Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28

out in new toys, the rational deduction
would be that he was selling his work on
rising market If you have found him reti
cent, probably the subjects you preached
did not specially interest him, and he was
never very keen on afternoon teas and mid
night orgies"
"But the most convincing proof to me
that Christie is in love-" continued Latham,
ignoring Huttons caustic protest, "is the
fact that a certain element has crept into
his work of late that it always lacked be-
fore,-a certain refinement of conception,
as we'll as delicacy of execution. These new
qualities | refer to were most conspicuous in
the exquisite girls head that appeared on
the cover of The Idlers.' 1t created mild
furore in art circles. | was in Duggan's
studio the other day, where | met MaZzola,
the art critic on The Era and he spoke in
the highest praise of Christie's wonderfully
developed technic, and alluded especially to
The Idler' design. He said, No man could
draw SO beautiful face as that, without
there was love in his heart for some good
woman, or the artist had sketched the face
of the ideal woman of his dreams Nat
urally, Mazzola's words had double signifi
canoe to me-"
"but remember, Christie hasn't declared
himself yet, and l want to be shown the
letter where he does. 1t must come along
by the tenth, to fall within the time limit
stipulated in the wager"
II know" replied Latham, with conf
dent smile
THE plot thickens," observed Latham
with assumed carelessness, as the days
went on and the declaratory letter did not
come along, and when most artfully worded
note from Marion ]. Goldman" failed to draw
any response from Christie, it might be said
that the confident smile that had illuminated
the face of Latham was by degrees trans
ferred to the countenance of Hutton.
@Perhsps Christie is ill.," suggested La
than by way of explanation.
"Perhaps," echoed Hutton with an ex-
pansive grin; "but hardly think so, for his
name appears in The Tribune this morn
ing among the list of those present at the
Century Art Exhibition last evening""
at may be a mistake" urged Latham in
mild desperation.
Possibly" granted Hutton; @but will
wager you another dinner that it is not so
gigantic mistake as you made in your es-
innate of Christie's mental caliber"
al am not so sure about that" contended
Latham with logged persistence.
But all doubts concerning Christie S physi-
cal and mental condition were d1Spelled
when the next morning Hutton found in his
postbox the following letter:
My DEAR HUTToN.-I hope you have no
previous engagement for Wednesday evening,
the nineteenth; for l am to give my bachelor
dinner in my studio on that date. to a small
party of my club friends. 1t may come as
surprise to you to learn that l am soon to join
the army of Benedcts. / accept your hearty
congratulations in advance. am almost GER
tain you have never met my fancee, Miss Cod
man; but l bless the day when l did. Now,
my dear Hutton, prove that all the good wishes
you expressing in your heart for our future
happiness are sincere, by lending your genial
presence to my little spread on the nineteenth.
Yours cordially. AMOS CHRISTIE.
Surprise? A sensation akin to consterna-
ton seized Hutton, as he read this amazing
announcement. Was it all joke? There
was at least no mistake about the name
Goldman. But there was no such girl as
Marion ]. Goldman! She was myth True,
Christie had not revealed the Christian
name of his fancee Could it be possible
that-he must find Latham at once. Per
haps he with his inventive brain could throw
some light on the subject if he chose.
II know what you want to say" volun-
tered Latham before Hutton could speak.
dts about the announcement you have just
received from Christie. Mine came in the
same mail