The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-15
uIvER1ING LEoNIE
BY ELLIS BROWNE.

Marjory tried her best not to listen,
but the conversation fioated across the
table to her ears with almost fiendish
clearness. Mrs. Fanshaw's voice was
a bit high pitched, and just now she
was radiant with excitement, contra
dieting Tommy fatty about Willard.
MY dear child, was there. He was
simply mad over her. He can say what
he pleases now. but I know and so
does everybody else who saw them to-
gether."
Tommy tried to divert her. catching
sight covertly Of Majory's face, the
expression in her clear blue eyes. the
hurt, close lines around her lips.
ooh, don't know, Mrs. Fanshaw.
Will was just cub. don't think ne
ever really cared for her."
We'll, he certainly did, and il you
could have seen her face last night at
the box party Airline gave, when she
heard he was in town, oh, my dear,
my dear! Women are far more faith
full than men. Hasn't she the most
beautiful red hair you ever saw in all
your life9"
Il can't bear red hair" said Tommy
blithely. Marjory knew she meant
! Leonie Raleigh. She had met her at
a tea that week and had noticed what
an unusual type she was. And VIII.
her Will. had been in love with her
only three years ago. She fingered
her engagement ring absently He
was really very nice, a gentle-voiced.
well-mannered, middle-aged French
man. And suddenly something he was
saying caught her attention:
"You know, so few artists have ever
been able to catch Titian's tone. Red
hair has always exerted an extraordi-
nary effect on artists, yet it Is rare.
My friend the marquis is quite wild
over young Californian he met at
tea yesterday"
Miss Raleigh" suggested Mar
jory. or course, it was Leonie. The
men had fiocked around her like bees
at the tea. She had made complete
picture in the fading sunset light of
the studio.
Eyes. He cannot get the inspiration
for his work until he has the divine
thrill for his subject-you see? And
he has sought for a model for his
Francesca. She must be this same
F1orentine type that Titan loved to
paint, all, the Florentine women with
their dark eyes and red hair and faces
like whitest pearls"
The next day Tommy took Marjory
in to dinner, as Will was west for a
few days, and he noticed her look Of
,, content.
|, "You know. expect you to purr
, any moment. What have you been W
to-"
, Tommy" Marjory answered, "ha'
, the marquis any money!"
mot much. But he's a really flint
sort of chap, and his title is o. X. An
cient regime, you know. Some of hi
! people lost their heads in the SAM
a basket with Louis, l believe. Why?
p Nothing" Marjory changed tn
, subject. The count kept her post
ed Both he and the marquis belonged
q to the little group Of marooned cont
> nentals in New York, too old to 60 t.
war, marking time in the new world
r And it appeared that the red-haire'
California girl was splendid success
. She had enough money in her owl
" right to make the attentions of tn
marquis acceptable. Even befor
Wills return, everyone was matin
4 the two and talking of their romanti
9 meeting. Marjory smiled and sal
nothing, not until the night whe
!. Will came back. She was at the oper
, with her mother, and two boxes ava
= on the same tier were Leonie and tn
n marquis.
!, You know her, don't you, dear!
she asked, very imperonally. Tomm
- eyed her from the back of the DO
4 alertly. "Leonie Raleigh from SAINT
a Barbara"
a Willard sat up, his eyes suddenl
4 keen with interest.
10 where is she?"
q Right over there in the Sewar
'. box. Isn't she lovely, Will? Sue
" wonderful red hair?'
y "Ah, they will be engaged in les
than two weeks. | could wager tn
\. count said happily, next her mothe
"a "He. is most devoted to her. He is pc
fectly mad over her. And she Is quit
:, willing to be the fair marquis, ah, we
!. quite willing
"You know" said Will appraisingl
r. "she always seemed an awfully ord
~ nary girl to me. II it hadn't been II
m her hair she'd never attracted any a
IN tention."
"A You knew her out West, didn
a you, dear?"
h "Oh, in a way. Glad she's going
marry a marquis. Leonies the kir
of girl that requires plenty Of bac
y ground"
J. Then, feminine to her pretty fing'
~ tips, Marjory could not resist Just Il
IN / one question:
- Were you ever really engaged
her, WHIP"
"A Never" very emphatically.
10 "You don't have to say that Just
make me feel happier, dear. / dor
suppose you can be blamed when W
hadn't met me yet, only | dread
look e,en in the eyes of any girl wi
may have beer kissed by you, dor
y you know.
m "Sveetheart he aned over h.
10 chair-"don't you wv that our lo'
BY was 81 big and wonderful that 1t ju