dora 01 came to her one morning mornin wreathed in rL smiles and extended a small square envelope engraved on one corner with othe the ma male magic le words the white house slin in small smal 1 gold old block letters 1 1 this just came mis conrad I 1 61 thought kniebbe like it right w y away 11 the flap crackled under annes eager hands A neat card surmounted by a gilt eagle was disclosed idanne read mrs shaw will be glad to receive mrs conrad on wednesday january seventh at five there said dora triumphantly for dora had been told of course all about the note to miss hopkinson but anne lid did not feel triumphant she felt frightened and when at quarter before rive five on wednesday january an juary seventh she went down her front steps dressed in the sapphire velvet she grew hot and cold by turns but she walked steadily across the white alouse porte cocheres bowed slightly band and serenely to the man who opened the e door for her and regarded the tall Sor formally mally dressed man whom she en countered just inside the entrance with composure 1 this is mrs conrad senator conrads wife I 1 have an appointment to 1 1 see mrs shaw at five yes mrs conrad mrs shaw is expecting you would you like to leave bleave your wraps here now it if you will come with me into the blue room jamrs shaw will be there in just a minute 11 now how nice he is the tall figure chad had vanished and relaxing a little she looked about the circular apartment with its long on draped windows giving glimpses of the garden beyond and abe the white lowers flowers massed about the gilt clock on the mantel piece the door bat at her left clicked and opened and the 4 tall spare formally dressed man came into the room again mrs shaw he said in an impressive whisper mrs shaw extended her hand she sat down herself and asked anno anne to do so and then pleasantly casually and fluently she beg began an to talk anne an ts at first almost in mono sylla bles bles found herself at the end of five minutes sli kii talking pleasantly casually ijane and fluently also for the presidents tr wife am amiable lable composed bious at once put her visitor completely y at ease anne liked her immediately fiand immensely she forgot till all about everything deferential she kemem adhered that this woman sitting besl beside e aher ber abe the first lady of the land had aln her youth worked her way through li college taught school gone to eurove ims the paid chaperon for a group of 0 society girls and marbled marri edan an young youn storekeeper whom liethe ahe had endeavored to incuse inculcate ate with icher ideas of culture anne b agan an to realize ze something of the struggle both for him and his wife that must have ave preceded his ascent to the post tion on of a prosperous cosmopolitan merchant ant of a cabinet member of president ent of the united states just a minute mr cooper mrs shaw was saying calmly anne turned and saw that the tall formally dressed figure was standing in ID the doorway bowing mr cooper has come to let us know that our fifteen minutes together are over mrs conrad I 1 am so sorry but I 1 hope to see you very soon again you will come to the congressional reception of course 11 anne had bad not intended to do anything of the sort but she answered eagerly yes of course 1 1 I am looking forward to it ever so much she found that she really meant this and during the next nest week her view point did not change the fol lowing thursday she was with excitement as she put on the glittery dress and her new pendant and she seized neals arm with an exclamation of pure rapture as their car marked with its blue card swung into the slow line of shining limousines advancing a few feet at a time down west executive avenue and she caught sight of the effulgent globes of light glowing above the wings of the white house like orange colored flowers against the black velvet darkness they passed through the grilled en trance just behind senator and mrs lee As the ladies went into the cloak room to remove their wraps mrs lee linked her arm cordially inside annes elbow stay with us wont you we know the ropes well show you just what to do and where to go so you will see the most they went swiftly past a little room with its many paneled cupboards containing the china of former adminis tra dons through the long corridor where the portraits of the wives of former presidents smiled serenely down from their golden frames in the space beyond they could see the scarlet coated marine band grouped near the front door suddenly the selection which the band was rendering came to an abrupt end and there was a moment of poignant silence then the strains of ila hail to the chief r rang 0 out and a brilliant procession turn turned ed from the broad stairway near the east room and advanced slowly toward the center of the hall the president with mrs shaw on his arm mrs shaw carrying a small sparkling bag in her white gloved hands her long brocaded train lowing flowing from her shoulders like a golden banner the secretary of state and mrs standish who was regal in purple velvet and rose point lace the other members of the cabinet and their wives anne was so close to them that she could have touched them as they passed on into the blue room and the secretary of commerce a hearty jovial sort of person leaned across the silken rope and shook hands with her as he passed mr goldenburg greeting her after a long separation would have welcomed her in much the same manner but there was no time e to stand still making happy comparisons the instant that the presidential party had disappeared mrs lee whisked neal and anne away into the stately dining room where they took their places in line with members of both houses and their wives who were already gathered there single file please the crisp voice of the aide standing at the door of the red room neal stopped behind ann as two ladies paused before an unresponsive president then site she gave her name and neals to the aide who bent to hear them senator and mrs conrad she was shaking hands with the president whose tired face did not relax for an instant from its lines of dark fatigue but there was something personal and cordial in mrs shaws welcome so you did come cornel P she said pleasantly to anne recognizing her instantly 1 I am very glad Is she always so nice anne asked mrs lee as the brief instant of contact tact over they were swept along into the green room oh always she knows the president well that all this is an effort for him and so she tries to make up for his tin unresponsiveness responsiveness shall we go inside behind the line here and get back to the blue room where we can mingle with the members of the cabinet or shall we join the hot hoi in the east room the blue room no I 1 think the east room oh I 1 want to do both I 1 I 1 want to do everything anne exclaimed joyously neal teased her about it afterwards he insisted that theirs was the very last motor to leave the white house that nihl night anne kept running into pleasana pleasant plea sano women with whom she was apparently on the best of terms and presenting neal to them with an eagerness that revealed her immense pride in both her friends and her husband when at last they were on their way home and rolling 0 slowly past the oran orange colored globes of light neal put his arm around her and drew her closer to him im glad youve recovered from your stage fright about WhiteHouse the you fit in there wonderfully do just as well at the job as mrs shaw herself neal anne exclaimed how can you but there was no reproach la in her voice by early spring neal was frankly tired of the social strain and said so he had taken it for granted that they would all leave for hansboro immediately after the adjournment of congress and had looked forward to their homecoming home coming but as anne pointed out the children had their school year to finish and she could not very well leave them besides it would be almost impossible to open tl their I 1 air ow own it house turning on the water and so on until warmer weather came there was no use in having delusions about hillsboro Hin weather in march well what do you propose to do asked neal almost angrily 1 I cant sit around here until june twiddling my thun thumbs Js I 1 have got to get back and tend to my practice it has been neglected too long already yes said anne tactfully 1 I hardly dare say what I 1 am going to she ventured slowly flashing a swift glance toward neal to be sure that it was a propitious time to plunge but I 1 think we ought T to to be separated for a time just as we had bad to be when you went to belford just what do you mean inquired neal grimly 1 I think I 1 should stay on here through the spring with the children and I 1 think you should go back to hillsboro Hin and earn all the money you can in your practice because we are going to need it you can stay with mrs simmons I 1 have written her and she will be glad to have you oh so you have written mrs sim mons already asked neal without marked approval and why this sudden greed for filthy lucre you have always been terribly keen about saving but I 1 never knew you to make a point of spending money be before forel TO BE CONTINUED |
