Evening star., 1917-09-30

baught "And before I forget it, my
thanks for plotting Mrs. Bill Wife home
for me-"
Some day. if you continue neglect
ing her In the shameful fashion that
has become your practice. Mr.. William
Sinsabaugh. shall pilot her away from
the Sinsabaugh mansion" said Waring
"Well-and Sinsabaugh eyed his drink
my wife. Phil waring. I'll strike you
of my list of acquaintance"
"Devilish unclubby of you, Billy! Dc
you see me?"
Here's looking at you!"
They set their glasses down. Sinsa-
baugh looked the least bit embarrassed.
Phil"
Fire away"
About that position I offered you
a while back Mrs Bill Wife told me
this morning something of what you'd
been telling her yesterday-very crude,
thought 1T. talking about another man
fifteen minutes after I'd been sum-
moned for speeding from the railroad
He frowned heavily at Waring.
Mrs. Willy must be more careful or
you'll be shooting me-" laughed War
ing:
Many thanks. old top. and will you
let a beggar starve in his own good
way?"
Told her so! You're a stubborn
1ackass. Phil Waring. But you can't
get out Of it as easily as all that. Mrs
William Sinsabaugh has been giving
much thought to you. and-well. I've
telephoned your apartment three times.
and Mike said you were out some
where, and didn't dare go home with
out you, so-come on"
"Eh? Sorry; it can't be DONE" said
Waring.
How clipper we are! Do you real
ize that Mrs. Bill Wife told me to come
vii ar n a
Sorry" Waring smiled, but he be-
gan to itch with impatience. Billy
Sinsabaugh was one of the very best.
but-and Warnings eyes grew merry
Waring had a most important engage
ment: to seek himself and do murder.
The merriment left his eyes. Some
where in this city Claire was under
going cross-eXamination at the hands
OF Bergson.
Got to toddIe along. Billy" he said.
Not for a moment did he think of con-
fding in his friend. Sinsabaugh would
listen. exclaim loudly, and-take mat
ters into his own hands. That meant
the police.
Nothing doing! Listen. Phil! Madge
insists that you come up to dinner.
Didn't you promise her yesterday that
you would?"
Waring had forgotten all about his
promise
yes. but something has turned up,
And you think we'll let you off. eh?
1 like that"
but intended to telephone. Billy"
You'd forgotten all about it," re-
preached Sinsabaugh. And after
Madge has dug up Miss Claire Sorel.
niece of some eccentric old buck named
Randall, worth pot of money-eh,
what's wrong. old MANI"
Whats her uncle's name?" demand
ed Waring. harshiy
"Randall-Peter Randall Expatriate.
Lives in Paris, I believe. What about
1t?
Waring controlled his features as
best he could.
You say that she's going to be at
your house tonight? Sure?"
why not? I phoned Madge awhile
ago saying that hadn't been able to
locate you, and she said that she'd
found Miss Sorel at the Plutonio and
that Miss Sorel was coming to dinner
all right and that l must locate you.
You see. Phil. you've been so blamed
shy and offish since the Carey Haig
smash that we don't trust you. You're
too frequent with your last minute re-
grets.
There was some little truth in Snsa-
baugh's remarks. People urged War
Ing; they refused to take mo" for an
answer. Waring had been compelled
or felt that he had been. which
many invitations, to send regrets later.
1t was silly of him. he knew. and yet
he had stubborn pride that rocked
not of Stiffness. He was not the de-
Gently well-to-do Phil Waring any
more, and he would not become a
hangeron at society's affairs-which. If
he but knew it. was one of the rea-
sons. though perhaps a minor one. why
people still wanted him so badly.
It was impossible that the Claire OF
fNf
Camp avenue, should be the Claire
Sorel that was Mrs Willy Sinsabaugh's
friend. But it was also quite. tmpos-
sible that Waring should be embarked
upon so amazing and desperate an ad-
venture as he found himself let in for.
1t was still more impossible that Bur-