Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR APRIL 2. 1911

IL don't know who the bird specialist
was" he said grimly; "but he belongs in
padded cell. | never saw a worse case of
egomania. He thought of nobody but him
self"
A mn had to agree that there was ground
for the criticism; but, as at Rheims, she
was annoyed by his fashion of putting it.
Had it lain within her power to conceal
Rodoslav's identity, she would have done it.
She felt that Page was temperamentally in
capable of doing him justice. But there was
no shielding him. Virginia let his name es-
cape in the midst of her voluble gratitude.
"But the poor dear meant well, she ended.
"And there's no deny ing that it was pictur-
csque. | suppose he forgot we hadn't real
gondolas and galleys.'
Page glanced at Ann; but added nothing
to his first comment, and her own thanks
were the warmer for his silence.
"Virginia Neutrality-suspicious. next will you
rescue me?' she added.
He smiled back at her in his grave way;
but made no other response. Despite his
bluntness, he was a shy man. In truth, he
was more than often brusk because he was
shy. Moreover, AIMS costume was bar
rier. He could not wholly dissociate her
from the s,1mptuous past she portray ed.
On her part, she also found him changed.
The worried inventor of the Betheny hangers
had vanished. This was man who had
achieved! So strong was her perception of
this new aura of success that it prompted her
first words as, once ashore, he piloted her to
the spot where he had so abruptly left the
Blairs.
IL know / can congratulate you at last
she said. "Uncle Justin threw cold water on
the newspaper stories; but he did admit
that you had flown"
aYes," he assented, with a brevity as la
comic as Justin's, ave managed to get off
the ground
IL am very glad How restful you will
find it here after all your hard work."
II am here merely for day or two," he
replied.
"That's short time to give Como; but
perhaps you've seen it before?"
"No," he said simply, II have never trav-
eled."
She could not determine from his tone
whether he deplored or was Indifferent to
this deprivation. He merely stated bald
fact. "But you travelled to get here" she
reminded.
"Im afraid I saw nothing. l had my
work to think about"
u see," she responded, dismayed at the
mental poverty of a man who could cross
France and Italy unmoved.
TT was relief to join the family and be rid
of the burden of his entertainment; but
Justin saw no flaw in his protege.
ale is the son of his father" he declared,
as he and Ann made a little promenade of
the garden before dinner. ~Both of them
plain spoken, straight as die, Trojans for
work."
"Had Fighting Joe any imagination"
asked Ann.
@He had the gift of guessing the enemy's
plans. l think its safe to call that magma
ton. But that's woman's question. What
put it in your head?'
"The son. find it rather hard to talk to
him."
He eyed her shrewdly. @You found plenty
to say to him at Old Point. What did you
talk about them"
al can't conceive. But perhaps he has
changed"
mo" he said; at S you that have changed.
You've been bitten with Europitis. You've
joined the silly army of women who say the
American man has no conversation"
"That would be treason to you," she pro-
tested, laughing. @When you are in the
mood, I'd rather listen to you than any man