Evening star., 1909-06-16
CHAPTER XII-Continued.

Nevertheless he was inwardly flattered
at her praise and began to look on her
with an even more favoring eye. II mar
riage in such a set were really the key
stohe to social achievement he felt he
might do far worse than choose this
comely. quivering-nosed damsel at his
side
Fond of rabbits?" he asked-as unin-
tentonally as irrelevantly.
What an odd question: she cried, her
round eyes raising incipient distress sig
nails. "Is it a joker
No he answered floundering. II
just happened TO say it. You-you look
just a little like one. A very pretty
one, of course" he supplemented with
mammoth ealantry.
Her eyes. this time hoisted the dis
tress signal SO perceptibly that Caine.
skilled to read the signs. broke off in the
sneighbor and engaged Caleb in momen-
tary conversation. Lefty, In the inter
val, stared appealingly about the board.
But. thanks to her own success in draw
ing Conover into tete tete the others
We're not, at the instant noticing either
of them. Thrown upon herself for com
fort, she decided the rough guest had
intended his asinine remark as COM
pliment. The thought did much to con-
sole her. She glanced sideways at him
with new interest, and Caine relieved,
saw the fair weather. standard flying
once more.
But Conover. subtly aware of her emo
ton. knew he had somehow blundered.
He saw how far he had detected from
his original plan of stony Self-cOntrol. He
knew 1t was the few glasses of wine he
had drunk which, while in no way befud-
ding his brain, had given his tongue an
undue looseness. a wave of self-con-
tempt passed over him; sharp unaccus-
toned. manservant bent to fill one of
his glasses. Caleb, recalling the eti-
quette-book maxim. clapped his hand
hastily over the top of the goblet. The
gesture was sudden and carried with it
an unintended force. The wrought stem
of the thin Venetian glass snapped
Conover, purple with angry mortifica-
ton, surveyed the wreck he had wrought.
Then. pulling himself together, he looked
about the board. the glare behind his
forced grin challenging any and every
eye at.might dare to show derision.
1t doesn't matter. Mr.. Standish,' he
called down the table to his host. I'm
save the pieces and send YOU whole SET
like it tomorrow Where'dyou buy it?'
1t is of no consequence at ALL re-
turned Standish, the consumption spots
on his cheek bones burning little dark
er red than usual. He turned to the
neighbor with whom he had been talking,
and with his usual dry cough took up the
shattered thread of conversation. But
Caleb was resolved not to permit his
overtures at restitution to be Sighted.
..Where'd you buy it?" he repeated.
raising his voice a little. Il want to
know so l.
1T is of no importance at ALL" pro-
tested Standish. guiltily avoiding his sis
ter-in-laws sanity gaze. Il"
But | want to know" persisted Caleb.
"Whered the glasses come FROM"
Why" smiled Standish with a pain
full effort at careless good nature Il
believe they're some We picked up in
Venice once. But they
We'll. I'll send there for 'em, then
promised Caleb, his definant glance once
more sweeping the oval of faces
Strangely enough. every one seemed
to be talking at once. and no one seemed