Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-28


| Il haven't made up my mind yet" Mary
replied: you have always ignored me at
your wife's entertainments, and one can
not form an opinion in a moment
He leaned more toward her. decidedly
she was beautiful. he thought; the curve
OF her chin and throat WIS perfect. III
you are unprejudiced l think l can make
you form a good opinion" he said: "at
set you against me-"
Mary gave him another enignatical
glance: "rhey?" she replied innocentiy;
'who?'
He turned his eyes away. little dis
comf1ted. "Oh. the other fellows OF
course. he retorted.
| There was a pause: Mary let him feel
i that his speech had been in bad taste. and
| then she changed the note of the converse
| ton. There Is Mr.. Schelling." she said
| one can see his head rising with Its white
bald spot on top like Fuji-yama. Can you
tell me why he frightens poor little Mr..
| Apple?''
Cheever laughed softly his equanimity
| restored. Does her he said; "Schellng' 8
| here with lobby: Apples a poor little
! Cevil. in debt 70 his nose. l can fancy that
! ScEel!ins: may have a handle, and il he
| has hill give it screw every day till he
gets what he wants.
! rs that the usual way" Mary asked.
| suddenly enlightened.
It's the dead easy way retorted
| Cheever.
! at the magnate's bald spot; many things
| We're revolving in her mind among them
| shrewd estimate of Mrs. Whiting. Mary's
attitude toward people was pessmistic: she
| had seen so much of the underslde of life.
| where the patches are not all hemmed
! down and the raw edges grin. She did not
| look for extremes. but she was prepared
| for imperfections. The suggestion that any
! human being was either wholly bad or
/ wholly good amused her. She had seen
! both the religious recluse and the world
| ling. and she had found them human Fred
Cheevers infatuation for Madame Syrene
t was only a society sketch in fine colorS of
| the poor art student who squandered his
money on the little danseuse AS she
! looked at Schelling she became aware of
Madame Syrenes gaze. 1t was fixed on
| feeling unmstakable in the glance that
| Mary smiled. whim possessed her sud
| denly: she was tempted to measure swords
| with the foreigner. If she kept Fred
| she not render Harriet a service? At least
| 1t would be amusing and it would defend
| her from the magnate.
You seem to be fascinated with Schel-
ling's bald spot said Cheever at last:
| you have been observing 1t for at least
! five minutes. By the way, l heard he was
out for a new wife to preside over that
million-dollar palace"
Mary turned with an amused smile at
| didn't cost quite SO much. and there's an
Italian Renaissance facade done in Yer
mont marble she said maliciously. land
| two lions in bronze on the front steps; the
| hall is In red"
BY Jove!" interrupted Cheever suddenly:
| hes after you-you-that chump!'
Mary laughed with delighted amusement
| There are compensaions. she said de-
| murely; "he has not attempted to transport
| the bronze horses from San Marco
Cheever leaned more toward her: he was
| interested and his attitude was confidential
| Does Mrs. Whiting mean to marry you to
| that chump?" he asked angrily: its like
her. Hang it! You can't mean
| Why not?" asked Mary provokingly:
mouse"
| Cheever frowned heavily. shes got
| pile. that aunt of yours. he remarked:
| shes a shrewd one. 1 can tell you that:
she can fix you up without Schellng."
But she has no such thought" Mary re-
. torted mildly: "she Is dressing me for the
| fair. but I'm to make my own fortune and
i she points out the way: she's matrimonial
| Moses"
She's an old devil" said Cheever bluntly
notwithstanding! Good Lord! It's
/ treason" He leaned on his chair frowning:
i he had forgotten Madame Syrene.
| Mary knew 1t and smiled: the temptation
! OF beautiful woman to put her power to
; the test was upon her. She was conscious
of the other woman's eyes, and she was a
| little reckless and amused. 1t was like q
! game of chance and she held the winning
J card.
| 1t was Cheever's earnestness which star
! tied her at last. see mere, he Salu pend
! ing toward her until his fingers nearly
! touched her hand: ''your friends won't hear
! of it. Miss Hadding; you throw Scheiiing
! overheard; the things impossible: it's
! Mary signed to him that the music was
! beginning: she would not talk when there
| was any singing.
! "Oh, hang it, Cheever murmured. Il
! thought that caterwauling was done. What
| in til. world did l come for-unless--" he
| looked at her and stopped She was
i charming. the soft shadowy masses of her
| hair curied about her low forehead. touched
| her, and there with radiant tints. the curve
! of her cheek and chin was even more per-
| fact than he had thought. and he could not
| lad the eyes under the soft. straight
| lashes 4 must have come to see you!'
| he exclaimed under the cover of burst Of
song.
| Mary bushed. The full significance of
! her evenings trifinS WAS suddenly revealed
J to her in an illuminating flash. Had she
| really been SO base as to lead Harriet 8
| husband on to make love to her? That he
| was easily led into such delinuuenci = did
| not lberate her from her responsibility.
! and she shivered as though a draught Of
! cold air had struck her white shoulder
! and Cheever's swift movement to shield her
| from an open door increased her salf-abase-
ment What madrsss lad possessed her?
! While the great soprano made the rooms