Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-11
THE EVENING STORY.
The Lady and the Captain.
BY BEATRICE DOYLE.

| she StoOd on the hotel steps, looking
straight ahead down the long promen-
ade. 1t was drizzling in a hopeless. help
less, backboneless sort Of way. and she
wanted a cab. but not one was to be
seen. nor even a hall porter. She had an
appointment at her dressmaker's. and
she grew impatient man, obviously
of gentle birth, tall. well set up. in long
ulster with turned-up collar and tweed
cap drawn we'll over his eyes. rounded
the near corner and mounted the steps.
He glanced at her quickly. noticed she
wanted something, and removed his
tweed headgear.
Can l ASSIST
THANK you,' she said II want a
cab
"A deuced fine woman" murmured the
man to himself. as he shut the door OF
the vehicle behind her.
After ALL" she thought. stepping out
at her destination, men are OF some
practical use, / suppose sometimes
That night, at table dhote. his table
was placed near hers. She smiled ana
bowed languidly, and he found nlmsel1
Hooking with interest at her LETT nano,
which. somewhat to his surprise, was
unadorned save by its own oeau'y-
negligible quantity. ,+
and sat on the lounge. Presehtiy
shadow fell across the open page. one
looked up. y,
my name,' he said. lis Horace Orme
Won't YOU sit down, Capt. Orme!
Major" he corrected her. You're
subtle fatterer. . e.
She gave no confidence In return ~.
his Later. he scanned the pages or the
visitors book, and found her entereo'
Somewhat vaguely, as Miss Merrllles'
London. 81
He accepted her tacit PERMISSION 10
enter into conversation.
.:Tm here" he remarked, for a fort
nights hunting
$50 am l." she laughed
He grew eager
| 'Really?'
Again she laughed.
your hunting ground will be that
which is freauented by the fox she
said: "mine, that which Is given over "
dressmakers. My pet pet SHOPS sor arr The Win.
I've come to rig myself out Ior 1ne VIZ
He was disappointed, but tried not to
show it. She gave him Laughing sioe
glance. .;a .,a
he knew she had understood
Not only good looking:' he thought
but clever. too" He felt an o; antici-
.it.s not only children" he translated
the thrill certainly for mis- own benefit,
uncertainty for hers, since hers depended
wholly upon whether she followed ene
trend of his Thoughts, VINO eh'oS p'"'
.Oh.' she said, 1.-THE fires all right.in
fact, delightful on occasion; it's the oeine
burnt that's unpleasant ana a1a;n sh hs Knew
avoided at all costs, ana again ne MIC"
that she ad understood
mot only beautiful and clever, but
dangerous he decided, and the thrill
which in itself was agreeable. was mxeo
| understood
| spell warning.
"a fortnight" he said, once more voic-
ing his thoughts for their mutual beneht,
is very short time.
II once knew a woman who got en-
gagged. was married and became widow
| in a fortnight"
! he felt that she was worth talking 10.
| He raised his brows:
aShe was, surely, singularly unfortu-
| nate?"
| "Singularly fortunate. you mean; she
had no time in which to repent at ieis-
| ure."
| No: merely thirty. and woman Of the
world" She laughed.
| rho next day condescended to be an
| ideal one for the purpose OF ootn; 1ro.
| her bedroom window she saw him ride
| away. and she noticed that pink became
|
| him wonderfully.
That night they dined early. at the
same table, and went to the theater To-
| gether: it was good company ana a
good piece, and they both ENJOYED II. OF.
| perhaps, 1t should be said. rather. mat
| they appreciated one another society
| and conversation the more LOT the settihs
| in which they enjoyed II.
| Each day they contrived to spend some
| hours together, and the fortnight short
| ened to week and the week to TWO
| days. =.
| was during the long interval that he
| turned to her with what, even II II Were
| q we'll bred member of the FAMILY was
| distinctly curiosity.
| IT'S twelve DAYS. ten hours and thirty
Z, Ave minutes since I first met you. vet
know no more about YOU than that you re
staying at this Queens Hotel: that you
| presumably spend several hours day
| with your dressmaker; that you apparent
| IN know your London extremely well;
| that YOU are. without doubt, handsome
stylish and good form: that your Son-
yersation is amusing and your society
ldangerous-?' He broke off, but his very
| pause was a question
| She laughed indOlently
| Isn't that enough?
| said NO
Men are always exacting." she unused.
| lifting her opera glasses ana direcths
her gaze toward the opposite DON
| know no more OF me!
| Again she laughed-meaningly this time
lifted her brows, and gave him a SIDE
long glance.
! "Perhaps not so much, she suggested
| He felt himself get red like school,
| how. and he gnawed his mustache saw
agely. r,- sounaed con-
| ceited." he said, with hauteur, but II
| was not SO intended" He waited Tor
her to agree with him. but. to his cha
| grin, she merely shrugged her shoulders
daintily and continued looking al the OPP
poste box. .,,h;o,, .he
He fidgeted in jerky way. which; she
had learned, expressed that ne 1ouno the
situation trying.
Go and have a smoke" she sus-
gested. 80,
Don't let us squabble on this. our last
evening together" His smile was cnas-
tened. as Of one who had succeeded IN
rising above his evil passions TO nelRnt
from which he could look down pitylngiy
on those less happily placed
She looked surprised.
..Our last evening? What OF tomor-
row.. mo -,
II find" ne said. sadly. that I'll have
TO start day earlier than ! expected
If he had hoped that she would snow
signs of mourning he was mistaken
WELL" was her only comment, MADE
in a matter-of-fact tone or Voice-cer-
tajuly she had paused moment or two
before speaking-"we'v had very plea
SAINT time
yet" he said with visible displeasure.