The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-24

Take care of yourself. won't you,
please?"
As Blair passed from the sitting
room into the hall and toward the lift.
Mrs. Higgins came out hurriedly from
one Of the rooms and Joined him.
How did you find her. Mr.. Blair?"
"Awfully seedy Mrs. Higgins; she
needs Of q lot of care"
"She won't take It though" return
cd the woman. Just seems to let her
self go, not to mind a bit, especially
these last weeks. I'm glad you came
In; I've been hoping you would. sir"
I'm not any good though. she won't
listen to word say"
1t seemed to surprise the dressing
woman.
I'm sorry to hear 1t, sir; I thought
she would. She talks about you Oft
en-"
He colore4 AXE a schoolboy. "Gosh.
It's q shame to have her kill herself
for nothing" Reluctant to talk longer
with Mrs. Higgins. he added in spite
OF himself: "She seems SO lonely"
It's two weeks now since that hui
man devil went away" Mrs. Higgins
said Unexpectedly. looking quietly into
the blue eyes of the visitor. "She
hasn't opened one of his letters or his
telegrams. She has sold every pin
and brooch he ever gave her, scat
tered the money far and wide. You
saw how She went on with Cohen, and
her pearls"
Dan heard her as through a dream.
Her words gave form and existence to
dreadful thing he had been trying
to deny.
lis she hard up now, Mrs. Higgins?"
he asked softly. And glancing at him
to see Just how far she might 60. the
woman said:
AN actress who spends and lives
a. Miss Lane does Is always hard up"
Gould you use money without her
knowing about IT."
Lord" exclaimed the woman. 1T
wouldn't be hard. sir! She only knows
that there is such a thing aB money
when the bills come and she hasn't
got penny. Or when the poor come!
She's got a heart of gold. sir, for ev.
erybody that is in need"
He took out of his wallet a wad of
notes and put them in Higgins hands.
Just pay UP some bills on the sly,
and don't you tell her on your life.
don't want her to be worried" Elk.
planning with sensitive understanding:
It's all right. Mrs. Higgins; I'm from
her town. you know" And the wo-
man who admired him and understood
him. and whose life had made her
keen to read things as they were, said
earnestly:
II quite understand how It is, sir.
It is Just as though 1t came straight
from 'ome. She overdraws her sal.
ary months ahead"
Have you been with Miss Lane
long?"
Ever since she toured In Europe,
and nobody could serve her without
being very fond of her indeed"
Dan put out his big warm hand eag.
erly. You're a corker, Mrs. Hig.
gins"
II could walk around the world for
her. sir"
60 ahead and do 1t then" he
smiled. "and I'll pay for all the boot
leather you wear out!"
As he went downstairs. already too
late to keep an engagement made
with his flancee. he stopped In the
writing-room to scribble OF a note of
excuse to the duchess. At the oppo-
site table Dan saw Prince Poniotow-
sky, writing. as well. The Hungarian
did not see Blair, and when he had
finished his note he called q page boy
and Dan could hear him send his let
ter up to Miss Lanes suite. The young
westerner thought with confident ex~
altation. "Well. he'll get left all right.
and I'm darned II don't sit here and
see him turned down."
Dan sat on until the page returned
and gave Poniotowsky q verbal mes
sage.
"Will you please come upstairs,
sir?"
And Blair saw the Hungarian rise,
adjust his eye-glass. and walk toward
the lift.