Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-04

get divorces. What an escape for some
poor little beiress that this creature is
hoist with his own petard in the very
midst of batting his wicked trap You
needn't look at me like that, child. |
don't care how mixed up / am. Did this
man look like a gentleman"
Yes" said Lesley. Naturally, be-
cause he is gentleman"
my dear, He must have been clever
to hoodwink an observant little thing IKE
you. who can see right down into peoples
hearts. even when you hardly seem to be
noticing how they do their hair, or the
color Of their necktes. This man is moth
ing but his own valet
so arm l my own maid, said Lesley.
He never said he was rich, Or
Il mean he isn't a marquis"
The soft outline of the girls figure stiff
ened and she sat up very straight on the
sofa.
"who says he isn't a marquis?" she
asked sharply.
Everybody. The newspaper"
''Oh-the newspaper
But it's true. He's been turned out OF
his hotel. I'll read you the"
please. I think I'll read It myself. II
you don't mind. dear said Lesley. That
is-when you've finished. / can wait;
II have finished, all l care about read
ing" Mrs. Loveland FASTENED to assure
her. for she invariably discovered that
she had ceased to want anything which
Lesley could even be suspected Of wish
ing for.
Take the paper, dear. Don't get up.
I'll bring ii to YOU
But Lesley did get up. and stood with
her hack to her aunt az she read the
Louisville version of Tony Kidd's sensa-
tional STORY" She took a long time to
read it, and when she had come to the
end she laid the paper on her aunt's lap
without saying a word.
.'Well-has it struck you dumb?' ex-
claimed Mrs. Loveland. disappointed-for
if she spoiled Lesley with petting. Lesley
spoiled her with responsiveness.
Il am rather Mortified said the girl.
mo wonder. You actually knew him
or thought you did
Il think STILL
''Why-did you suspect at alf?''
Nothing that don't suspect now. Poor
fellow!'
'Poor.' Dearest that's carrying soft
heartedness too far. Think-if he'd mar
ried some girl
Il have often thought Of it,
What must Mrs. Milton and Fanny Be-
feeling?" went on Mrs. Loveland. Friends
on the ship-and now he knocks down the
husband and father in the street. be-
""Ah. yes. because Of what?' echoed
Lesley
'Mr. Milton says
Il read what he said. But his photo
graph is in the paper.
Nothing. unless ones interested In
physiognomy.'
II don't know anything about physi-
ognomy,' said Mrs. Loveland.
Neither do t. said Lesley, except
what I was born knowing.
We'll, dear. ] don't think I'd talk to
any of our friends about having met this
dreadful impostor." Aunt Barbara sug-
gested. gently. People might fancy. X
you did. that there's been-oh some little
shipboard Irritation, perhaps, nothing seri-
ous of course, but
$50 they might" admitted the girl. II
didn't think at the time, myself, that II
was anything serious"
II should hope not"' breathed Aunt
Barbara. "A valeti''
Marquis or Valet?" murmured Lesley.
with quaint little smile. 1T sounds
like the title of an old ia shioned story"
For goodness sake don't use it,
begged her aunt. THE material isn't
worthy of YOU
''Oh, my stories are always new-fash-
ioned." said Lesley. You know. the
critics reproach me for running ahead OF
the times in my ideas"
You certainly are rather unexpected
replied Mrs. Loyeland. Sometimes / al
most wish you were tiny-Just tiny
bit more conventional"
"You wished it when / said poor fell
low
"Oh, but you didn't really mean that"
Il did, persisted Lesley. II should he
in myself If l thought l
could fail to recognize a valet when I
saw one. And I hate being disappointed
in any one.
1T must be disappointing to an au-
thor-one who has to be a student OF
character" assented Aunt Barbara, sooth-
ingly.
Even when she's forgotten all about
that part of herself for awhile, owing to
Interruptions
The dovelike little lady looked hurt.
she cried. 'Of course, | know, at this
time of dayI'm only in the library on
II didn't mean you, auntie," said Les
ley. kissing her.
Not me? Who, them
But l really ought to write
Il do hope 1 haven't taken your in
spiration away, dearest
mo. You've given me one.
I'm so glad Well I'll run away now.
I've lots of things to see to. Forget all
about the Marquis of Loveland-I mean
the valet. Put him out of your mind
Don't worry. auntie. It's quite easy
to put valet out of a, tidy, we'll regu-
lated little mind like mine
Think of Dick said Mrs. Loveland.
Hes going to be a splendid fellow"
Dicks a paper doll" said Lesley
Perhaps it was because she was not in
a mood to play dolls that. when Aunt
Barbara was gone. Lesley did not go back
to her sofa and her story writing She
picked up the paper which Mrs. Loveland
had left lying on the table, but she did
not read. She merely looked at Mr.. Mil
tons photograph. Then she went to the
desk where she kept papers and took q
check book from drawer.
No. that won't do" she said to her
self, after thinking for minute She put
the check book back in its place. and
opened another drawer. not locked, for
neither drawers nor cupboards nor hearts
were ever locked I'm this old-fashioned
Kentucky house.
The second drawer was full of gresn-
backs. Perhaps it was a kind of savings
bank for the young author; but, poor or
rich, authors are proverbially easy about
parting with their earnings. and southern
born Lesley was no exception to the rule.
She counted out a number OF bills
more than half)--folded them UP In q
blank sheet of paper. torn off the writing
pad, that there might be no address upon
il. and pressed the flattened parcel into a
large, stout envelope. This she sealed
with blue sealing wax. and after a mo-
ment or two Of puzzled reflection began
to print. in big black letters:
1.-The Marquis Of Loveland,
"Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
New York.