Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-13
CHAPTER XI.

we are already halfway through the list
of guests-at least. that is, halfway
through your list. OF course. as it is to
be ball in honor of Miss Travers COM
ing-out. Lady Editha must ask whom she
likes"
There's one thing chuckled Cammar-
leigh. IF you fill the house with my
women folk they'll very soon put you In
your place He laid the most ill-bred
emphasis on the personal pronoun.
Il ask nothing better, providing they
realize what my place is
Can1marleigh began to hum tune. He
was always resorting to little effects OF
this kind, which were intended to irritate
nothing of the sort, and Anthony in
variably resumed the business in hand
with imperturbable good humor.
There will be the dinner party before
hand-twelve will be enough
May l ask If you propose to be one of
he twelve?'
Yes I shall be there to support you.
intend to take in Lady Coleraine."
THAT is exactly where you give your
self away said Cammarleigh, adopting
an attitude with which he had attempted
over and over again to meet AnthOnys
perfect assurance.
What do you mean?' asked Anthony,
sweetly.
Why said Cammarleigh. as IL he
were quite anxious to help Anthony with
his schemes. ''if you would but keep
yourself modestly in the background-at
least to begin with
"Cammarleigh. we're wasting time and
I'm dining out
Cammarleigh shrugged his shoulders
with an air If to say that Anthonys
baseness and ingratitude were beyond
comment.
Il have always admired Lady Cole
raine," continued Anthony, "even when 1
had no prospect of making her acquaint-
| ance, and only knew her through the me-
dunn of photographs in shop windows
She is still very beautiful. It's quite Won
derful to think that she is nearly the
same age as yourself. 1t is difficult nova
days for a woman to make her beauty
historic-in the same way that Helen Of
Troy and Berenice. down to the Pompa-
dour and de Recamier. did. At the same
time. l think Lady Colerane belongs to
the royal line of Venus
She was an exceedingly greedy child"
"She will not object to my taking her
in to dinner. you will see
Your self-possession is sublime"
Il know. Now, let me see, there will be
you. myself. Lord Cecil. the prime min
lister. the Austrian amba ssador-I have
chosen the Austrian ambassador because
he is the most exclusive. Now. how many
is that-ive. Whom else do you sug-
gest ?"
II should ask the pope" said Cammar-
leigh. with clumsy attempt at humor.
He can't come; he Is prisoner in the
Vatican" said Anthony. seriously.
shall we have a labor MEMBER pur-
sued Cammarleigh
Anthony was not to be drawn.
He would probably be most uncom-
Portable. and besides, 1 don't believe in
| mixing the classes
"Really-'
"Cammarleigh you are quite childish
Day after day. and time after time. you
continue to try and get one in. as the vtIl-
gar would say. Don't you think it is just
a little foolish? You know as we'll as
do that there are only two classes-the
gentleman absolute. and the rest-and it
is platitude to say that to be a gentle
| man is a question of manners. not morals
And now. who is to be the sixth? Shall
we ask folly? He might amuse the
prime minister. Oh. l forgot-the Duke
Of Frant, of course.
Cammarleigh looked at him narrowly.
What are you up to now?"
Il don't understand.
Il have told you that the Duke of Frant
will most likely marry Miss Travers.'
"Well? Do you think that I am the
sort of man to play second-rate game?
am quite capable of putting poison in
the Duke of Frant's wine, but I shouldn't
think of giving him badly cooked dinner
beforehand. 1t is little meannesses that
make second-rate criminals. Now, you
and I. Cammarleigh, are first-rate GRIM
mails"
Cammarleigh paled. He always did
when Anthony touched on the subject
which was their bond Anthony knew
this and did not hesitate now and then
to let his victim feel the point of his
stiletto.
although. must say. I pay you a
great compliment, Cammarleigh, when
call you a first-rate criminal
Cammarleigh would have liked to pre-
tend that he was capable of treating the
situation with airy Indifference equal
to Anthony's. With trembling fingers he
lit cigarette. and with affected careless
ness puffed one or two rings of smoke
into the air.
Your nerves are hardly those Of
Robert Macaire.''
For heavens sake be quiet And the
cigarette dropped from Cammarleigh's
nerveless fingers.
Il suppose you must have had nerves
once or you couldn't"
"D-n you. will you be quiet!'
'Sprry-but you really are SO very
timid. / won't IVORY you any more with
the list now. One thing. don't forget that
flowers and decorations at the ball. Pink
is Miss rravers' favOrite color.
whats that got to do with me-"
"Oh. everything. You must tell your
sister that you found that Quit will APP
pear a most delicate attention. Is there
anything else Won want me to do?'
Where are you going?'
81 am going to dine and play bridge at
Lady Editha s. OF course i will put 1t
off If you particularly want me. At any
rate, you will know where / am, and If
you feel lonely you can ring me up ON
he telephone
Anthony gave Sybil Travers a very
good hint that the arrangements of the
ball were to be entirely as she wished.
She herself had suggested pink as the
dominant note. There was to be CO.
tillon called Spring" for which the most
marvellous effects had been designed by
Anthony. At given signal the ballroom
was to be transformed into bower of
apple blossoms. and apple blossoms would
be rained upon the heads of the guests.
A concealed orchestra of harps would
play Memberships Spring Song" after
which a choir of boys voices would sing
an ode in honor of Sybil as the Queen of
Spring. The association of her name with
spring was a formal compliment reminis-
cent of the eighteenth century, for she
hardly suggested the song of nature: she
was too intensely at one with the devices
of modern civilization. In the conserva-
tory there was to be running brook in
which everybody would fish for gifts.
Cammarleigh declared that the whole
thing was calculated to make his house
ridiculous. and pointed out that far.
thank God, there was no American blood
in his family to warrant such vulgarity:
indeed, lie tried to dissuade Anthony by
every argument at his command from in
pleased Sybil, and this was quite enough
for Anthony.
1t did not take Miss Travers long to
grasp the fact that whatever she wanted
she would be allowed to have, and al
though she was consumed with anxiety