Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-21

strangely blended effect of unerring
vision and kindly judgment. His
courtesy, and his personal magnetism
was apparent in every ton and ges-
Iture.
1 longed to get away from the I'M
interesting widow and talk or at least
possible, I suggested that we both
stroll across the room and join the
group hat surrounded him.
Though apparently not over
anxious, Mrs. Stelton agreed to this,
and we became a part of the small
+, circle that had formed around the
great detective.
I Great detective / knew. him to be,
for his fame was world wide. and yet
rs he stood there drinking his tea
with a careless grace, he a v only
the impression of a cultured society
man, ready to lend himself to the po-
lite idle chatter of the moment.
He was looking at Anne Van
Wyck, and. though not staring, not
his interest centred in her.
! But this was not at all astonishing.
think few men were ever in Anne
Van Wyck's presence without cen-
tering their interest upon her.
Her slender figure was exquisitely
proportioned. and her small head,
with its masses of soft dark hair, was
vellous grace. Her deep gray eyes,
with long, curling, dark lashes, were
full of fascination. and her small,
pale face was capable of expressing
such receptiveness and such respon-
%siveness that ones eyes were drawn
to it irresistibly. Anne's face wa
mysterious-purposely so, maybe, for
che 1yoc irfa~co1x, o1oIyo~. hut rrns.
jterious with the weird fascination OF
the Sphinx.
And as Fleming stones own deep
eyes met those Of Anne Van Wyck,
lin a glance that caught and held, it
seemed as if two similar natures ex-
perienced a mutual recognition.
r.! may have been o~ver-fanciful, but
most superhuman; and though, be-
fore my arrival at Buttonwood Ter
race, / had felt no special pc 4 onal
interest in Mrs. David Van Wyck, ]
was now conscious of a dawninE
realization that the Anne Mansfield ]
used to know had grown to a won
derful woman.
1t was part of Anne's beautiful
tact, hat she made no reference to
Fleming stones profession or to his
celebrity.
She smiled gr~aciously and opened
the conversation with a bit of ban.
ter.
ut is a great pleasure to welcome
you under our roof-tree. Mr.. Stone
she was saying, "but It il also a sur.
prise. For, I am told. you are a con
firmed woman-hater."
Aren't 'woman-haters Away
confirmed, Mrs. Van Wyck?" he par
ried; II never heard Of one tina
wasn't"
~. 49,. ,.,~A.- 49,
Do you hate all women?
NO said Stone; II do not, But il
I did, / should eay I did not-out O.
common politeness,"
How baifling!" cried Anne. Nov
| can form no idea of your attitude
toward. our SEX"
that" said Stone, lightly. 1T II
merely the attitude Of civilized MAJ
toward civilized woman. Taken col
lectively, women are delightful. Blu
any one of thena alone, nearly scarce
me out Of my Wits"
( I'D like to try it!' said Anne, will
a daring sweep of her long lashes. Al
at, him.
Il you wouldn't have to try. I ad
NIT I'm afraid OF you already. Tn
afraid of any woman. One peve
knows what they mean by what the!
say"
'They rarely know that, them
selves" Anne flung back at him; ant
Condor Archer, who stood near, add
ed, "Or II they do, they know
wrong"
s~frhese are cryptic utterances,"
put in, laughingly. Are you goo;
people sure you know what your
talking about?"
Were sure we don't!" said Anne
gatly. 'and that's Just az good. Bu
II we're really achieving cryptic re
marks, we'll refer them to Beth. Sh,
knows all about crypticism-or what
ever you call it-and mysticism and
occultism-
I"Oh. good gracious, Anne DON'T
cried Miss FOrdyce. I don't mint
people who understand, talking abou
those things: but you are not onl.
4 txn0rAnt but lntolerant Of them"
Nonsense, gtrlte." Satd Anne