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"Then You'll Remember Me
(Edison)
By JOHN ELLERIDGE CHANDOS
* *
Simon Morgan, President of the Clinton National Bank of New York City, was about to descend the staircase at the Barney reception, when he became pocketed in a group of ladies, and overheard the remark which arrested his attention. It came from a charming young woman in a black lace gown, escorted by an elderly one overweighted with dignity.
"Who is that man with the snowwhite hair?" she asked, in a gentle, appealing voice, "the one standing alone, and staring at the library door."
Her companion, a woman of sufficient embonpoint to establish the solidity of her social status, and of an age not above suspicion, tho calculated to inspire respect, put up her lorgnette and surveyed the fairy scene below.
"Jessica Raymond !" she replied, in a tone intended to be impressive, if not delicately reproachful. "You stated distinctly that you desired to see the house, and did not care to meet any one, particularly strangers."
"I know," Jessica interposed, sweetly. "I asked the question from curiosity, pure and simple. I like his face, it is so — so human."
Banker Morgan was near enough to address the elder lady.
"Pardon me, Mrs. Van Antwerp," he said, with assumed deference, "I chanced to overhear the inquiry made "
! ' Who is he ? " Jessica begged.
"He is especially invited by General Barney," the banker smiled. "He is a stranger, but recently come, with a letter from our correspondents in Sydney, Australia. ' '
"His name?" Jessica implored.
"Mr. Henry Waters," Morgan replied. "At present free, but soon to be engaged on important engineering work. ' '
Mrs. Van Antwerp turned her lorgnette on the bank president, stared in surprise, then honored him with a mere salutation, as tho she knew him by sight but not in such an environment. The younger lady also bowed, but added a friendly smile in acknowledgment of his courtesy or in compensation for her chaperon's indifference.
There was another crush a few steps further down, and, this time, Morgan found himself at the side of Jessica.
"May I ask," he smiled, "why you used the term ' human, ' as you did ? ' '
Jessica glanced up brightly, hesitated, played with her fan, then responded :
' l He looks as tho he had made a lot of mistakes which had cost him dear, but had faced them bravely and started all over again, softened by his sorrows. ' '
"More than that," the banker added, "he has been strengthened in conquering difficulties that fall to the lot of few men. You are a keen judge of character."
"Ah, no," Jessica sighed, "mine was only a fortuitous guess. ' 9
She passed on with the throng, entering the reception-room, while Morgan, who had been temporarily separated from Waters, rejoined the white-haired Australian. The latter stood like one oblivious of his surroundings, an unnatural pallor showing under the tan of his sun-kist cheeks, his eyes fixed upon a small crystal luster hanging between two Ionic columns. Tne slender pillars of marble supported an arch over a graceful door. On each side were flowers in long Etruscan vases, breaking the straight lines of dark silken drapery and velvet wall panels.
"What is particularly interesting about that door ? ' ' the banker asked.