Tragedy Trail | Page 2

said Mrs. Burke. "She's a widow, same as I am,
only she's rich, and about twenty-eight, and moves in the highest
society. She's the first society woman I ever knew about who went into
such a thing sincerely. It isn't just a plaything with her. She has helped
the girls a lot."
"I suppose I'd better run in and see how Mabel is before I get ready for
dinner," Alice Patton said.
"She's got a headache, that's all," Mrs. Burke persisted. "This is going

to be an awful night; I can feel it in my bones. The air is so heavy and
depressing."
"That's due to the decaying vegetables in the Italian grocery across the
street," Alice Patton responded.
She hurried into the house, ran quickly up the stairs, tossed her hat on
the bed in her own little room, and then hurried to the room of her
particular chum, Mabel Higgins.
Miss Higgins was stretched across the foot of her bed, with a wet towel
wrapped around her head.
"It's the same old thing, Alice," she complained. "I endured it all
morning, and went to the girls' club for lunch, and then decided that I'd
come home. Mrs. Roberts was there, and she said it would be foolish
for me to go back to work."
"You've been using your eyes too much."
"We've got to get that centerpiece done, Alice. We haven't much more
time."
"Don't you worry about that," Alice Patton told her. "I'll come in here
after dinner and work on it as late as I can; or I'll take it to my own
room, if you want to keep the lights out here."
"Please come in," Mabel decided. "I'll be all right if I just stay still for a
time."
"Want some dinner?"
"No. I told Mrs. Burke that she might bring me some tea and toast;
that's all I can eat. I'll be all right in an hour or so if I keep quiet. I feel
so--so creepy!"
"It's the weather, Mabel. It makes me feel shivery, too. I think there is
going to be a storm."

Alice Patton went to her own room again, and ten minutes later was in
the big dining room eating with the others. The meal at an end, she
hurried back to her chum's room. Mabel Higgins had consumed her tea
and toast.
"Where's that centerpiece?" Alice demanded.
"In the top drawer of the bureau."
"Sure you don't want me to go to my own room to work?"
"No, dear. I'm much better now. And we can talk if you work at it in
here. My head doesn't ache so bad if I keep my eyes closed and don't
move around."
Alice Patton took the big centerpiece from the drawer, sat down beside
the table, adjusted the light, and began the work.
"To think that Jessie Simpson will be a bride before the end of another
week!" she said.
"She's getting a good man, too," Mabel added. "He's steady and
straight."
"A plumber!"
"They make tremendous wages, dear. Jessie is a lucky girl. She'll have
a dandy flat."
"And she'll have some centerpiece to put on her table!" Alice Patton
said.
"I showed it to Mrs. Roberts at noon, and she said that we had done
fine. She told me about a new stitch, too."
"This needle is about as dull as it could be."
"You'll find a couple of new ones in that little envelope on the dresser.
Mrs. Roberts gave them to me. They are a better kind for this sort of

work, she said. She had a package of them--just got them at the
dealer's."
"She's a funny rich woman," Alice Patton commented; "always wanting
to be at work."
"She was working on a scarf to-day--and it was some scarf!" Mabel
Higgins said. "She just loves to do fancy work, even if she is rich. I'll
bet she almost pays the rent of that little shop where she buys her stuff.
I went there with her once. A queer little fellow runs it. He's some sort
of foreigner. Mrs. Roberts told me that he knows more about
embroidery and silks and needles and patterns than any woman on earth.
He's really an expert."
"Deliver me from being an expert on embroidery!" Alice Patton
exclaimed. "When we get this centerpiece finished I am done with
embroidery for life! If you ever decide to get married, Mabel, I'll buy
you a cut-glass pickle dish."
She got the package of needles, selected one and threaded it, and sat
down to resume her work. There was silence for a time. And then
Mabel Higgins started to get up from the bed.
"Better lie still," Alice advised.
"I just want a drink of water."
"Stay on the bed, and I'll get it for you.