Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-19

y00 GAIT
hooked It him. was Thinking.
''Weuf' he demanded.
Tive changed my minAV
Oh. Mag. Mag. did you ever SEE the man
.-ugiy as q cannfoai he may % and old a.
the cannibals great srandfather-that
couldn't be persuaded he WAS q lady -killerr
His manner changed altogether. He
pumped down on the lounge and patted
a wink that was deadly.
But. Mrs. Dowaserr' 1 exclaimed CO.
Quettishly.
"oh. that's all right. little onsi She
playing bridge she forgets even to be teal-
GUS"
Playing bridge" I murmured sweetIy.
way of in Philadelphia. while you. you
naughty man.
Oh. he loved thatI
mot so naughty as-as I'd like to be-"
he beloved. heavily witty. And she isn't
way on in Philadelphia either. She's just
what's the natter"
''Nothing-nothing. Did she recognise
me?'
"oh, that's what scared you. is IT. She
got that second glimpse Of you with your
hat and jacket on. But even II she had
no! no! no! I say; do you know. you
couldn't convince the bishop and Henrietta.
coat and hat we advertised weren't taken
by little girl that was daffy Fact; I swear
It'll They admit you took the coat, you little
witch. but 1t was when you were out Of
your mind-of course-of Counsel The very
fact that she left the coat behind her and
took nothing else from the house shows q
mind diseased insisted Henrietta. OF
course-of counsel And her coming for no
reason at all to your house. adds the bish-
op. 80 Say what was the reasonr'
Maggie, I'll tell you q hard thing: It isn't
when people think worse OF you than you
are. but better that you feel most uncom-
f0rfah ont nd fnaf Of ma
at the thought Of my poor little bishop.
loved him for believing me straight and
I've been dying Of curiosity to know
what was in your wise little head that
day., he went on. oh 1t was wise all
right; that wink you gave me was perfectly
sane: there was method in that madness Of
yours"
IT will tell you Mr. Ramsay" said
sweetly. lat supper"
Supper"
Yes the supper you're going to get for
me-"
His believing laughter filled the place
Maggie. our little fiat and our few things
don't go well with sounds like that.
"Oh. you're all alike. you women he
roared "All right. supper 1t is. Where
shall we go-Rectors?"
pouted.
TITS so much more cozy right here" I
said. "I'll telephone. There's Brophy's.
just round the corner, and they send in the
lovelest things"
on, Inoy 40! ven. Tell Oil u DoSHh
sending" I thought he'd follow me out in
the hall to the phone, but he was having
some trouble in pulling out his purse-to
count out his money suppose. I got Cen
knew it all right: I had called up that
same number once. already, today.
Brophy's? Why. Maggie Monahan. you
ought to know there's no Brophys. At
least none that ever heard about.
With my hand over the mOuthpiece. so
that nobody heard but Edward. I ordered
a supper fit for kng-or chorus girl!
What didn't I order! Champagne broiled
lobster crab meat. stuffed pimentoes. kir-
schaffe-everything I'd ever heard Beryl
Blackburn tell about.
Say. say" interrupted Edward. coming
out after me. That's enough OF that stun
Tell him to send in a Scotch and soda and
what"
For at that moment the connection was
made and cut in sweetly with:
MRS. Edward Ramsay?-just a minute"
Mag. you should have seen the mans
face! 1t was red. 1t was white; 1t was fu-
rious. 1t was frightened.
put my hand a moment over the mouth
piece and turned on him then. I've got
her on the phone at Mrs. Gates house.
Shall tell your wife where you are. Ed
ward? . . Just a moment. Mrs. Ramsay.
hold the wire; some one wants to speak
you little devilr' His voice was thick
with rage.
Yes. you called me that some time ago.
but not in that tone. Quick. now-the door
or 80 Waiting. Mrs. Ramsay"
He moved toward the door
How'll know you won't tell her when
I'm gomez" he growled.
Merely by my saying that won't" I
answered CURLY. You're in no position to
dictate terms; am"
But could. without leaving the phone.
latch the chain on the door behind him.
leaving IT half open. So he must have
heard the rest.
Eyes, Mrs. Ramsay. waitingT' I croaked
like the driest kind Of hello girl. II was
mistaken. It was a message left to be de-
livered to you-not some one wanting to
speak with you Who am I? Why, this Is
Central. Here is the message: VIII be with
you in half an hour Signed Edward 80
Yes. that's right Thank YOU Good night"
hung up gave the door a touch that
shut 1t in his face and went back into the
dining room to throw open the windows
The place smelled Of alcohol; the moral at
mosphere left behind by that bad old man
stckened me.
leaned out and looked at the stars
and tried to think of something sweet and
wholesome and strengthening.
"Ah. Nance I cried to myself with a
sob-I had pretended to take 1t lightly
enough when he was here. but now-'if
you had heard Of a girl who. like your
self. this evening. unexpectedly met two
men she had known and the good man
ignored her and the bad one followed her
oh. Nancy-what sort Of girl would you
think she was at heart? What sort Of
hope could you imagine her treasuring for
her own future? And what sort of Sig
nificance would you attach to"
And just then the bell rang again.
This time I was sure 1t was you. And,
o Maggie. I ran to the door eager for the
touch Of your hand and the look In your
eyes. I was afraid to be alone with my
own thoughts. was afraid Of the con-
clusion to which they were leading me.
Maggie, II ever a girl needed comfort and
encouragement and heartenIng. I did then.
And got 1t, dear.
For there was a man at the door. with
great basket Of azaleas-pale. pink earth
stars they are. the sweet innocent things
and a letter for me. Here 1t Is. Let me
read It to you.
my dear Miss Omar:
Once on a time there was a Luckless
Pot. marred In the making. that had the
luck to be of service to Pipkin.
It was a saucy Pipkin. though very
winning one and 1t had all the health
and strength the poor Pot lacked-physi-
cal1y. Morally-morally. that young Pip
kin was in a most unwhoesome condition.
Already its fair smooth surface was
scratched and fouled. 1t was unmindful
of the treasure of good It contained and
its responsibility to keep that good intact.
And 1t seemed destined to crash itself to
pieces among pots of baser metal.
What the Luckess Pot did was httle-
1T