Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-12

come to study. Ann, avid of any holiday
had fallen to Oliver Page. What chiv
he had seemed to her inexperience! Fo
ter, what hero! His quick resource had
averted collision between their launch {
collision of which she would have been the
He had probably saved her life! And to
forgotten his very name!
"He has thrown up the service added h
his shoulder. "They often do, those eng
something better turns up"
what has turned up?" asked his wife.
He didn't say"
They were in the thick of the traffic now,
in the flood which, it's tributaries as many
of Rheims, poured its full strength along
road. In motors, taxicabs, char-a-banCs, CT
in perambulators and in arms, on horsebae
France and her guests made pilgrimage to
latterdav miracle. Had they all drunk dee
of the country-which cafes, booths, sig1
insistent men with handbills let no one ie
trooping thousands could have pressed ov
highway with no greater eagerness. Even
forgot to be matter of fact. He shifted h
mouth to hand and from hand to mouth
boy. His wife perched on the extreme edg
her eyes brilliant, a pink spot in each cheek
regarded, fitting rakishly above her white
Only Ann was calm. To her human fig
itself as merely one more diversion likely
other things of which one unwisely hoped
too much. The gay effervescence of the
crowd seemed childish the roadside spec
tacle a glorifed circus day, Aviation
Week an advertisement for champagne.
The tribunes and other structures of the
aerodrome, now visible across the fields,
completed her disenchantment. A thou
sand common racecourses could boast
hot hot foE
lavish outpouring of enthusiasm! And
not hying machine in sight!
THEY quilted their car and passed
L through the wicket. Halfway to the
tribunes Blair was effusively hailed by
plump young man with ford face and
a political handshake.
Don't tell me this is your first day."
he cried.
Justin admitted the shameful truth
and presented him, Mr.. Buckley of the
American Embassy in Paris"
The plump young man continued to
voice his surprise at their delay. How
could they wait till the final day of the
Grande Semaine before coming down?
Didn't they realize what this thing
meant? Hadn't they read the papers?
1--WE were visiting friends in Nor
NANCY, apOlOS1ZeQ MIS-. blalI.
Buckley deemed the excuse insufficient,
and told her so at length.
Justin, falling behind, dropped an
ironic eyelid at his niece. price Buck
ley frequently assays better than he
prospects" he vouchsafed. "Never meet
him before?"
mo-" said Ann.
Hes secretary of legation. l used
to know him in Washington. He has
more influential uncles than anybody
ever met"
Acting on his knowledge of the bud
ding diplomats latent usefulness, he
asked him to luncheon, and, to use Justin
Blair's own phraseology, the investment
paid. Buckley smoothed the way like
professional courier. He secured them
a table in the most favored row; he
knew the precise dishes that this Paris
restaurant, transported to the harvest
fields, served best, and ordered them; he
spoke as authoritatively of the cellars of
Rheims as if he owned them, and recon-
mendeda label of perfection that he
said moved connoisseurs to tears. Amid
these activities he still found time to de-
vote himself to Ann Milburn with zeal
that lost nothing from his consciousness
that she was not only Justin Blairs niece,
but girl of exceptional beauty, reputed
to have a swollen fortune in her own