THE WORKS OF
MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
AFFINITIES
AND OTHER STORIES
The Review of Reviews Corp.
Publishers New York
Published by Arrangement with George H. Doran Company.
Copyright, 1920,
By George H. Doran Company
Copyright, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1915, by the Curtis PublishingCompany
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
| I | Affinities | 9 |
| II | The Family Friend | 55 |
| III | Clara's Little Escapade | 103 |
| IV | The Borrowed House | 161 |
| V | Sauce for the Gander | 237 |
AFFINITIES
I
Somebody ought to know the truth about the Devil's Island affair and Iam going to tell it. The truth is generally either better or worse thanthe stories that get about. In this case it is somewhat better, though Iam not proud of it.
It started with a discussion about married women having men friends. Isaid I thought it was a positive duty—it kept them up to the mark withtheir clothes and gave a sort of snap to things, without doing any harm.There were six of us on the terrace at the Country Club at the time andwe all felt the same way—that it was fun to have somebody thateverybody expected to put by one at dinners, and to sit out dances withand like the way one did one's hair, and to say nice things.
"And to slip out on the links for a moonlight chat with you," saidAnnette, who is rather given to those little pastimes, the mostharmless in the world.
We were all awfully bored that Sunday afternoon. Most of the men weregolfing; and when you meet the same people all the time—day after day,dinner after dinner, dance after dance—anything new is welcome. Reallythe only variety we had was a new drink now and then. Some one wouldcome home from his vacation with a brand-new idea in beverages and orderone all round, and it was a real sensation.
That was all we had had all summer for excitement, except the timeWillie Anderson kissed Sybilla—she was his wife—on a wager. They hadbeen rather cool to each other for a month or so.
We would sit on the terrace and the conversation would be about likethis:
"There's the Jacksons' car."
"Why on earth does Ida Jackson wear green?"
"Hello, Ida! When d'you get back?"
"Yesterday. Bully time!"
Just in time to save us from utter boredom somebody would yawn andremark:
"Here comes the Henderson car."
"Jane Henderson's put