Evening star., 1919-03-16
BY SEWELL FORD

the kids see you bringing me home
and tell Pete about 1t. He'd he green
in the eye for a week. Goodbye, Mr..
cutter, and much Obliged"
AS she skips out and up the path to-
ward the little ramshacke cottage she
turns and flashes one of them wide
smiles on Babe and gives him
friendly wave.
well" says ]. pete might do
worse"
Il believe YOU" says Babe. kind OF
solemn.
Course, I didn't keep any close track
of Mr. Cutler for the next few days.
There was no special reason why /
maxim up his quartet for that south
ern cruise. SO about a week later I'm
mildly surprised to hear that he's still
stayin' on over at Sister MabeTs. !
didn't really suspicion aything until
one afternoon, along in the middle OF
January, when as | steps off the 5:10
] gets u glimpse of Babes blue racer
waitin' at the crossing gates. And
snuggled down under the fur robe be-
side him. with her cheeks pinked UP
by the crisp air and her brown eyes
sparkln'. is Miss Lucy Smell.
"Huh." thinks |. still goin' on, eh?
Or has Billy's little beak had another
leaky spell?'-
Couldn't have been many days after
that before ] comes home to find Wee
all excited over some news she'd
heard from Mrs. Robert Ellins.
What do YOU think, Torchy!" says
she. THAT bachelor friend Of Mr..
Robert, II Mr., Cutler, was married last
might"
''Ehw says I. "Babe?"
"Yes," says Wee. "And to village
girl, daughter of T. Smell, the plumber.
And his married sister is perfectly
wild about it, Isn't i, dreadful?"
"Oh, I don't know says I. Might
turn out all right
"But--but she's a poor title school
teacher" protests Wee, land Mr.. cut
Ter iS-is---"
ways had what he wanted. And eN-
pect he thought he wanted Miss Smell.
Looks SO. don't it?'
] understand that Sister Mabel
threw seven kinds of fits. and that the
country club set was all worked up
over the affair, specially one Of the
Young ladies that had played in mixed
foursomes with Babe and probably
had the net out for him. But he
didn't come back to apologize or any
thing ike that. And the next we heard
was that the happy pair had started
for Florida on their honeymoon.
Well, that seemed to finish the Incl
dent. MIR. Robert lunches his shoul-
ders and allows that Babe is old
enough to manage his own affairs. Sis.
Ter NIdDel cdIIHCu uOWit, anu VIC Wis
appointed young ladies crossed Babe off
the last -hope list. Besides perfectly
good scandal broke out in the bridge
playing antt dancing set, and Babe
Cutters rapid little romance was for
gotten Five or six Sundays came and
went. with Mondays following regular,
And then here the ether afternoon.
as I'm camped down next to the car
window on my way home, who should
tap me on the shoulder but the same
nj rIe,,k l.NNI. Il
close. For there's a worried, puzzled
look in his wide set eyes and he don't
spring the usual hail.
Hello" says !. Amt lost your
baggage checks have you?"
Give loSt--Lucy."
'Wha-a-t" says !, gaspy. You
don't mean she--she's--~--
NO" says Babe. She's just quit
me and gone home"
'But-but why?" blurted out:
Lord Knows" groans Babe That's
what l want to find out"
Honest, it listens like frst-class
mystery According to him they'd
been staying at one of the swellest
joints he could find in the whole state
of Florida. Also he'd bought Lucy all
the kinds of clothes she would let him
buy. from sport suits to evening
gowns. Shed take. up lot of diff
ferent things, too- tolf, riding. swim
ming, dancing. Seemed TO be having
a bully time when--Bang! She breaks
out into a weepy speel and announces
that she is going home. Does 1t. too.
all by her lonesome. leaving Babe to
trail along by the next train.
And for the life of me, Torchy,"
he declares. II can't imagine why"
We'll, let's try to piece ii out says
I. First off. how have you been
spending your honeymoon?'
"Oh. golf mostly" says he. Il was
runner up in the big tournament
II see," says l. 'Thirty-six holes
day. eh?''
He mods.
"And Jackpot session with the old
crowd every EVENING"" | asks.
"Oh. only now and then" says he.
with a few late parties down in the
grll?" i goes on.
Not party" says Babe. States
dry. YOU know. No. generally we went
into the ballroom evenings and /
helped Lucy try out the new steps
she was learning"
you did,, says l. Then give it
up"
ME too" says Babe But Tn not
going to give up Lucy. Say, she's
regular person. she is, She was maxi
ing good, too, and having a whale OF
time when all of a sudden--Say,
rorchy, If it was some break ! made
/ want to know it, so ] can square my
self. She wouldn't tell me; wouldn't