The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-03-08
CHAPTER xIIl.-continued.

She was taking him home then!
= well, you've got to come in and
have some supper with me in that
case" he cried eagerly. and she told
him that che had taken him home be-
cause she knew that Mr. Ruggles
& would approve
Not much you won't" he said. and
. put his hand on the speaking tube. but
she stopped him
Don't give any orders in my motor,
Mr. Blair. You sit still where you
men re-"
: ID DO you think that am such a sim
-'ele youth that /"
On Lefty Lane with a gesture of SUI
-91 jreme ennui said to him impatiently:
Z "Oh, just think am pretty nearly
tired to death; don't bother me. |
want my own way"
Her voice and her gesture. her beau
ty and her Indifference. her sort of
vague lack of interest in him and in
everything, put the boy. full of life as
= he was. out of ease. but he ventured.
J. after a second:
Wont you please tell me what you
wanted me to do this afternoon"
why, | was hard up, that's all. l
have used all my salary for two
months and | couldn't pay my bill at
the Savoy.
Lord" he said feryently, why
didn't you"
Il did. Like a fool l sent for you
the first thing. but ! was awfully glad
when FIVE O'Clock came you didn't turn
up. Please don't bother or speak of it
again"
And burning with curiosity as to
what part Poniotowsky played in her
life. Dan sat quiet. not venturing to
put to her any more questions She
seemed so tired and so overcome by
her own thoughts. When they had
turned down toward the hotel how
ever, he decided that he must in honor
tell her his news.
Got some news to tell you" he ex
claimed abruptly want you to con
graduate me. I'm engaged to be mar
ried to the Duchess of Breakwater
She happens to be a great admirer of
your voice"
The actress turned sharply to him
and in the dark he could see her lit
tie, white face The covering over her
head fell back and she exclaimed:
Heavens" and impulsively put her
hands out over his. do you really
mean what you say?"
Yes" He nodded supposedly
What do you look like that for?"
Lefty Lane arranged her scarf and
then drew back from him and laugh
ed
"Oh. dear, dear, dear" she exclaim-
ed, land | and | have been ="
she looked up at him swiftly as
though she fancied she might detect
some new quality in him which she
had not observed before, but she saw
only his clear. kind eyes. his charming
smile and his beautiful. young ignor-
ance, and said softly to him:
mo use to cry, little boy, If it's
truel But that woman isn't half good
enough for you-not half, and guess
you think it funny enough to hear me
say so! What does the other boy from
Montana say?"
Don't know" Dan answered indif-
ferently. "Marconied him; didn't tell
him about it before he left You see
he doesn't understand England
doesn't like It,"
Al little dazed by the way each of
the two women took the mention of
the other, he asked timidly
You don't like the Duchess of
Breakwater. them"
md she laughed again.
Goodness gracious. don't know
her; actresses don't sit around with
duehesses." Then abruptly. her beau
tiful eyes, under their curled dark
lashes, full on him, she asked
do you like herr"
You bet!" he said ardently. "Of
course | do. | am crazy about her"
Yet he realized, as he replied, that he
oidn't have any inclination to begin to
taIk about his fiancee.
They had reached the Carlton and
the door of Lefty Lanes motor was
held open
Better get out" he urged. land
hNFe something to eat"
And she, leaning little way toward
NM laughed.
Crazy! Your engagement will be
hroken off tomorrow And she fur
Tier said: "If really thought it
Vpuld, why I'd come like shot"
AS she leaned forward, her cloak
Allpping from her neck, revealing her
throat above the dark collar of the
Himple dress she wore, he looked in
her dove-gray eyes, and murmured:
"Oh, say, do come along and risk It,
I'm game, all right"
She hesitated, then babe him good
light languidly, slipping back into her
Old attitude of Indifference.
Il am going home to rest. Good