Evening star., 1907-08-18

| $50 NietNeE. nut her smile was bleak.
Where is Harriet" she said distinctly:
| ''it isn't possible that you left her behind?''
He gave her swift glance OF surprised
/ dispieasure; II she chose to adopt this role
| ne FOUND II In bad taste. Harriet Is sit
| ting up with the boy he replied 'he
sneezed twice yesterday and three times
today; expect to send for a specialist to-
| morrow"
IF had known IT should have slipped
away to see her" Mary retorted composed
| ly; Il want to tell her and have had no
J opportunity. of your kindness in helping
! Mr. Apple out: meant to have appealed TO
| her, you know.
Cheever froWned and dropped his voice:
wouldn tell her that he said: "IIar-
riet doesn't always Observation-Disclosures
| that is between you and me-
! Mary lifted her brows rs it?" she said
In a tone that not likely To even
reach Portucarrero. and yet was not too
| low Il am told that at the club-he Is
| called Miss Hadding's Applet
The confounded little fool must have
blabbed It abroad them" exclaimed Cheever
ansriiy. you didn't think I'd tell. Nary"
| ne added in an und, rtone.
She gave him a clear glance. why not?'
she retorted. lit was no secret. you helped
poor man out OF financial embarrass-
| ments: | hope you would have done as
| much without my appeal"
Cheever gave her a searching look. Tn
! hanged If l understand you" he said with
more sincerity than elegance; you're a
| problem in algebra
Il was afraid you did not understand
| me-. she replied sweetly, very few people
You can understand me- though" he
| said in a lower tone: land I'll tell YOU that
l wouldn't have given Apple a cent If IL
hadn't been for you! know what you think
Its natural-but l went TO see Madame
Syrene because she sent for me about a
business matter"
| Suddenly apprised of his mental attitude.
and surm!sing that he attributed her cool
ness TO pique because of his presence at the
embassy that morning, Mary blushed WY
| idly; after all was It possible TO pierce the
armor of mans egotsm? Leonard
Bishop thought that she was In love with
| him and so did Fred Cheever: the sltua-
| ton had its amusing aspect. Probably this
was the masculine point of view Pray
do not explain your motive 10 me Mr.
cheever. she said quietly, Il am not an
inquisitor.'
slip in calling there?" he asked sullenly.
Mary shot swift mocking glance at him.
Il can-f your wife does" she retorted
quickly.
He colored with anger, but at last UNDER
stood her. 'Ah,' he said with sarcasm in
his tone after all you were playing the
game of politics-when you rescued Mr..
Apple"
believe me- Mr.. Cheever, l appreciated
your disinterestedness-and you should
have seen Mrs. Apples gratitude. 1t Is
good to help people in Distress
Cheever stood regarding her a moment In
silence. then he laughed not altogether an
agreeable laugh. My dear Miss Haddng"
he said. II congratulate you. as actress
you would be admirable"
Mary colored for the second time but
was conscious of feeling OF relief: Cheever
had accepted her rebuke and Ii seemed
possible to let 1t pass off easily. She
turned to the ambassador, who had been
examining some of Mrs. Writings pic
lures with convenient preoccupation but
Mary noticed that he knew the exact mo-
lr,AnT -ha,, Gla J,l
He came and shook hands with Cheever
and began to talk to him with that de-
ightful ease which carried her the
shoals, and she stood an instant listening
and recovering her composure. Through
the portieres she saw Frances leaning on
the back Of a low chair talking TO Bishop,
who replied with an evident lack of inter-
est; his attention was really too actively
centered in the other room to be recalled
even by Miss Fennel's best efforts at fiat
terry, and Marys keen sense of humor was
stirred at the sight of the two faces If
their curiosity had been more innocuous 1t
would have been almost laughable, but
Marys Intuition warned her that both were
dangerous. though in different ways. She
was in mood. however, which dlsregarded
such petty matters. Ryland had absented
himself again and Mary felt that the sep
aration was final: that being the case, was
1t matter of Importance to continue this
farce? 1t seemed Of less consequence to
her than at any other time, and she was
experiencing one Of those transitions of
mood when she rose to the height of re-
nunciation. There had been such moments
before. but they had been inevitably fol-
lowed by relapses when the luxury and
pleasure and friendly admiration drew her
back into her charmed existence again.
After all, though she did not think Of 1t
then. there a subtle 1attery to her
self-love in the INSCRIPTIONS admiration of
Fred Cheever. who was supposed to be
connoiSseur In women. She stood aside
now and let Portucarrero take her place,
vaguely conscious that he was her good
angel on that occasion.
She was so preoccupied that Christine
Jerome's hand on her arm startled her.
do you know 1 don't think Fred ought
to be here Christine murmured looking
obviously away from Cheever; 1T isn't a
bit true that Archie only has a slight cold
there and he says they're afraid of pneu-
monia"
Mary's face changed sharply: Il wish
you'd told me before, Christine" she said.
Il should have slipped away and gone to
her; you know how-she loves Archie."
Christine nodded. DO you believe she'd
see you when-when he's so H. she said.
Mary .. flashed an Illuminated glance at
her. There Is no reason why she
shouldn't" she said quickly; Christine, 1
hope you don't listen to malicious gossip.
Mrs. Jerome blushed. We'll, shouldn't"
she reioined with shrug; i've suffered
enough from it myself. But you know
Harriet is a madonna on a pedestal"
Thanks for the implied compliment
SAID Mary Quletly, 'Dut even IN tnat attl-
tude she can afford to me-"
Christine glanced around cautiously Por-
tucarrero and Cheever talked gayly the
two young women were out of earshot OF
the others. Il just hate to tell YOU" she
said ingenuously; but Madame Syrene Is
saying everything-just everything she can
she's a thoroughly nasty woman, you
know"
Yes, I know it," Mary replied II went
to see her the other morning"
Christine laughed. Did she have on one
of her gauze and lace creations? And did
she sit with her feet up?' she asked.
I don't remember about her feet Mary
said. but the gown was diaphanous: she's
really handsome even when she smokes"
Did you ever hear what old Dr. Fisher
said to her?" Christine asked: 'he went
there to vaccinate her two years ago. when
we had the smallpox scare, and she was
draped and had open-work stockings.
She told him he must vaccinate her below
the knee-'some place where the scar won't
show. DOCTOR she said. DR.. Fisher bowed
profoundly. Madame he replied. in that
case you will have to-swallow it, "
Later in the evening. after Cheever had
retired with perfect composure, but with
much secret chagrin for Cheever was far
too clever TO fall into Bishops errors, Mary
hal ~ hos 1,r gal,t han