Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-21
CHAPTER VIII.

Glenn Sypher stood at the front door OF
Penton Court q day or two afterward.
awaiting his guests and taking the air
The leaves Of the oaks that lined the
drive fell slowly under the breath OF a
southwest wind and Joined tdeir sodden
brethren on the path. The morning mist
still hung around the branches. : The sky
threatened rain.
A servant came from within the, house.
bringing telegram on. a. tray. Sypher
came as overcast as the sky 1t was from
the London Office OF the Cure. and con-
tanned the information that one of his
largest buyers had reduced his usual
order by half. The news was depressing.
So was the prospect before him, of drip
ping trees and Of evergreens on the lawn
trying to make the best of it In forlorn
bravery. Heaven had ordained that the
earth should be fair and Sypher's Cure
invincible. Something was curiously
wrong in the execution Of heavens de-
crees. He looked again at the prepos-
ferrous statement. knitting his brow. Sure
ly this was some base continuance OF the
enemy. They had been underselling and
outadvertising him for months. and had
large firms already. Something had to
be done. AS has been remarked before.
Sypher was man of Napoleonic methods
He called for a telegraph form and wrote
as he stood, with the tray as a desk:
''If you can't buy advertising rights on
St Pauis Cathedral or Westminster Alb
hey, secure outside pages Of usual datlies
for Thursday. Win draw up 'ad my.
He gave 1t to the servant, smiled in an
ticipation Of the battle and felt better.
When Fora, Emmy and Septimus appear
ed at the turn OF the drive. he rushed to
, meet them. beaming with welcome and
| exuberant in phrase. This was the best
Just three friends to luncheon-three live
people A gathering Of pale-souled folk
+, would have converted the house into a
chilly barn. They would warm 1t with
the glow , Of friendship Mrs MI Midds rads
| irradiated the wan November garden
Miss Oldrieve he likened to spring GRO
| Gus. and Septimus with slap on the
back could choose the vegetable he would
| like to resemble. They must look over
! side. the great surprise awaited them
What was it? All! He turned laughing
eyes on them, like a boy.
The great London firm to whom he had
| irtrusted the furniture and decoration
p, had done their splendid worst The draw
ing room had the appearance of an hote
sitting room trying 10 look coy. An all
OF Fictitious geniality pervaded the dinins
| room. An engraving OF Frans haas
/ Laughing Cavalier" hung with too grea
| a semblance Of jollity over the oak side
board. Everything was too new. too or
dered, too unindividual; but Sypher loved
| it. especially the high-art wall paper ant
| restless frieZe. Fora. woman OF In
| stinctive taste, who. il she bought bed
room water bottle. managed to identif,
| it with her own personality. professed he
admiration with woman's plying men
dacity, but resolved to change many
things for the good of Glenn Sypher's soul
Emmy. still pale and preoccupied. sais
little. She was not in a moed to appre
| ciate Glen Sypher, whose loud voice ant
Napoleonic manners Jared upon he
nerves. Septimus thought 1t all prodtg
iously fine, whereat Emmy waxed sar
castle.
Il wish / could do something for you,
he said needless of her taunts, during {
moment when they We're out of earsho
of the others. He had already offered t
go to Naples and bring. back Mordaun
Prince, and had received instant orders
fnot to be fool. Il wish I could mak'
| you laugh again.
II don't want to laugh" she replied
impatiently. II want to sit on the foo
and howl
They happened to be In the hail. A
the farther end Septimus caught sight Q
q duffy Persian kitten playing with . bf
Of paper. and guided by one OF his quee
intuitions he went and picked It up ant