Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30


tall lying and although to Eleanor 1t was
'.all for friendships sake she couldn't
but believe that he saw a beat for his
paper at the end of his pencil
Fair exchange and all that, you know.
Billy" she said, while they were waiting
for the train. I'm not going to be ridicu-
lous so you may call this an interview.
But do make it dignified. Don't say I've
gone to marry tho mari-you see. / don't
know whether l shall or not. Those Ave
millions are awfully tempting. but oh, he
got to suit me, and we are starting IN 10
get acquainted under such awful c'ndl-
tions. I'm sorry / can't give you his pic
ture, but I've never seen one, except
painting in Aunt Mary's drawing room III
New York Of a fat, a very fat BABY Win
his chubby cheek on his chubby hand
There's one of me there ditto, and you
see how slinky I am now, so you can
risk description. Look after my mother'
and when 1 decide the fate OF those mil
lions I'll telegraph YOU"
Thanks" said Billy. I'D just like to
add bit Of advice. If any one asks you
who you are give wrong name, or you
get interviewed in spite of yourself IL
any one corners you, say you are Eleanor
FIoyd's best friend. Hope you get through
all right. Goodbye
She awoke the next morning and sat up
in her berth with a start. Something was
creaking and jolting; the very air breathed
sounds strange and unusual. Then she
Law back contentedly. She hadn't walked
up to a rushing day OF toll, where the
very minutes sometimes represented SO
MANY precious nickels and dimes. but
there were hours and hours OF rest, no re-
sponsibility, and a sense OF luxury tnat
she could indulge herself IN to her
hearts content. She loved luxury, and
she had had SO little of it! She smiled
to herself at the idea OF considering the
box of a berth luxurious, but 1t was the
lack of responsibility, the rest and chanse
that gave her the illusion. She had 10
face a problem later on. but that was
months ahead This day was to be all
her own.
Ar breakfast she found herself seated
onnos,te a striking-looking woman, with
a little girl, who stared at her moment
and then said formally:
How do you do"
Her first thought was a newspaper Wom-
in her. She couldn't remember when and
where she had met her, SO she merely
smiled and bowed.
II don't think you remember me. the
lady said. II come from New orleans
too. You taught Mrs. Harrisons little
girl. l met you there one day.
Her heart was humping in panic for
fear her name would come out. She did
want to be left alone for this one day:
She glanced up and looked out the window
across the car. Her eyes rested 1or
second-the merest fraction of second
on a clean-cut, manly face. pair of smil-
Ing gray eyes. a quizzical mouth and a
MAGNIFICENT head, covered with shock
Of brown hair. Perhaps she would not
have known she saw the man II at that
archaeological moment he hadn't been say
ing:
come from Mexico"
II wonder if by any shadow of q
chance" she thought, 'he knows John II.
Norton
whats your nance" the little girl was
asking
She drew in her breath, plunged out
with:
.Smith-Mary Smith," 1t was the only
name she could think Of suddenly, like
that.
The smiling gray eyes were attracted
in her direction, and the name sounded
horribly distinct In the unaccountable ST.
lence that seemed to fall upon the ear.
The lady's brows showed just tiny
puzzled wrinkle. then they cleared.
Pardon she said. Il didn't recall.
Somehow i didn't quite remember 1t was
Smith ! am Mrs. Carleton
She ran the conversation into sociable
little remarks about the country through
which they were passing. the weather. the
trip, and all the time Eleanor was turning
over one thing in her mind
That man over there comes from Next
CO"
When she returned to her section, she
settled down. with a mild interest in the
flying landscape and her fellow passeng-
ers Later on she fished from her grip
couple OF new books, but she was in no
humor for reading. because. you see, there
was the gentleman from Mexico opposite.
hidden behind a newspaper. 1t was aw-
fully distracting
He might know John H. Norton" she
found herself thinking.
Then she laughed at the idea-of course