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 CHAPTER

XI

Rieptes from the swimming party spread to wash far shores. Although the participants had been sworn to secrecy, the details had of course been whispered confidentially, adorning themselves with rich imaginings as they travelled. For this, the inopportune electrician was blamed, the indictment against him being strengthened by the astounding fact that Wally Dangerfield, seeking to bribe him into a promise of silence, had been effectually snubbed. ‘To the indirect procurement of the outsider was attributed a specially lively brace of paragraphs in Town Topics, even less veiled than was typical of that journal’s transparent allusions. Penetrating within the virginal confines of the Sisterhood School where it was naturally upon the Index Expurgatorius, thespublication entranced Pat and also contributed in no small degree to her prestige. Having a sister who was involved in a T.T. scandal was feather for any girl’s cap! Pat cherished the glittering ambition of one day appearing in those glorifying pages herself. She wrote to Dee begging to be told all about it. In return came a letter informing her of her sister’s engagement to Jameson James. Connie also wrote saying that it had come

off at last, it was

a very good thing, and

everybody was satisfied. But the senuine opinion of the betrothal went forth from the pen of obert Osterhout to, or perhaps only toward, the dead Mona. “I do not pretend to understand it, my dearest,” he wrote, “and what I do not understand I do not like.

scientific spirit of resentment. 118

The

Dee is still unawakened.