Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-27
A MANS MAN
LAM HAY,
AUTHOR OF 1.-THE RIGHT STUFF"
CSDyright, 1900, ~ Wulan
Blackvv00d 4 Soma
Copyright, 1910, By He1ghtoA
Mi@in Company.


CHAPTER XII.-Continued.
Hughie regarded her intently.
II don't know yet" he said. Il want
to see a little more OF you"
Most people," said Miss Gaymer. with
dignity. make up their minds about me
at once"
IT won't do that" said Hughie. 1T
wouldn't be quite fair
Joan pondered this retort and finally
flushed like child.
THAT means that you have taken a dis
| like, to me- she said.
II didn't mean 1t that way said
Hughie. much Extraordinarily.
anyhow. it means that you haven't
made up your mind about me- persisted
Joan.
THAT is true" admitted Hughie. who
was no hand at fencing.
Well. do 1T soon.'' said Miss Gaymer.
I'm not accustomed to being put on
| trial. 1 may mention to you," she added,
cOmplacently, that I am considered a
great success. Do you know what Jacky
Penn told me?'
mo; what?" inquired Hughie. perfume.
torily. He was beginning to understand
the inwardness Of Mildred Leroy's warn
ing that the girl beside him had not yet
found her feet.
HE told me-" said Joan. with an unaf-
fected sigh Of pleasure. that the men
here all call me The Toast What do
you say to that?"
"A toast" said Hushie, rather heavily;
lis usually an excuse for a glass;
shouldn't like to think of you merely as
| that. joey
Miss Gaymer eyed her guardian with
undisguised evaporation.
| "Hughie. you have got fearfully old
| maidish in the last nine years." she said
Where have you been? In any decent
society?'
Sometimes; but not often. Not what
you would call decent society. joey"
| WELL" remarked Miss Gaymer, turn.
ing her opponents flank with character.
istic readiness, whatever it was. IL
wasn't very particular about clothes
Hughie, your get-up Is perfectly tragic
will have to begin by dressing decently
l don't know who your tailor is. but
Che-e-erub!"
What ho"' came from the croquet
lawn.
| Come here, at once"
'Cherub obediently put down his nallet
and approached. Having arrived, he
halted and stood to attention.
"Cherub.'' commanded Miss Gaymer
turn round and round till I tell you to
stop. and let Mr.. Marrable see your
Clothes
| Much f1attered, Cherub rotated serenely
on his axis for the benefit Of the un-
tutored Marrable, while Miss Gaymer ran
Must I have waist?" inquired
Hughie. meekly.
"Yes-if you've got one" replied Joan,
surveying her guardians amorphous
shooting jacket doubtfully.
| And purple Socks?'
| Green will do old man. remarked the
mannequin, Unexpectedly.
"Cherub, keep quiet!" said the coutumi-
ere. You have absolutely nothing what
| ever to recommend you but your clothes
SO don't spoil it by babbling. There.
Hughie! That is the sort of thing. You
must go up to town next week and order
some. Run away, Cherub! Now, another
thing. Hughie. Look at your hands.
they're clean. Can't you get them at
tended to-"
Hughie surveyed his hands in a remi.
niscent fashion. They were serviceable
members, and had pulled their owner
through many rough places At present
the palms bore the mark of the Orfnoco's
coal shovels, and there was a great scar
| on one wrist where Hughie had incau-
tiously touched hot bearing. There was
also an fincision in. the middle knuckle OF
the right hand. caused by the impact OF
Mr.. Gates front teeth on an historic &C.
casion. There were other and older
marks, and most OF them had some in
Iteresthng story attached to them. But, OF
course, Joan did not know this. To her
they were large, unsightly. unmanicured
hands-only that and nothing more.
Hughie sighed. All his old assets seemed
to have become liabilities. somehow.
| Aren't they q scandal, Hughie?" Joan
repeated.
| Il suppose they are, Joey" said Hughie
coming out of his reverie. Right o!
I'll get them seen to- / don't suppose
again. he added. in a depressed tone,
80 they might as well be made orna-
mental. I'll go and consult Sophy Full
carney about them when get back to
who's she?" said joey quickly.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. your time" said
Hughie. briefly. pleased to feel that he
could give points to his ward in knowl-
edge Of something. Amy more require
ments, Joey?"
Let me see. Oh. yes. Can you dancer"
Used to waltz" said Hughie. eau
tiously.
"Decently?'
II can get round room"
| Can you reverse PROPERLY?
If a man reversed in my young days
said Hughie, I'VE used to regard him as
a bounder. Do they do it now?"
Yes. always. Can you do anything
else?"
"The usual things-lancers and polka.
Danced a reel once in Scotland
Nobody dances the polka now, and
hate the lancers. Can you two-step?"
| Never even heard of it,"
| Miss Gaymer sighed.
Never heard of the Boston. suppose?'
she said, resignedly.
Never in my life" said Hughie. Look
here" he added. inspired by a sudden
hope. perhaps it would be as well If l
stayed at home on Tuesday night-eh2"
quite as WE'LL" said Miss Gaymer, can
didly. "But don't suppose Mildred will
let you of. You'll be wanted by the wall
flowers"
| But not by joey. apparently"
Il don't dance with rotters." said Miss
Gaymer, elegantly. Il am practically
booked up already, too. However, II you
! apply at once I might give you one" She
thought for q moment. I'll try you with
No. 8"
I'VE had better not settle at present. {"
said HMghie. II should like to have a
| look round the ballroom before I tie my
self down In any way. But I'll bear your
application in mind"
Miss Joan Gaymer turned and regarded
her companion with unfeigned astonish-
ment. He was still sprawling. but his
indolent pose of lazy contentment was
gone, and for a moment challenge peeped
out of his steely eyes. She rose DELHI
erately from the grass and walked with
great stateliness back to the crOQuet lawn.
/ Hughie sat on. feeling slightly breath
less. He had just realized that he pos
sessed a temper.
Presently Mrs. Leroy completed a Sc
quence OF five hoops and retired, followed
| by the applause of an incompetent part
ner, to the copper beech.
She sat down opposite Hughie and sur
veyed him expectantly.
"Well, Hughie?" she said.
We'll. Mldred?'