The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-21
The Love
Gambler
BY Virginia Terhune Van
de Water.
CHAPTER UXITI

= ing. She had not gone to
sleep until after midnight.
As she recalled Smiths good
looks and pleasing manner, it
occurred to her that, after ali,
he might never have found the note
that Annie had tucked 20 carefully
under the rug on the seat Of the
car. II not, he would find il IN the
morning when he took the car out.
For, Of course, he always brushed
and busted the cars well before
bringing them to the house
Everything went wrong with
Norah that morning. Annie, who
had arisen earlier than her room
mate, did not awaken her until al
most breakfast time.
why didn't you call me? Norah
demanded as she hurried down
stairs.
because you generally wake
yourself" Annie explained. $50 I
thought perhaps you wanted to
sleep later, as you was out last
night"
~WeII, you had another think
coming to you" was the curt re-
3oinder
Miss Leighton regarded her
waitress gravely as she entered the
dining room The table had been
hastily set and several articles were
missing.
Things are q bit late this morn
ing" Mr.. Leighton commented dur
ing an interval when the maid was
out of the room. whats the mat
ter?''
az fancy Norah was out late last
night" his daughter answered. 81
cannot allow this kind Of thing"
Yet she said no more until the re-
past was ended.
81 am going to call up Smith and
tell him to get the Limousine home
from the shop the first thing this
morning." Mr.. Leighton announced,
CHANGING at Norah. Desiree noted
that she was listening eagerly
while pretending to arrange some
thing on the sideboard
THAT is" the master Of the house
added, unless you want him for
something especial this morning. If
so. you can have the runabout and
he can get the big car later"
mo" Desiree shook her head. 'T
do not want the rUnabout today. 1t
can stay in the garage unless you
NEsed it prefer the Limousine"
NOrah Feels Hopeful
Norah slipped from the room. She
was much pertUrbed. The small
car was not to be taken out today.
Then her note would be left in it,
and somebody might pick it up.
She was glad there was no address
on it-and the name ''Norah" would
mean nothing to any one OF the
men at the garage.
Yet, Smith must take the rug
from the runaboUt. Then he would
hnd the note.
She would speak to him about IL
this morning whenever he brought
the car to the house She would
ask him if he received her message.
If not, how Apologize he would be
when she told him that she had
trusted him to such an extent that
she had gone out to meet him last
night. She would have some kind
OF an explanation from him, or she
would know the reason why.
But how could she manage?
While the maid pondered, the mis-
ress did so, too. She was dis
pleased with Norah. She detested
a girl who would angle for a man.
In spite of all her warning, it
seemed that Norah had done her
best to attract the attention Of a
fellow whom she scarcely knew.
Yet, .Desiree's sense Of justice re-
minded her that Norah had ac-
knowledged that Smith had asked
her to come out on the sidewalk to
talk to him last Sunday night.
Perhaps that was true, and per-
haps il was not And even IL he
had asked Norah TO do that-while
u was not a very nice thing for him
TO do-yet 6ere was no actual
harm In it And unless he had
known that Norah would be quite
willing for him TO talk to her out
on the street at that hour Of the
night, the man would not have sug-
gested her doing so.
Already Desirce had persuaded
herself that Norah. and not Smith,
was the chief offender.
The only thing now for Miss
Leighton to do was to return the
note TO the writer.
Matters Come To a CrIEiH.
So when Mr.. Leighton had left
the house that morning his daughter
sent for Norah to come to the Ii
brary.
The girl appeared. slightly fius-
tered and on the defensive. She
suspected that something was
wrong, but she did not know just
what.
.'Norah." Desiree remarked. isn't
this your property"
She held the folded pink paper
toward the girl Norah's face
flushed crimson.
"1-I'-she began, then stopped.
confused. With an effort she tEied
to- speak indifferentIy. why
Z hoUld il be mine? ! don't know a
thing about it"
II should think you would know
something about it," Desiree re-
marked. II inferred that it was
written by you, as your name is
signed to it,"
We'll, and IL did write it," the
girl burst forth angrily. It's not
addressed to you, ma'am! Then how
do you happen to come by it? II
a body reads another body's letter,
it's a mean thing. And if Smith
hears Of IL he'll''-
She stopped. A look Of anger
had come TO the steady dark eyes
into which she was gazing
He will what?" Desiree demand
ed sternIy. BE careful how you
speak, Norah. It will do you no
good to be impertinent"
mo, na'am know IL won't