The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-09-24

the unexpected. The girl felt that Il
was rather a triumph to have him de-
vote himself to her.
Routed BY the Enemy.
When Robert Wells came into his
apartment and found Jimmy there in
possession of the place and OF the
letter which Mr.. Wells had written to
me. he had just come from q complete
rout at the hands OF the enemy.
After their ride In the park Martha
had yielded to her genuine and deep
rooted feeling. She had always cared
for Bob and the strong vital tide OF
her feeling had all but swept her into
his arms when the black-eyed maid,
Nita. announced, mr.. versale."
Bob took his leave-without succeed
ing In taking Martha's heart, too. And
the girl was left to meet the untram-
meled and violent southern lovemak-
Ing OF Louis Versale.
And so when versale made breath
less vows of his uncomfortable love
for her-his burning desire to possess
her for his own-something OF the
primitive there Is In almost every girls
nature leaped into flame.
Martha felt her blood surging
had never before known. She found
herself trembling with an emotion
which she almost resented. But she
was not strong enough to resist II.
w.t sn Will marry me che Sss cant sbs
father for your hand. / want you,
Martha-want you so. Won't you come
With me ;rd nOw Us You will sGpe
Mono. mustn't Mother and faith
or Wouldn't protested Martha weak
But versale caught her in arms which
frightened about her with a mastcrful
strength that swayed her strangely. The
girl tried again TO protest, but found
herself suddenly acduiescent-suddenl
ready to go-anywhere, 50 It was with
When she got to her own room doubt
assailed her. Martha half determined
to telephone Versale and tell him that
she had changed her mind. Then Nita
the. maid began discussing Matthias
suitors.
"oh. mademoiselle-Mr. vorsale. he is
mad about you. could see that when
! let him out. His eyes they burn. Tie
Is romentic, a real lover"
Martha surveyed the girl dreamily.
Mr.. Versale he come from, a wonder
full family-I think sometimes he rnust
be here on an inportant-what you call
Martha laughed. Diplomatic mission,
Ntta?"
Nita smiled. Eyes. Mademoiselle. I
think so. His family is very brave
and think he would be fighting In the
better here
A Wonderful Opportunity.
Martha's heart expanded with the
feeling OF being on the edge OF wonder
full things. Versale was always very
quiet and reticent when It came to dis
GUESSING his affairs.
Nita's words fell on fallow ground
There are a great many girls who find
the men they love more desirable when
anyone eisenhower unimportant and
neglible that anyone else may be
praises them.
Martha determined that she was hav-
ing a wonderful opportunity for thrills
and glow and romance and that IL she
missed this opportunity to go with a
man like Louis Versale she would be
missing her chance at the great adven-
ture.
A few minutes later Bob Wells tele-
phoned and asked II he might have two
invitations for the ball the following
night. Martha promptly acquiesced.
To herself she said, ANY little thing
l can do to make Bob happy now
ought to do-because the one gift he
wants I'm going to refuse him.!
But Il did not occur to Miss Martha
Ainsley that the person she was about
to deprive of a great gift was herself.
They say A. that that almost most every woman
ans broken heart. And Nita, the
maid, when she so generously praised
Yersale to Martha, felt as II she were
IL
death Sp and For the biSsR
eyed maid who served Miss Martha
Ainsiey had ventured to fall in love
with Mr.. Louis Versale. beau ideal
When she ushered him to the door,
on the day before the Ainsley ball.
he gave her tidings with which she
had TO acduiesce, but which could
peal to her. I'VE elope from the ball.
See that, every Jewel she owns is in
Mr. VersaIe swung down the ave-
ment he had taken In a Fashionable.
hurried to the phone and called a
A moment later he was speaking
TO a square jawed gentleman who for
the nonce wore a chauffeur's uniform.
and who for all times rejoiced In, the
euphonious name OF BUTCH
VerSale the Scnemer.
Butch tore himself away from the
congenial task of seeing how many
glasses OF beer an interested citizen
could consume in one hour of unin-
terrupted effort and lurched over TO
the telephone.
An eavesdropper might have been
surprised to hear the elegant Mr.. YER
sale remark. In an off-hand tone to
the very ordinary Butch, THAT you,
mon vieux? This Is Louis"
The rest OF the conversation took the
form of an admonition: BE outside
the Ainsley place at 2 r. m, and be
prepared to beat everything on the
road. Take your location at that little
road that runs along the side OF the
estate. Act as II you'd had trouble
jockeylnR for a place out in front with
| the other cars. and drive around the
! side with a beaten air. Have the gray
speedster-and have her ready to speed
| sonnet
on the morning OF the ball q mcssen-
J ger boy brought Jimmy the cards which
would admit us to the sacred portals
OF the Ainsley home and the following
note:
Dear Jimmy Inclosed find, cards.
Have ordered duplicates of their cos
tunes sent TO you and Miss Fairfax.
| H,.noy nraSanfad ma ,,,t.t, Ar -