Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-20

lie hoped ne q never near tnaL Adele tune again
as long he ived
And it was stupid dinner. After Summer left
Wentworth yawned with unaffected width and depth
that did make for comeliness.
poor Alec he's aging, he said as he finished
Il feel if I've been trying to digest wet sawdusti'
his wife snapped It'll take special massage to get off
the hard grin I've had hooked on all night!'
Summer went home through the slush. With his
overrpe maturity heavier thought than ever he
conscious of new, six-year-od desire to bawl
hard lump of misery that defed the swallowing
spasrn.
4 won't forget this birthday in a hurry!" he was
thinking, and he slipped getting out of the taxicab
He even of this as he stepped off the
elevator at his floor. His Victrola playing the
adele waltz That is-it seemed to be playing it.
but of it wasn't. No. He just going silly,
that all. Dotage was setting in even ahead of
time. As he opened the door he in gentle per-
spiration
Hello" called futy voice, and the Twigg girl
- stood before him in feecy draperies Just beyond
in shadowy angle he elderly woman fast asleep
in an armchair The of fresh coffee in the
air.
Summer stood in the radiance OF the room and be-
fore the radiance of the girl and blnked If the spring
time that he had been hankerng for all day had taken
on body, it must have looked like her. She
blowing, green furry of young boughs She was the
slenderest Of moons! She the damp earth
scented arbutus whose pink like lamp, lights up the
March woods!
No hint of these fancies from him.
"Youo Miss Twigg?" he questioned with impressive
courtesy.
rs that the best you can doo- she asked her smile
engaging her eyes starry but determined "A year ago
you got far Dorothy, twice Once-on the last
night-it was Dolly. Can't you thaw?' and the
rose-leaf chin its dmple inset like jewel, lifted
nearer to him.
@The surprise-seeing you so suddenly
G'FhatfS NOTHING these DAYS We hack from Ifa1v
Yesterday I've always remembered your birthday
We came-Aunty too, poor dear, dead tired though
she was. Job made stay, while he got some coffee
ready for Now let me take your hat?'
She seemed the hostess. Summer aware of being
petted. As if under the spell of fumes that
frightened fancy and sent the real scutling, he al
lowed Miss Twigg to make him very much at home in
his place.
They before the fire, she footstool, her ell
bow the Of his chair, and Aunty still sleeping
when the amazing thing happened
Il knew said Miss Twigg in sad little voice.
4that YOU trying to get up courage to ask to
marry YOU a year ago tonight-our last night
He was clearly aware that the statement false
yet he was somehow comforted that she should have
seemed to believe this.
Il a fool not to give you helping hand she
sighed.
He thought of the beseeching little face from which
he had almost rldely. Yet in a hypnotized way
he gazed at her with touch of wistful reproach.
Il made up my mind not to be silly tonight She
looked at him tenderly but steadily. "Now-there's
mistakel'
you really mean and he paused. It was true
she appealed to him as before; but he not
that captivity ultimately desired.
"Oh, don't be afraid to say no, said Dorothy. Say
it if you must. 1t won't hurt; for you I've
brilliant offers than really attend to- It's just
that l happen to think you-a perfect duck! You've
got the other boys looking like the bread line!'
That last phrase settled matters for Summer
other boys. So he included with her 4boyse,
of we-beng, of intense physical comfort, moved
through his blood. And all around the feeling the
edge of rapture that he had felt when swaying
tho. 1t To- .,..r1aa