No. 13 Washington Square

nished from Mrs. De Peyster's sitting-room by a wood fire that crackled in the grate; crackled most decorously, be it added, for Mrs. De

udoir, sat Mrs. De Peyster herself-she was born a De Peyster-carefully transferring her jewels from the trays of the safe to leathern cases. She looked quite as Mrs. De Peyster should have looked: with an aura of

don-a trifle spare, and a trifle pale, and though in a manner well enough dressed her clothes had an air of bewilderment, of general irresolution, as thoug

acked the fortune to attract the conservative investor who is looking for a sound business proposition in her he promises to support; she had lacked the good looks to lure on the lover who throws himself romantically away upon a penniless pretty face; and she had not been clever enough to attract the man so irrationally bold as to set sail upon the sea of matrimony with a woman of brains. And so, her brief summer at an end, she had recede

r kinswoman's composed exterior. As a matter of fact, under the trying circumstances which confronted Mrs. De Peyster, any other household would have been in confusion, any lesser woman might have been headed toward hysteria. But centuries of having had its own will had establi

open door of her bedroom-hesita

irl stepped in. "Ye

nce more, and inquire if there is any news about

Mrs. De Peyster's desk a

n Caroline,

ning toward the telephone,-"u

was hung up. Mrs. De Peyster stro

dner,-any trace

earned nothi

Harvey? When wi

ors of the New York and New England Railroad, and

ll have the jewels ready very shortly, and Matilda will be in to

h an excited flutter after Miss Gardner had gone into the bedroom. "I

w persons with whom Mrs. De Peyster could bring herself to unbend and be confid

appe

him since. Of course, it may only be some wild escapade, but then he knew we were

atened to bestrew the floor. "Went a week ago!" And then suddenly: "Why, that was about the time that first r

newspapers," was Mrs. De Peys

have told

advised with Judge Harvey, and he has a

ey have

as you just heard

-these thugs and hold-up men we

: "I am hoping it is merely some boyish prank. But e

arranging with Mrs. Quintard

p-Jack and Ethel being th

was very cle

"You may not have noticed it, Olivetta," she continued, permitting a sigh

rly!

fact, I have observed a number of thin

t a worry he m

he best. And now, please, w

which in the mean time Mrs. De Peyster had finished putting in their

pleased with

fortunate in finding a secretary who is not above some of the dut

rue," mused Olivetta. "She's reall

has never paid her the slig

e's just the sort of girl who attracts men-and-an

her if she were in love or engaged. She said she was no

be a great relief aft

ed, as though at some

arie was actually a spy for Mrs

ting money besides the wages I

n't stop at anything to win your place as

" Mrs. De Peyster retur

ere entered a woman of middle age, in respectable dull

s. De Peyster. "The servan

ere's just William and me left. And the men have

instructed, and made clear to them abo

And they al

eyster. "You have Mr.

things he may want

continue helping Miss

She trembled-blinked her e

there's-there's

e?" queried Mr

are six or seven young men f

ariable custom regarding reporters to have acted without referring this matter to me. It is a distin

pful and indignant Olivetta. "But

d them you were never interviewed. But," she ended helplessly,

hem," Mrs. De Peys

who drew me aside and whispered that he didn

re!" exclaimed

He said something about calling the page 'Annual Exodus of Social Leaders.' He wants to print that painting of you by that new foreign artist in the center of the page."

ive him my invariable answer," wa

put in Olivetta, with eager diffidenc

sked Mrs. De P

th you in the center of the page-with you in the center of them all, where you belong! Why, Caroline,-why-why-"

admitted Mrs. De Peyster. "But I see n

ore of diffidence in her eagerness. "You have taken up M. Dubois-you have been his most distinguished patron-you hav

interestedness of this argument; then she considered an instant; and in the main it

apers without discrimination, you may give photographs to all the reporters who

well,

all of t

can, ma'am." And

uired Olivetta, with the haste of one w

get me a bit of dinner and I

es this make that

ster answered carelessly. "T

tful with unenvious env

leasure," corrected Mrs. De Peyster. "It

ou that summer, we only did the watering-places. But now"-a note of ecstatic desire came into her voice,

ain gave her cousi

allowing M. Dubois to pay

sudden color tinted the too-early autumn of h

a very good

too much of your position to think of such a thing. Since you-sin

er; and she kissed Olivetta with her duchess-like kind

t's always f

with nervous hands tried to press into order

the relief of movement. "I think I shall take a turn about the house to se

n the stairs. As they neared the ground floor, Matil

d into her reception-room. Instantly there sprang up and stood before her a young man with the bland, sm

at these invaders in helpless wrath,

wouldn't go." And before punishm

go, as you requested. The sailing of Mrs. De Peyster, under the attendant circumstances, is a piece of news of first importanc

glaring at him with

is is an

ly, it is only our duty. Our duty to our papers, and to the great reading public. And when newspaper men are doing the

er was almost

ho are

my name. Of

That yellow,

er. His voice sank to an

ut as a matter of fact we give our readers more live, entertaining, and respectful matter about society people than any other paper in New York. It's just what the common people love. And now"-easil

flamed out Mrs. De Peyster. "And w

ng of the human dynamo. Also it was his private opinion that he was of the order of the super-reporter; nothing ever "got by him." "And so," he went on without a pause, "since the engagement is not denie

hing whatev

g of it as such, but that's what it is; and most interesting, I assure you; and I, for one, trust that you will retain your supremacy, for I know-I know," he repeated with emphasis-"that Mrs. Allistair has used some methods not altogether-s

say!" gasped Mrs. De Peyster

you, of course, understand that we newspaper men interpret a refusal to speak as an answer in the affirmative. Thank you very much fo

moment the place where

frontery!" explod

sympathetic Olivetta. "I hope they won't real

onal marriage. And then, after respectful adieus, the Duke had sailed away-and within a month the papers were giving columns to his scandalous escapades with a sensational Spanish dancer of parsimonious drapery. Whereupon the rumors of Mrs. De Peyster's previously gossiped-of marriage with the now notorious D

rked with returning dignity, "but while the matter is up, I will

tions had her blood been trained to ways of dignity, and too long had she herself been drilled in composure and self-esteem and in

lda came hurrying up from the nether regions of the house. "Did yo

t relief in Mrs. De Peyster'

minut

he say

me in the back way, through the s

hat ominously, she turned and began to mount the stairs, followed by Olivetta and Matilda. But as she passed the l

stepped to the door; but by instinct she was no eavesdropper, and she would not come upon people in compromisi