Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-26

No one except Harry Bancroft would
have undertaken the quest, but Harry was
not as all other men. His father. having
reached the financial position where he
could afford the luxury Of an eccentric son,
often chuclxled over the fact His mother.
who Frustrated herself daily before the
altar inscribed The Right Thing" grieved
over his conduct. secretly and openly, little
dreaming that she owed her social position
to her sons genius for doing the unexpe IT
ed. the daringly original, rather than to her
husbands mere millions. Society-with a
capital S-wl' condescend to be amused
when 1t scorns to be fed.
The quest started in a 5th avenue stage
on the night of the Spencer-Jones cotillon-
The Bancroft horses were In use, Mrs Ban
croft and Helen having invited the Court
ney girls to share their box at the Metro
politan. Harry had telephoned the club,
only to learn that there was not q hanson
on the stand So there was nothing for II
but stage and Harry signaled the luIn-
bering vehicle with a growing sense of irrl-
D. tion at Mrs. Spencer-Jones for having
selected Calve night for her cotillon, and
at the perversity of cabs for invariably be-
ing scarce on stormy nights
The stage plunged forward just as he
reached the top step, and he rasped the
crown of his hat as he was preclpitateo
through the narrow door. The scowl deep
hand, he smoothed the nap. Bancroft had
always held that while clothes might not
make the man, his hat certainly stamped
his attire. He gave one last critical glance
at its polished surface, set 1t firmly,
sQuarely on his head, and once more looked
the world in the face.
And such face as the world turned to-
ward him at this particular moment In the
dim light of the swaying stage, Oval, al
most classical in its outlines, under sauny
coils of deep gold hair of that tint which
only Dame Nature, pastmistress OF color
ing, can spin Dark brown eyes that
might be meltingly tender, but which just
now were dancing with amusement at his
too Obvious annoyance. And lips that were
gentle even in their mirth-
Bancroft, the fastdious, noted even INC
dress so inconspicuous that no single oe-
tail stood forth SEEING that she had at
tracted his attention. the g ri flushed sI1gnt-
ly and her face turned expresslonless But
not before Bancroft, raising ms ginnce
from the tails on her great fox boa to me
coils of spun gold under her brown velvet
hat caught the delicate flush as 1t passed,
and. looking, he was lost
If Helen did not know this girl, IL was
her sisterly duty to make the acquaintance
on the morrow. Girls must know how to
manage these things. If only he knew her
name or address.
Then the province which tenderiy guards
children, fools and lovers, interviewed. A
micdle-aged woman clambered into the
stage. There was joyful meeting, from
winch Cne ODSeTNdnl bdHCtolt Sdthci tuas
the newcomer had once taught Mss D1-
vinity, and was greatly surprised to meet
her In New York. She called the girl
Alicia, or Miss Bronson, according to the
emotion of the moment, and the younger
woman. in turn. offered the ,nformatio
that she and papa" were stopping at
quiet but fashionable apartment hotel near
Washington Square.
Under cover of smoothing his rnustache,
Bancroft conned the name and address sew
eral times. Then sudden terror possessed
him. His memory, always treacherous,
would lose it's grip on that address before
he reached the coat room at Sherry's In
desperation, he ran through the pockets OF
his top coat and found the stub of dance
card pencil, but no scrap of paper. With
q guilty air, quite lost on Miss Divinity,
who was chatting unconcernedly with her
companion, he scrubbed the address on The
white silk lining of his hat, and carefully
turned the band back over the tell tale
words. Then he woke up to a realization that
he was seven blocks below his destination,
and. with last lingering look AT Miss d.
vinity he plunged into the inky blackness
of the night. Two hours later he looked up
to find his hostess studying him curiously.
Something on your mind, Harry"
Yes, something pleasant" he replied
spinning her jeweled fam like an ivory der
wish, on the palm Of his hand. You would
laugh If you knew"
Tell me. then, quick! I want to laugh"
THAT is just why l think had better not
tell you. l don't want you to laugh at
this"
Soon after he slipped away. Somehow, he
wanted to get to the club, where there