Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-18
NAILED DOWN

he said trreverently, drawing outline O.
one In midair with his fork. Somehow
| they make me think of the swan boats IL
| the public gardens in Boston"
Miss Hansborough laughed and I fel
| better.
How absurd! she cried
| Il think I saw the originals of those
birds on the banks Of the Serpent Nile"
declared. ''They looked old enough for It
anyway. But the Nile wasn't green, as
always thought; there was too much mut
in it,
From the new cuttings and dams at AS
| souan." said Jack, Understandings.
| Pretty soon I felt l should be believine
myself the man these generous people
| seemed to think me, SO strong Is the self.
deceit Of acting Wasn't 1t the elder Booth
| who once became so imbued with the feel.
| Ing Of the character he was portrayinp
that he nearly ran his antagonist through
| forgetting for the moment that he was en-.
gagged in only stage duel? 1 was but an
| amateur. yet was becoming as obsessed as
| Booth had ever been.
But the Nile boats are as picturesque as
| ever" 1 went on land the boatmen and
| fellaheen quite as dirty and thieving."
The words came trppingly. and in
| imagination saw the sunlight on the date
| palms and the plodding Of the desert
camels. as well as fellaheen. beggars and
Nile boats.
Were you over there long7' Benson
asked.
Ages" answered, smiling at him
| Mrs. Randolph studied my face with a
quick and comprehensive glance.
You haven't been back a great while?''
| she said.
Not half long enough to get reac-
| quainted with myself. I'm SO Egyptian
| lied that even my words stumble. l know
the height Of the Pyramid of Gizeh good
deal better than that Of the Goddess of
Liberty down here in the harbor."
You haven't been long in New York;
she went on, with certain sweet and
tremulous persistence.
ask the discriminating reader. If this
was not sufficiently puzzing to muddle a
| man of the levelest head?
Not very long" 1 answered. evasively.
How long?"
Driven thus into a corner, I tried to get
out of 1t humorously and f1oundered.
About five feet ten." l said mentioning
my height. for could think of no suitable
reply.
Though the answer was SO witless, Miss
Hansborough laughed again in her jolly,
generous way, and I smiled her my graft
tude.
"Thanks! I cried to her. I'VE. at least,
shall get on famously."
Think so?' she said, and arched her
eyebrows at me again In the way that l re-
membered and thought piQuant and viva
cious
I'm sure Of it." declared.
That's good for you know I always
liked you, Julian"
"And I simply adored you! / asserted:
whereupon she flushed and became even
prettier than before.
My alteration of pretty women explains
why am here" added.
My comprehensive glance covered both
her and her sister.
''Mr. Benson" l said turning to him in
desperation, when l was captured and
brought here, / thought at first that the
thing was q lark and that we were prob
ably bound for a dinner at Sherry's, and
perhaps the theater later. But this is bet
ter than both. You agree with me?'
I'm ready to agree with you in any,
thing he said, almost nervously.
'"Phen you'll agree with me that when
pretty women. one of whom declares that
she is his wife, and the other says she is
his sister-in-law, and the Intelligent young
fellow at dinner begins to make queer re-
marks, thus abetting them. the situation is
the oldest ever?"
I looked at him so level-eyed that his al
ready flushed face colored still more,
II should declare 1t unbelievable-a page
out of romantic novel," he answered, sit
ting back in his chair.
And II the young man thus captured was
so puzzled by what he saw and heard that
he wasn't sure If the thing were real or a
bit of playSacting what then?''
Il should call 1t two pages out of two
novels"
He met my glance now and drew a oues
ton mark on the cloth with his fork.
thought the question mark was for the
eyes of Miss Hansborough
Apparently we had reached the end of the
conversational tether. and SO we were
straying into inane paths and foolish cir