Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-01
THE MESSAGE
BY LOUIS TRACY.
by Onward J.

colored even more deeply with annoy
ance. though again she felt that her tor
mentor was not so sure of her ground as
she professed to be. Every woman is a
born actress. and Evelyn precipitated a
helpful crisis with histrionic skill.
THE whole story is yours, not mine.
Mrs. Laing.' she said. quietly. Per
haps. if you apply to your half-caste in
formant may fill in further details to
please you"
At that moment the Hon. Billy Thring
interviewed. He was one of those privi,
legged persons who can say anything to
anybody without giving offense. and he
broke into the conversation now with his
usual frank inanity.
Il find I've bin lookin for a faithful
spouse in the wrong direction. Mrs.
Laing," he chortled. "Barkin' up the
wrong tree, a Chicago girl called it. What
thorough ass I was to spin that yarn
at dinner with you in the room. viii
you be good an forget it.? Don't say l
haven't got an earthly before the flag
falls"
about?" cried Rosamund. turning on him
with the sourest of society smiles.
1T sounds like the beginning of a vio-
lent firtatiOn.' said Evelyn. yielding to
the impulse that demanded some redress
for the torture she had endured.
Right you are. Miss Dane" said Billy.
by CAD, that clears the course quicker
than line of policemen. You see. Mrs.
Laing. I really must marry somebody
with sufficient means for. both of us. l
have expensive tastes. and my noble dad
gave me neither a profession nor an in
come. So. what is a fellow to do?"
You fatter me- said Rosamund,
tartly. Unfortunately I have just been
telling Miss Dane that 1 am hors de con-
cours. as they put it in the Paris exhi-
bitions."
THAT is the French for you never
know your luck Mr.. Thring." cried Eve.
lyn. with a well assumed laugh. "Mrs
Laing may change her mind, too, not for
the first time
Without giving her adversary q chance
to retaliate. she darted away to join Beryl
Baumgartner and soon seized an oppor-
tunity to retreat to her own room. Once
safely barricaded behind a locked door
she bowed before the storm. Flinging
herself on her knees by the bedside she
wept as though her heart would break
1t was her first taste of the bitter cup
that is held out to many girl in her
position, and its gall was not diminished
because she still believed that Arthur
Warden loved her. How could she doubt
him, when each passing week brought
her letter couched in the most endear-
ing terms? Only that morning had she
heard from him at Ostend. whittier the
Nancy had flown after making round Of
chances of speedy promotion once the
threatened disturbance In West Africa
had spent itself. and. oddly enough, re-
minded her of his intention to curtail his
furlough so as to permit of visit to
Rabat in a coasting steamer before going
to Madeira on his way to the protec-
torate.
Not word did he say of the Baum
gartners, or their queer acquainta1ces of
the Isle Of Wight. 1t was tacitly agreed
between them that Evelyn should not
play the role of spy on her employers
and, indeed. until that very day there was
little to report save the utmost kindness
at their hands.
Why. then, it may be urged did she
weep SO unrestrainedly? And only the
virgin heart of woman who loves can
answer She feared that Rosamund Laing
was telling the truth when she spoke of
a prior engagement. She knew that War
den had said nothing at Plymouth of
meeting Rosamund in London. and she
was hardly to be blamed for drawing the
most sinister inference from his silence.
Did he dread that earlier ENHANCEMENT?
He was poor, and she was poor: how
could he resist the pleading of one SO
rich and beautiful as her rival?
In short, poor Evelyn passed grievous
and needlessly tortured hour before she
endeavored to compose herself for sleep
and she was denied the consolation OF
knowing that the woman who destroyed
her happiness was pacing another room
like a Gagged tigress. and striving to de.
wise some means of eXtricating herSelf
from the morass into which Figuero
tidings and her own raShness had plunged
her