Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-14

The Girl in the Chair.
For q moment Loveland was more con-
ceited than he had ever been in his life
which IL saying not . little. He told him
self that the girl must have found out
who he was. and that this was her artful
way Of scraping acquaintance. She had
taken possession Of his chair. with his
name upon It, waiting for him to come
and claim his property. and expecting the
conversation which would be sure to fol-
low.
He was conscious Of q shock OF disap-
pointment. In spite of the witching.
curled eyelashes. he had not fancied her
that sort Of obvious. flirting girl; and like
other spoiled young men q conquest which
fell to him easily was less worth making.
Nevertheless. he still wanted to know
her. No man. even q spoiled one, could
like those. and he intended to go through
the whole program which he believed that
she had deliberately planned out for him;
yet he wished that she had not made her
self so cheap.
The chair next to his was unoccupied.
though usurpers were warned of by the
name of 'Mr. James r. Smythe." boldly
painted In black letters across the back.
Stretching away to the left was row OF
Smythe chairs, which Val did not trouble
preston Of q large family OF impending
Smythes and was glad that they were not
assembled. Their absence gave him a
splendid chance to make the girl with the
eyes present Of the filtration she en-
Val, risldng the avalanche of Smythe-
mood which might ove-whelm him at any
instant. sat down in the empty chair next
to his own. expecting the girl to glance
up and down and lutter the coquettish
Ia n fAcftc4
were more subtle. She did not look up at
all, but calmly went on reading her book.
a volume Of disagreeably Intellectual sug-
gestion.
teresting, because surprising, but Val still
regarded 1t as a game. He looked at the
girl. while she. apparently unconscious
Of or Indifferent to his nearness. slowly
turned leaf after leaf She turned SO
many that Loveland grew impatient. Be-
down in front Of the line Of Smythe
chairs fastening upon him SO baleful en-
eye that he feared at any instant to be
dispossessed Of his borrowed resting
place
At last he decided to be bold and wait
no longer.
What am I to do IL Mr.. James r.
Smythe comes along and orders me out?"
he asked. pleasantly. in a low yet CONVEX
sational tone
The girl glanced up for the first time.
suddenly and as il startled. She had the
air Of having been deeply absorbed in her
book. and Of not being sure that her
neighbor had spoken to her. Also. she
II said what am I to do If Mr.. James
r. Smythe comes along and orders me
outr' Val repeated.
That's what thought you said" re-
piled the girl. meeting his admiring. quiz
zical eyes with a somewhat bewildered
yet defensive gaze. 'But-why should
you say 1t to me?"
isn't that rather hard hearted Of your"
asked Loveland.
IT don't understand you at ALL" said
l suppose you can't mean to be rude or
impertinent. But II not you seem to be
talking nonsense"
This was straightforward. to say the
least yet her voice was so sweet and
girlish. with such dainty little drawl in
It. that the rebuke did not sound as Sc
we're as II spoken with sharper accents
'Of course I don't mean to be rude or
impertinent." Loveland defended himself.
at q loss for the next move in the game.
know that is my chair. I'm delighted you
should have It.
your chair?" echoed the girl. "Oh. you
are mistaken. No wonder. II you thought
that but even then you couldn't have
dreamed I'd take 1t on purpose7'
MO-, r." began Loveland, looking
guilty.
Her eyes were on him. you did think
SOL! she exclaimed. IT see you did. That
was why you-and yet I don't see how
who you were, unless-are you a very
famous person In the life to which it's
pleased London to call your
Lord Loveland laughed rather foolishly.
But he Redeemed q little, which made him
look boyish. SO that the foolishness was
rather en1a p1nU
Il think you've punished me enough"
he said.
Then you admit that you deserve to be
punished?"
(Which means that you did believe
took your chair on purpose"
II didn't stop to think" said Loveland.
telling the truth as usual, but less trucu-
lently than usual
you are English, aren't your" the girl
bewildering eyes.
"Oh. yes" replied Loveland, in q tone
which added "Of course" But he would
have realized now. II he had not been
ignorant of his important identity.
II was sure you were. l suppose you
don't understand American girls very
we'll. or. perhaps. any girls yet. But then
few men do. really. Except poets or
novelists And you're not poet or a
novelist?"
Rather mott!
You speak as though I'd asked II you
were q pickpocket. Do you despise
writers?''
IRA be sorry to be one. Wouldn't your
He ventured this question. which, II an
swered. might after all send them on the
way toward a more friendly understand
ing. But he seemed destined to put him
self In the wrong-although the girl
laughed.
II am one" she said; Il write stories."
you're chatting"
mo. I'm not. Why should you think
SOP"
"Oh. well. because you don't look a. II
you wrote"
Thank you. suppose you mean that
for a compliment. But women who write
aren't scarecrows nowadays. II they ever
WERE"
well, anyhow. you're too young"
i've been writing stories-and getting
them published, too, ever since I was six
teen. That's some years ago now. Please
don't say you wouldn't have thought it
That would be too obvious even for an
average Americans idea OF an average
Are you an average Americanf"
Are you an average Englishman?"
r. Rogp 90 ma