Evening star., 1919-03-09


he sings it, he's an old goat In
canary's skin"
Il believe 1 can manage him." she
returned. confidently.
Il hope So Mary hope so. But
he's descended from one of the first
families of Sodom and Gomorrah, and
he's wise party. and he knows what
he wants and he knows how to get
it, and he usually gets 1t. too
Uncle George paused a moment,
then added Excuse my seeing 1t,
dear-rve got the habit of seeing
things and can't break it. But did
you notice that he put something
in your bae?'
NO"
Then If you don't believe my old
eyes, you might take look for
Yourself.
She opened her bag. There was the
envelope Mr.. Morton had slipped
into IT, unsealed and fat Surprised
she drew from the envelope a folded
packet of bills and rapidly fingered
them
"Ten one thousand dollar bills"
she breathed.
Uncle George nodded Just so.
That's how he sings little love song.
But he can sing lot of different
sorts of songs, and he's a swell per-
former at n lot of other acts be
sides singing. That's all, Mary--ex-
end. But though you're clever. I'm
not placing any bets on you. Good
by, dear"
Up in her apartment Mary consid
cred the matter of this money. Mr..
Morton, she perceived, was playing the
game as he saw it; and for the pres
ent, she decided, she must seemingly
play the game in the same way. She
returned the notes into the envelope
and slipped the packet into a drawer
of her desk.
She thought over her situation as
whole for a few minutes. Her origi-
nal plan involving Maisie Jones would
have been difficult enough had she
been permitted the few days on which
she had counted in which to work it
out uninterrupted, but this prompt
injection of Loveman, and then OF
Morton. into her scheme, doubled the
number of human objects which she
must juggle without slip. The sit
uation was difficult, yes-it would re-
quire the sharpest alertness of all her
wits-but she could do 1t.
Mary composed herself and went in
again to see Maisie Jones. on whom
she had promised to call after she had
lunched While they chatted Mary
studied the girl with new intentness.
dropping in adroit questions which
would bring out revealing remarks.
lnstinctirely she despised this daugh-
ter OF plutocracy; a fluffy blond, who
had had every good thing in life
served to her. unasked for, upon
a golden platter, who had never once
had to think for herself. She de-
served just what was being planned
for her! But despite Mary's scorp--
which was, perhaps. composed in part
of that hate which human nature
feels toward its contemplated victim
Mary perceived that beneath the
girls fluffy worldliness she was fun
oamentally the sort of girl who devel-
ops into a woman whose life is cen
tered upon her domestic affairs and
domestic happiness--who demands
and subsists upon LOYALTY. Aud Mary
now knew enough OF Jack to know
what Jack. with his instability OF
purpose and affection, would in the
Years to come bring into the life of
his girl.
Again, as in the morning, Mary one
by one drew out the other qualities
that lay beneath Maisie's girlish
charm. She was spoiled selfish, full
OF temper, Nindictive--and also she
was proud to the last degree, and she
seemed inAexibiy a Puritan III mind
and impulses. 1t was upon the last
two qualities. of pride and intieXible
Puritanism that Mary's quick mind
based her now swiftly maturing plan.
Presently Mary. in her role of a
member Of the smarter New York
set, brought her light, humorously
cynical talk about TO some of the men
she knew~-to rumors of their none
too circumspect amours: and then.
quite casually, she mentioned Jack
Morton
'You know Jack Morton?" Maisie
.louCs asked
i've met him yes"
There was a quick fash of jealousy
in the blue eyes, Il happen TO know
him too-a little. Is he---is he like
those other men YOU spoke off,
You mean IN regard TO women?"
Yes"
this topic had a personal interest for
calculated how she must handle this
sic outright some scandal concerniug
fuse to believe her, and the matter
be so led that she believed herself to
she must apparently find out for her
self
"Miss Jones. these men are all
they say Jack Morton Is the Most
alike of them all"
"But-but I'd heard that Jack Nor
ton was very steady Just now
That's the little way men have"
. the Wise young woman of fashion.
more steady and proper do they try
to appear"
You mean that he is that there is
81 "A n Lott