The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-05-24
AUTHOR Of "THE LONE
WOLF" THE BRASS
BOWL,"ETC.
COPYRIGHT bY LOUIS Jo3Epn VANCE,

inc sirl > ugure mao u g"raclOuSneSS tnat
even Betty's couldn't shadow. And
Lydia's face, set against the darkness
OF n of those trim little hats which
In those days were just beginning to
Gust the art-nouveau-coal-hod enormi-
ties-Lydia's rudy hair, the transpar-
ent pallor of her brow, the fine glow
In cheeks fresh from the rainy night,
her dark and animated eyes brighten
Ing with surprise and half-timid pleas
ure-taken altogether Peter thought
Lydia's fairness was to Betty's as sun
to candlelight.
But with delight apprehension was
mixed In his mind. There were still
some phases of life Peter hadn't faith
omed; for one, the antagonism within
the sexes-within the sex, rather; for
1t was the attitudes often adopted
toward one another by the most ami
able and delightful of women that per-
picked his understanding.
Now, with real p~rovocation on her
side, what would be Betty's attitude
toward this rival beauty?
His solicitude was wasted. Either
he underestimate the generosity of
Betty, or Lydia's righteousness dis
armed. Constraint was absent from
their meeting: they went at once to
each others arms.
ITS so good to find you here, Betty.
Oh, good evening, Mr.. Quoin-Mr.
Trait, good evening. The best part is,
l thought you were stopping here, and
was in despair when / found you
weren't"
IT'S dear of you; but"
Il was so anxious to give youths 7"
As she spoke the puzzle box left Lyd-
las keeping finally and for all time.
Betty Merrilees uttered a low cry.
'This?" she questioned in a strange
voice. "What?"
Must l sayf" Lydia laughed. 8"
don't believe you really want me to"
Not my necklacel" the woman
gasped.
'Therel I didn't tell-did I, Mrs.
Beggarstaff"
mo, dear child; but we knew all the
time"
Incontinently Lydia was over
whelmed by a very unexpected, I'M
~called-for, motherly and protracted
embrace; which, while it didn't lack
affection, served as well the most dip
lomatic purpose of preventing the girl
from noticing Betty's half-hysterical
attempts to open the puzzle box and
that the Dowager Dragon was making
significant faces at Quoin over her
shoulder.
Permit me, Betty" Quoin suggest
ed. Il think l know the trick"
In another breath the box was open,
the necklace in its owners hands.
"Merely my foolish delight to see
you again so soon, my dear" A hand
patted af~fectionately one of Lydia's
flushed cheeks as, released, breathless,
and wondering, she stepped back to
readjust her hat.
you're awfully good to me, Mrs.
Beggarstaff. But l can't stop a minute.
I've another errand to run for father
he's very busy tonight"
Another errandl" Betty Merrilees
parroted out of a mind perhaps par
donably confused.
"Yes-I sha'n't be long. Father
asked me to bring that to you; but
promised to call for me within an hour.
So l was to attend to the other errand
first, and wait here with you for him.
But my taxicab broke down and"
"Craven coming here?" Betty inter
rupted incredulously, but checked sud-
denly at a look from Quoin.
"As soon as he can get away" Lydia
affirmed. 81 mean, of course, wher-
ever you're really stopping"
"The Plaza"
'That's just across the way, isn't It'll
It's odd of him to make such a mis-
take. he said the Margrave distinctly.
But I'll ask for you at the Plaza In
half an hour, if you don't mind"
mind On the contrary" Mrs. Mer-
rilees said pleasantly, sri be delight
ed. Tad, too. That will be fun
ratherl Well have supper together
all of u.s."
"And so-good night for thirty min
utes," Lydia laughed. II must hurry"
"Wait a minute" Peter put in. I'm
off too, you know, and going your way"
SLOW do you know you are" Lydia
demanded, smiling back from the door
way.
Because that's the way I'm going"
"But I don't want you now, Mr..
Traft-though I shall hope to see you
again in half an hour. Good-by."
The hall-door closed, leaving Peter
as dashed as Betty Merrilees was
thunderstruck, as Quoin was thought
full, as the smile of the Dowager Drag
on was satirlc.
There was a little pause.
"What," Peter demanded, "what 90
you know about that7"
"After her, you LOOM" Quoin snapped,