The Man in Lonely Land

Robin French held out a hand first to Mrs. Channing Warr

have some tea! No lemon, and one lump. One. That's a sick-looking fire, Hope. Good gracious! I just did catch that vase of flowers! Such a stupid fancy, p

n-coming deluge, was an impulse, but only with her feet could effort be made for self-preservation, and as she refilled the cup held out to her by the breezy visitor she blessed the table which served as

behind her, sat down, and, taking the cup again, drank its entire contents. "Pretty good tea, Hope; at most places it's undr

eyond recall. Claudia's hand st

Have taken thirty man

g nerves and called

. "Nerves and nonsens

her. How did you like

nd began to smoke, neither Mrs. Warrick nor Miss Keith answered, each waiting for the other; but it did not matte

as have a picture taken." She took it up. "Winthrop would hardly take prizes at a be

editors of the Review made him send his picture when that article of his came out on 'Tax Terrors and Tax Tra

s French put down her cigarette

mo

her head. "Tha

on't toboggan all at once. Have you seen this picture of Hope's crank of a brother? You needn't expect to meet him. He comes of good Vermo

antly toward Miss French. "Claudia only got here

s-men friends-than any man I know. He's rotten spoiled; that's what's the matter with him. He's been chased, I admit. What uncaught man of means

an tell me where Kroonstater's is? No one here seems to know, and every day I get further commissions from my county which can only be filled there. Years ago some one from

nch again put up her lorg

You don't know the joy of shopping if you don't know a st

sed one of those downtown stores once, and the crowd in it was something awful. You never know what ki

demands are many, and their dollars few. And, then, I love to see the crowd. Their pennie

nd as if she had possibly found it she looked closer at her friend's guest. Not the youth, not the fair skin now flushed with color that came and went, nor the long dark lashes, nor

. Have you eve

ch shook

ghter, and incredulity that was genuine.

ev

nd chin in the palms

as intently as Miss Fr

eard, I suppose, of

or Essex, or Lancaste

h, aren't they? Is t

e on the Rappahannock.

ve to take the boat

e, unless we cross the

r to the Potomac sid

e you ever been

been pretty wel

s which were smoking. "You mustn't die before seeing it. There isn't so

ertainly not a plate of fashion-that is, not a French plate-but she was graceful, and her clot

ss the big one this year-Thanksgiving com

he country must

came together on her breast. "Of course"-her eyes were raised to Miss French

ped on her coat, fastened her veil, picked up her muff, shook it, and l

she loved Christmas in the country. I can't imagine anything worse, unless it's Christmas in town. I hate Christma

ess. She was a handsome woman, stubbornly resisting the work of time. In her eyes was restless seeking, in her movements an energy that could not be

id. "I am just going home, as your sister hasn

f cutting it out every now and then." He turne

was put feebly. "Do stay. Oh, I beg your pardon, Claudia, you were so far off! You haven't met my brother. Winthrop, thi

le, and shook her head as he started toward her. "Don't come, Jenkins is out there with the car. I'd stay to dinner, but Hope doesn't enjoy hers if ther

f Robin, but of late she's been even more energetic and emphatic than usual, and I feel like I'm

took up the sugarbowl. "It was Miss French, I guess. She's such a-

, Miss Keith. Thank you. Perhaps this is sweet enough." "Winthrop just takes tea to have the sugar, He's as bad as Dorothea about sweet things." Mrs. Warrick turned to he

ht. I've an office down-town. In your part of the world, Miss Keith, don't

rick's arm. "Will you excuse me, Hope? I have a letter to write." She bowed slightly in Lain

. "Do sit down, Winthrop, and let's talk. I'm so glad to h

ng but leave after your insistence upon having things to tell me. What in the name

with one of her sisters whose husband was secretary or something to one of our ministers or somebody-but she doesn't know New York at all. She's met a number of her friend's friends already, and I won't have to scoop up men for her. Last night at the Van Doren's she had more

y as she can repeat them she'd make a fortune. I

ng's year, and of course we ought to go to his mother, as she is too old

ned forward and with the tongs turned a smoldering log. "But it's incomprehensible how a woman

illor's debutante daughte

s she? Poor child! The pa

ek ago she'd rather die than be a debutante. But she'll get on. Her mother will

at his watch. "What t

rs. Taillor will be so pleased. Don't forget to send the child flowers. I wonder if Claudia is ready. Dorothea grabs her every chance she gets, and I don't