Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-27

romantic girl like Sally. And here is Mr..
Atwood devoted to her. and she treats him
shamefully."
Tears of evaporation filled Mrs. Belden's
eyes, Henry. you must forbid it,
You are right, my dear, quite right"
agreed her husband cycling his watch fur
lively: Some other time-of course I
should like to speak to her now-but this
engagement
He pushed back his chair with suspicious
haste. as a tall, slender girl listlessly en-
tered the dining room.
Good morning. Sally-sorry to be In such
a rush-important engagement There
was perceptible note of relief in Mr.. Bel
denis voice as he hurried into the hall and
the front door banged behind him.
Mrs Belden was magnfcently contemp
tuous of her deserving spouse.
Sally" she began-Mrs. Belden never
wasted time on preliminaries-'if you want
to make fool of yourself with that beg
carly. grinning imposition of a French
count, 1 wish you wouldn't select other
peoples houses to do 1t in. Everybody at
Mrs. Van Rensellar's was talking about it
'Indeed!'' returned that young lady. de-
family, And who was everybody may
ask? And what did 1 do that Tom Atwood
excuse me. 1 mean 'everybody'-shouid
gossip about me?'
People will talk" retorted her sister.
Even about you. You cannot expect to
sit all evening In a secluded corner of
conservatory with so widely criticised an
adventurer as Count de Castro Il think he
is French hairdresser myself and not
como in for some of the criticism. AS for
Tom Atwood-you know very well that
wild horses couldn't make him say any
thing against YOU"
He knows enough to attend to his own
business" said Sally. calmly helping her
self to a muffin.
Il wish you did," cried her sister. ex-
asperated. well. it's your own affair.
You will find your French hairdresser out
in time-I only hope it will be before you
La Del
will have made yourself conspicuous and
have flung over Tom Atwood-and every
body will be laughing at you"
They'll stop when I'm countess" re-
As Mrs. Belden looked at the lovely.
mutinous face across the table her anger
suddenly melted.
Sadly" she said earnestly. give him
up. He is not one of US. He is only ac-
cepted upon sufferance. Even the name
he bears may not be his own. No one
knows his object in living here
II know what 1t isl cried Sally. She
knew his reason from his own lips. She
knew. too. from that same reliable
source, In what world of romance he
and might be hers-when his political ene-
mics were COMPOUNDED. But her lips were
sealed. Indeed, she had already said more
than she had right to say. She stood
dark eyes.
Mrs. Beldens heart sank
Sally. Sally!" she cried. in a sort of
desperation.
To be object OF hatred in powerful
but distant political enemies is one thing;
to be disliked by a clever, influential wom-
an near at hand Is quite another. The
Count de Castro seemed to suffer the first
without any obvious serious inconven-
ience; the second brought him face to face
with an unexpected catastrophe.
Mrs. Belden was an active and influential
member Of the Country Club. and 1t hap
pened that when that exclusive body made
out Its lists of invitations for the annual
Halloween dance the illustrious name Of
the Count de Castro was omitted
When 1t finally dawned on that gentleman
that the omission had been Intentional he
followed the example of masculinity of less
distinguished lineage and in the solitude Of
his apartment heaped choice epithets on
the club, its members in general and Mrs
Belden in particular. For, with unerring
facility, he at once selected her as the
prime factor in his social eclipse
The Frenchman was quick to realize that
the situation bristled with unexpected DIM
culties. A marriage with the slender dark
eyed heires did not seem the simple step
Of few days before. Mrs. Belden was
openly against him. The girl herself might
suspect something wrong; she miEht
even decline t.. believe his unsupported as
sertions. Today the heiress was his. To-