Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-09


'rNow see here my dear cousin, think or
what YOU are saying. Suppose 1 were to
take YOU at your word?' Bert Randolph
drew his hands from his pockets and
Strengthened his shoulders. He gave jose
phlne an opportunity 10 think up an answer
as he paused to throw a log on the sinking
CRATE fire. but no answer was forthcoming,
so he went on.
Josephine Harley was holding her opal
ring in a shaft of sunlight, and with her
head on one side was admiring the eoiors
Only her over-pink cheeks showed that her
temper was ruffied.
u suppose you've said a lot of things you
don't really mean. You always do. But IL
you mean any of the things you've said
it's time for you to be looking out. l don't
know what to think about it
Suppose you try not TO think about 1t
at all aud put all of your attention on your
own business" suggested Josephine.
Il call it my own business in this case
! hate to see any girl be made TOOL or
and when the girl happens to be my own
relation, I'm pretty apt to tell her what
she's doing. You can't do yourself any
thing but harm 10y being constantly seen
with a man like Jack Redmond, ana just
for my sake I ask you to be careful
Josephine slipped the ring onto her finger
and stood up.
80 GU q better choose your words Il Illl4e
more carefully, Bert Randolph! The fac
that you happen to be my third cousin does
not give you the right to come here to my
home and insult ne. And you needn't be
trying to set me against my friends in this
underhanded manner. l know why you hate
Jackie was man enough to tell me why,
And you needn't try TO make me think It s
because he's monster No one else
thinks so.
10. did Redmond tell you why I refused
to introduce him here? Did he? If he told
You Onc-half or one-Quarter of the truth
there may lie tn making of a man IN him.
in spite Of appearances. What did he tell
DO YOU think / need to talk about this
with you? 1t was bad enough TO ind out
that you were shielding yourself behind
man who is really innocent, without trying
10 take away his friends"
What's. that" demanded Bert sternly
II shield myself behind that lump Of
dough-
And YOU needn't use that tone with me
either. I'm going to repeat what l said In
the first place. Uutl you can show me
proof that Jack Redmond Is not the gentle
man he seems 70 be you need not say another
word to me about him. And please remem-
Der that if he should be you say, a for
tune hunter that my money is al my own
disposal. ! am twenty-one and quite able
to take care of myself, and II were not |
have my guardian. Good afternoon And
she swept from the room, looking back at
him from between the crimson dcor-hang-
ings. with her dark gypsy face glowing with
anger.
When he heard the steps tap along
the upper hall and then the banging of
the door Bert damned his soft hat on
his head and left the house Il wonder
what the scoundrel has told her. Some
silly escapade where he turns himself
into a hero and makes me appear as a
jealous opponent, 1 suppose. Before l
finish with him he'll know what raw
hide feels like. Poor little girl" he
he ugbt Of ToSanhfOa
had defended the fellow She's just ro-
mantle enough to like his honey-col-
oTed hair and empty eyes, and the verse
twaddle he writes her every time he
picks a violet Twenty-one and able to
take care of herself. 1t evidently hasn't
occurred to her that being only her third
cousin. as she reminds me, gives me the
permission to fall in love with her"
As he reached the corner by the old
square house that the Randolphs had &C.
cupied so many generations Bert whis-
tied and his dog Trixie came bounding to
meet him "Trixic" said Bert as he
Lady Josephine, won't WEI" Trixie wig
gled an assent
After a sleepless night Bert went to see
Josephlne's guardian at his downtown law
Offices. Old Anthony TowIe had the be-
nignant fatherly expression oftenest met
with on the faces OF bachelors. He had
cared for Bert's money interests and been
his chief adviser since the death of Bert's
father, and the young fellow had always
called him uncle"
We'll my boy. what can / do for your"
said he as he swung around from his desk
and twlrled a chair toward Bert with a
dexterous twist of a corpuleut leg. Want
some advicc2 Been losing money? Lose IL
all. my boy, lose It all. and when you've
scratched UP a little for yourself Il won't
go quite so fast
Bert grinned. Then he said: NO. you've
been giving me advice for q good many