Evening star., 1909-03-14

Conclave broke up suddenly, the girls going to
the door, Mrs. Navasour retreating ma Jestically
to the far end of the veranda, and the other
elderly woman drawing short, fat, red faced
man away from a discussion with another man.
" Jolly place, this Eavasour saving.
There's dancin' most nights. The dowager
brigade want the band to play classical music
an that sort of rot, you know; but Mrs de la
We're and the Wragg girls like hop, an we
generally arrange things our own way. Wen
have dance tonight If you wish it; but you
must promise to-
George, cried the pompous little man, Il
want you minute.
Vavasour swung round Evidently he re-
garded the interruption "a beastly bore"
''All right, General he said airily, III be
there soon. No hurry, is there?"
Yes, want you now" The order en-
phatic The Generals only military asset was
a martinez voice. and he made the most of it.
Rather rotten, isn't it, interferin with
fellow in this way?" muttered Favasour. Will
YOU excuse me? l must see what the old boy is
worryin' about. l shall come back soon. Eh.
what?"
Il am going OUT" said Helen; "but we shall
meet again. l remain here month: -
You'll enter for the tournament! he asked
over his shoulder.
"I-think So 1t will be something to do"
Thanks awfully And don't forget to-
night"
Helen laughed. She could not help it. The
younger members of the Wragg family were ey
seemed to be nice girls, too, and she made up
her mind to disillusion them speedily if they
thought she harbored designs on the callow
youth whom they probably regarded as their
own special cavalier.
WHEN she passed through the inner door
w wav to GO to her room she noticed that the
General was giving George some instructions
which We're listened to in sulky silence. Indeed.
that remarkable eX-warrior was laying down
the law of the British parish with clearness
that was admirable. He had been young him.
self once,-dammit !-and had as keen an eye
for a pretty face any other fellow; but no
gentleman could strike up an acquaintance with
an unattached female under the very nose of
his mother, not to mention the noses of other
ladies who were his friends.
George broke out in protest: "Oh, but |
say, General, she is a lady, an you yourself
said"
Il know did l was wrong. Even a wary
old bird like me ,an make mistake. Mrs. Va
vasour has just warned my wife about her. It's
no good arguing, Georgle my boy. Nowadays
missible in Paris and Nice won't pass muster
here. I'm sorry. George. She's high stopper
and devilish taking, l admit. Writes for some
ha penny rag-er-tor some cheap soclety Pa
per, | hear. Why, dash it all she will be lam
pooning us in it before we know where We are.
lust YOU go and tell Your mother you'll behave
better in future. Excellent woman, Mrs. Va
She never makes a mistake. Cad!
don't remember how she spotted that
waiter from the Ritz who gulled the lot of us at
the Jetee last winter: Took him for the French
Marquis he said he was, everyone OF us women
and all, till Mrs. Y. fixed her eye on him and
said, 'Gustaven Damme. how he cured upi''
George was still obdurate. A masquerading
waiter differed from Helen in many essentials.
He was Frenchman, an they're mostly rot
tiers. This girl is English, General, an | shall
look a proper sort of an ass if l freeze up sud-
denly after what I've said to her
" Not for the first time, my boy, and mebbe
not for the last" Then, in view of the younger
mans obvious defiance, the Generals white
mustache bristled. "Of course, YOU please
yourself" he growled: " but neither Mrs Wragg
nor my daughters will tolerate Your acquaint-
ance with that person.
"Oh, all right, General" came the irrtated
answer. Between You an the mater I've got
to come to heel; but it's beastly shame, say.
an you're all maxim jolly big mistake
Georgie's intelligence might be superficial;
but he knew a lady when he met one, and Helen
had attracted him powerfully. He was thank
ing his stars for the good fortune that numbered
him among the earliest of her acquaintance in
the hotel, and it was too bad that the barring
edict should ha We been issued against her
unexpectedly. But he not of fighting
breed, and he quaed before the threat of Mrs.
Wraggs displeasure.
HELEN, after a delightful ramble past the