The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-03-23

citv below. and it was thus that Cort-
landt found her few moments later
! He dropped into the empty CHAIR pe'
| side her, saying: -,
"Hello! Thought you had this win
Anthony
II had"
! "What's the trouble?'
"There is no trouble" She began 70
rock. while he studied her prohle;
then. conscious of his look, she ID
auired, Aren't you dancing?
mo, Just looking on, as usual.
prefer to watch. You have Drohen
your fan. it seems" He flung his Gig
arctic into the darkness and. reaching
out took the fan from her hand. She
saw that his lips were drawn back IN
a peculiar smile.
"Wel! Is that so strange" she an
swered sharply. "You SEEM sne
broke off and looked deliberately away
from him.
"Row, eh?' he inquired softly.
She could barely hold back her hatred
of the man. He had worked power
fully upon her nerves of late, and she
was half hysterical.
"Why do you take pleasure in an
moving me?" she cried. what aus
you these last few weeks? | cant
stand it WON'T
"Oh. Pardon! One quarrel an even
ing Is enough. should have known
better. Too bad you and he don't MT
it off better; he likes me. He's giving
me a party after the dance, a sort OF
gratitude affair. A delicate way to ac-
knowledge a debt, eh?"
"You know very well it is Runnels
doing" she said
"Oh, there are six Of them in it alto
gether, but Anthony originated the
little surprise. It's intended for you,
of course"
II don't see 1t. Are you going"
81 accepted. Funny spectacle, eh?
Me the guest of-Anthony?'
There was a trace Of anxiety in her
voice as she answered. and. though
she spoke carelessly, she did not meet
bis eyes.
"1-rd rather you'd make an excuse.
I'll have to go home alone, you know
He raised his brows mockingly. MY
dear! I'm to be the honored guest"
"Suit yourself, Of course"
A marine officer approached, mop
ping his face, and engaged her in con-
versation. whereupon Cortlandt rose
languidly and strolled away through
the crowd that came eddying forth
from the ballroom.
Meanwhile Kirk had found Runnels,
who was looking for him, eager to ex.
press his congratulations and to dis
cuss their exploit in detail.
Now that he had some one to whom |
Kirk could talk freely, he let himself
60, and he was deep in conversation
when Stephen Cortlandt strolled up
and stopped for an instant to say:
"Quite lively party, isn't it?"
Kirk noticed how sallow he had |
grown in the past few months and |
how he had fallen Off in weight. He
looked older too. His cheeks had
sunken In until they outlined his jaws
sharply. He seemed far from well.
A nervous twitching OF his fingers
betokened the strain he had been un.
der. He was quite as immaculate, pol.
ished and collected as usual, however.
"How Is our little stag coming onY"
he asked.
"Fine! Everything is ready" said
Runnels. "You won't expect an elab-
crate layout It's mostly cold storage,
you know, but We'll at least be able to !,
quench our thirst at the Central"
"Then it's really coming Off was
afraid you'd forgotten It," Cortlandt
cast curious glance at Kirk, who ex.
claimed heartily:
"Well, hardly!' Then, as their pros.
pectve guest moved off, What a
strange remarkv'
"Yes," said Runnels, "he's a queer
fellow; but. then, you know, he's about
as emotional as a toad"