Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-18


sional exception the shop windows bore signs
"For Sale Name your own price" The
club was almost deserted, and often Tommy,
vainly seeking news, sat there alone and
wondered what had be, ONE of "the merry
| wights of yestereve.'
| THE end seemed very close on that sleepy,
= peaceful evening when Lester, still TN
changed in appearance or manner, placidly
strolled through the long, deserted street up
the hill and out to the palace on the cliff.
He seemed the only happy person in Port
| Hatch. He astonished the only man he
saw by whistling gaily, and this unfortunate,
| who had not been left with sufficient means
to depart, promptly came out, leaned over
the fence, and watched him as long as he
was in sight. After Lester had disappeared
| he shook his head in commiseration, and
decided that the young man must have gone
| insane; otherwise what in the world was
there to whistle for9
Marquard Villa looked even finer than it
had in the spring months, offering brave
contrast to the other residences of the city,
as if defantly insisting that there was no
possibility of decline. It's trees were heavy
with foliage, its lawns like splendid car
pets, its fountains splashing, and its air fra
| frant with the odor of carnations. Lester
smiled to himself as he Sauntered along the
well rolled gravel walk toward the house,
and thought that it was extremely fortunate
that the Colonel had at least this beautiful
home left clear of incumbrance. Then his
face sobered as it occurred to him that prob
ably it would be but a short time until the
Colonel would have to borrow money for its
maintenance from some Seattle millionaire
wanting a country home. Lester had no
doubt that the Colonel would continue to
borrow up to the very day of election. 1t
was a foregone conclusion that Vanguard
| Villa would be kept up and improved, so
long as the Colonel could find a dollar for
that purpose.
Testers face was clouded by this thought
when he was ushered into the hallway by
Uncle Jeff, whose kindly old black face was
exactly as it had been on the day of his ar
rival. If all else failed, he alone would be
confident, with childlike faith, to the day of
his death, that the Colonel would sooner or
later prove to @dat cheap white trash what
gemman can do"
Lester had become too much of familiar
in the household to require announcement;
so Uncle Jeff, after greeting him, said in a
matter of fact way, missy Arabel1a, Sab,
am out on de terrus. De Kunne1 am down
to de Council meetin'. Dey amt nobody
else heah, Sah-an' l is suah glad yo' come,
becase reckons Missy Arabella' S right lone
some like. Right out dab, Sah!r
lester advanced to the terrace with his
- usual careless, swinging stride, and hjsfeet
made no sound as he walked over the pro-
fusion of rugs in which the Colonel delighted,
and to which Hubbard had always objected.
He paused for an instant, admiring her as
she sat looking out into the dusk that was
so rapidly gathering over the western ranges,
and it seemed to him that for the first time
he observed drawn look in her face,
profile that had become more clearly cut.
He was almost by her side when she became
aware of his presence and looked up at him
with a smile that was trife wan.
3You appear rather disconsolate this
evening" he said lightly, as if to rally her,
and she looked away from him toward the
west.
Eyes, she said, with her usual frankness,
Il am. I'm more than that-I'm downright
blue!"
For some reason that he could not have
expressed he knew that this was not the
moment for lightness, and made no reply as
he seated himself at the other end of the
curved marble seat, twisted a cushion up
behind his back, and lighted a cigarette.
Nor did she Immediately speak, but sat
frowning off into the distance for full min
ute. She finally turned and faced him.